The fiftieth Senior Women's National Cross-Country Championships took place at Carlisle Racecourse.
At the end of the first lap a trio of runners were at the front, Paula Fudge (Borough of Hounslow AC), Jane Furniss (Sheffield United Harriers) and Kath Binns (Sale Harriers). Following them some 20 metres back were Paula's twin sister Ann Ford (Borough of Hounslow AC), Ruth Smeeth (Aldershot, Farnham & District AC) and Sandra Arthurton (Leeds City AC). At the top of the course Paula Fudge began to pull away and opened a gap on Kath Binns and Jane Furniss. On the second lap Annd Ford passed Binns and Furniss and was closing on Paula Fudge. On the long climb to the finish Fudge was 15 metres ahead of her sister. Despite a good effort from Ann Ford she was unable to close the gap and Paula Fudge won by two seconds in 20:20. Furniss beat Binns to third place.
Paula Fudge told Athletics Weekly "I've done it after all these years, I can't believe it! It's been my dream since last year. I couldn't have been beaten by a better person, but everything went wrong then".
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