Roundhay Park on Saturday 04/03/1978 (Youths)

The Youth's English Cross-Country Championships were held at Roundhay Park in Leeds, the youth's event was the thirty-third running of the race. The weather on the day was fine and bright and the going was good, the course consisted of two small laps of two miles each and included the famous Hill 60.

After the first mile Simon Catchpole (King Edward School Witley) led by 5 metres and it wasn't until the third mile that Catchpole was challenged. Dave Lewis (Rossendale AC) drew level but as they reached the last hill Catchpole was too strong for Lewis. Catchpole won by 8 seconds from Lewis with Geoff Turnbull (Gateshead Harriers) third.

After the race Catchpole told Jon Wigley at Athletics Weekly: "I was only expecting to finish in the first ten - at one stage in the race I though that I had blown it by starting too fast, I took him [Lewis] on the hill. The hill decided it, for when I got to the top in the lead I knew I would win. The funny thing is that I'm not normally a hill runner", Catchpole added "This is the first big race I've won; I usually flop in the big ones!"

Birchfield Harriers edged Tipton Harriers by 22 points for team honours with Rossendale AC a surprise third.