Great Barr, Birmingham on Saturday 07/03/1959 (Senior Ladies)
The twenty-seventh National Women's Cross-Country Championship was held at Doe Bank Lane Playing Fields, Great Barr, Birmingham. The course was three miles in length and consisted of two laps.
On the day a chilly wind and driving rain made the conditions challenging for the ladies. Diane Leather (London Olympiades AC), the Midland champion, made the early running with Joy Jordan (Spartan Ladies AC) close up. Leather held her lead for the first lap of 1½ miles, but later she dropped back to finish in sixth place. Madeleine Ibbotson (Longwood Harriers), Joyce Byatt (Hampstead Harriers) and Roma Ashby (Coventry Godiva Harriers) took over the lead on the second lap and Ibbotson and Byatt moved away from Ashby during the circuit. Ibbotson went ahead and looked to have the race run until Byatt unleashed a finishing spurt to win by four yards. Pat Benn (Highgate Harriers) passed Ashby to claim third with Ashby fourth.
Joyce Byatt (Hampstead Harriers) receiving the Wilton Bartlett Cup from Mrs V. E. Morrison-Wells, President of the Women's R.W. & C.C.A.
London Olympiades won the team title for the first time since 1935. Leathers led them home in sixth with other counters Esme Butcher (14th), Susan Jarville (19th) and Margaret Livermore (24th).
Team winners London Olympiades AC - Back row P Burridge, S Jarville, H Milne, D Leather, E Butcher. Front row S Bradley (Captain), Mrs M Cotton (Hon. Secretary)
Ilford AC and Highgate Harriers were separated by a single point with the latter winning the silver medals.