Richmond Racecourse on Saturday 10/03/1951 6 Miles (Junior Men)
The fourth Youth's National Cross-Country Championship took place at Richmond Racecourse in Yorkshire. The course was two laps of 3 miles and 200 yards, and the route took in the racecourse, rough grassland, a narrow stream, a cart track and a meadow.
The race was expected to feature a battle between Northern champion Walter Hesketh (Manchester AC) and Southern title holder Gordon Pirie (South London Harriers). After 1½ miles Pirie led Hesketh by 25 yards. At the two-mile point Hesketh had taken the lead, and at the end of the first lap Hesketh was leading by 25 seconds.
Walter Hesketh (Manchester AC) winning the Junior race
At the end the Manchester lad had a lead of 300 yards and Pirie himself was 57 seconds in front of the third runner R R Hatton (Birchfield Harriers).
Team honours went to Thames Valley Harriers who beat East Cheshire Harriers by 27 points, Elswick Harriers were third. Ken Norris led TVH home in eleventh and Norris was supported by J Piggins (13th), E Ellis (20th) and J E Smith (49th).