The Liverpool and District senior cross-country championship, which is to be held on the county course at Sherdley Park, St. Helens, next week. will see an attempt by Wirral A.C., to regain the supremacy which they lost to Wallasey A.C. in the Cheshire championship.
Wirral were easy winners in the three league fixtures of the early part of the season, and showed a big improvement on each occasion, their scores being 106, 70, 57.
Wallasey on the other hand, never appeared to be able to field their full strength, and on one occasion even failed to finish a complete team. League runs, it is clear, are not taken seriously by all runners, and Wallasey team men rallied to the incentiv of a county win to shock Wirral and most others, with a win by 20 points.
A big contribution was made to this victory by track runner Kevin Mather, who has not formerly impressed in cross-country events, but who reached a very creditable second place splitting Ron Barlow and John Wright.
With the same runners out again next week, it seems inevitable that Wallasey will repeat their Cheshire success as there is no Liverpool club able to match their strength. Not even Pembroke, who for so many years have fielded the leading senior team in the district.
Individually, however, the race is not so predictable for Barlow will find the Lancashire team man. Mike Turner, difficult to beat.
I understand that Turner will be travelling from Cambridge to compete for his club, Liverpool Harriers, and such an expensive journey is only likely to be contemplated with victory in mind, especially as it is likely to be repeated for the West Lancashire championship. at Leyland a fortnight hence.
The programme includes championships for Juniors (an event which I think could be quietly dropped, to the benefit of all concerned). Youths, and Boys. The last two events are always full of interest as form tends to fluctuate, and there can be no advance certainty about the winners.
John McLoughlin, the former Lancashire boys' champion of Sutton Harriers, might feel that he had some reputation to redeem in the youths' race, and will be out to turn the tables on E. Connor (Liverpool H.) and M. D. R. Williams (Merchant Taylors and Waterloo H.), both of whom were amongst the six who beat him in the county race a fortnight ago. P. Meldrum (Wallasey A.C.) third in the Cheshire championship, will have a word to say in this also.
There are others, however who did not compete in the youths' races of either county, such as P. Lydiate (Liverpool H.) who might very well win.
In the boys' championship. with so many excellent schools fixtures about, much depends on which boys are free to compete for their clubs. Only six complete teams will be competing, and a number of individuals. Three of the clubs have no boys at all entered. What of their future?
Secretaries who hope to base teams running in the Northern Cross-Country Championships, at Blackburn on February 16, are reminded that the special team entry forms required may only be obtained from the secretary of the Northern C.C.A.: F. Ireland, 13 Francis Street, Monton Eccles
Entries for these events close next Thursday and immediate application for forms is urged, together with their return
The track meeting arranged for this week-end at Victoria Park, Warrington, by Warrington A.C., has had to be postponed on account of the condition of the track. The same programme of events will take place one week later, weather permitting.
The present stage of the building of the new stadium at Kirkby will be completed in May, and steps have been taken this week to form a Sports Association to which all the activities catered for at the stadium will belong.
An athletics section is expected to play a leading part, and many schoolmasters and A.A A. coaches in the district have undertaken to help in building up the new club.
Ends
Source - Liverpool Echo - Saturday, 19/01/1963 by J. C. Rice
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