The twenty-seventh Youth's English Cross-Country Championships took place at Sutton Park in Sutton Coldfield. The course consisted of two laps one short lap of one mile and one large lap of three miles plus the start and finish straights making a total of 3 miles and 400 yards.
Kevin Steere (Norfolk Gazelles) and Paul Bannon (Shettleston Harriers) set the early pace but a fall in the stream after about a mile left Bannon 50 yards adrift. Bannon worked his way back to Steere and was joined by Neil Saunders (Southgate Harriers) who had made a slow start. This trio led from John Lee (Croydon Harriers), Ray Crabb (Swindon AC), Bill Shirley (Basildon AAC) and Neil Coupland (Southampton & Eastleigh AC). Approaching the finishing straight, Steere tried to surge but was overtaken by Saunders and Bannon. These two staged a great battle with Saunders winning by a second at the tape. Third place went to Steere.
Neil Saunders told David Cocksedge at Athletics Weekly: "That was the toughest race of my life!"
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