The twenty-seventh English Junior National Cross-Country Championships took place in Graves Park, Sheffield. The course was ankle deep in mud in places but also had some fast stretches and the snow melted and the course had some steep inclines and long gradual declines and was six miles.
A mile into the race Steve Lawrence (Birmingham University AC) led the field with defending champion Neil Coupland (Southampton & Eastleigh AC) running shoulder to shoulder with Ray Crabb (Swindon AC) 5 yards adrift. After two miles Ray Crabb was at the front with a group consisting of Ray Cocks (City of Hull AC), Midland champion Brian Rutter (Westbury Harriers), Coupland, Mike Kearns, (Birmingham University AC), Northern champion Nick Sloane (Blackpool & Fylde Harriers), Kevin Steere (Cambridge & Coleridge AC), Dave Long (Bournemouth AC), Jerry Odlin (North London AC), Steve Barr (Thurrock Harriers) and Andy Barnett (Andover AC) all giving chase.
Next to move to the front was Dave Long who established a 15 yard gap by the end of the lap. Over the next mile Kearns reeled in Long with Coupland further back. Coupland gradually gained on the leading pair and eventually passed them, only Long responded and as they approached the final turn Long grabbed the lead. Coupland wasn't going to be beaten as he mustered a stronger finish to win by 2 seconds. Third spot went to Kearns.
Neil Coupland told Jon Wigley at Athletics Weekly: "When you're in the finishing straight and it looks like you're going to lose your National title you run harder!"
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