Beaconsfield on Saturday 09/03/1935 (Senior Men)
SURPRISE IN ENGLISH CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
The long-standing supremacy of the North and Midlands in cross-country running was broken at Hall Barn, Beaconsfield, on Saturday, when F. Close, of Reading, won the English Championship, and a Southern club, Belgrave Harriers (London), secured team honours.
Surrey A.C., winners in 1914, were the last Southern club to win the team title, and that year was the last in which South of England runners achieved the 'double.' Not for ten years, since Corporal W. M. Cotterell won Hereford in 1925, had a Southerner won individual honours.
Birchfield Harriers, of Birmingham, winners on 25 occasions, and holders for the past seven years, were humbled for only the second time since the war.
THE NEW CHAMPION
Close, the new champion, is a paper-mill worker at Reading. His victory completes a remarkable series wins, for he had previously won the South the Thames and Southern Counties' titles this season.
On Saturday he ran with great judgment, and his duel with the former steeplechase champion, G. W. Bailey (Salford), was a feature of the race.
G. W. Bailey - third (Salford Harriers), Frank Close - 273 (Reading AC) the new champion and Mr W. Crooks a Northern official
Belgrave Harriers, who were placed third last year and in 1833, won the team title for the first time, with 97 points. Salford Harriers being second with 154 points, and Surrey A.C. third with 156 points. Birchfield, unplaced for the first time since 1912, were fourth. Belgrave packed well, for they had only one runner in the first twelve team places. Sheffield United Harriers finished fifth, their placings being: Darby 21, Hibberd 24, Meeke 27, Simpson 34, Wright Baddeley 71. Hallamshire were sixth with the placings: Noble 9 Hamilton 30, Garlick 47, Ellis 54, Shentall 82, Rabould 134.