The forty-fourth Senior Women's National Cross-Country took place at Witton Park in Blackburn, Lancashire. The 5000m course contained several hills.
The London Olympiades sent a strong squad to try and win the team event, the previous year they had finished seventh, but coach Don Rowe was confident that they would do much better this time.
After the race had started to settle down the leading runners were Ann Ford nee Yeoman and her twin sister Paula Yeoman, both Feltham AC, along with Carol Gould (Barnet & District AC), Thelwyn Bateman (Birchfield Harriers), Glynis Penny (Cambridge Harriers), Christine Haskett and Angela Briscoe both Stretford AC with Sonia Laxton from South Africa. Ann Ford's pace was unrelenting throughout the race and this left the remaining group fighting for places. Angela Briscoe lost a shoe and dropped back, 19-year-old Val Rowe surged through the group. At the finish Ann Ford won with a 20m victory over Rowe, crossing the line in 17:23. Glynis Penny grabbed third with Sonia Laxton fourth.
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