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Royal Agricultural Showground on Saturday 06/03/1971 6 Miles (Junior Men)

English National Cross Country Championships Royal Agricultural Showground 2023-2024
Pic credit:Mark Shearman/Peter Tempest
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The Royal Norfolk Agricultural Showground at Norwich hosted the twenty-fourth Junior's English Cross-Country Championships.


Jack Lane (Feltham AC), Phil Banning (Borough Road College), Nick Rose (Bristol AC) and Aldershot, Farnham & District AC pair Peter Adams and Ray Smedley were soon to the fore. Before the first mile had been completed Lane surged on a downhill section and drew away ruthlessly from the chasing pack. At the start of the second lap Lane had a 50 yard lead over Banning and Rose. Lane continued to build on his lead and Banning broke Rose's resistance. Jack Lane won by 150 yards, Banning was second and Rose third.


Winner Jack Lane told Dave Cocksedge at Athletics Weekly: "I planned to lead from as early on as possible and crack the others, Phil stuck with me, but he's really a track man, and I like the plough more than he does."


Birmingham University AC packed well to take team honours beating Airedale & Spen Valley by 22 points with Coventry Godiva Harriers third. Ray Smedley (4th), Ian Gilmour (9th), R Brown (20th) and N Bailey (31st) being the counting four.

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