Foots Cray Meadows, an area of parkland and woodland of 240 acres in size within the London Borough of Bexley, played host to the Intermediate Women's National Cross-Country Championships. The race attracted 422 entries and the 4250 metre course on the day was tough with lots of mud.
Lucy Field (Halesowen A and CC) went to the front at the end of the start straight followed by Maxine Newman (Leicester Coritanian AC) and Liz Hamill (Liverpool Harriers). After the first mile a large group was established at the front, led by Southern champion Andrea Whitcombe (Parkside AC), Caroline Forbes (Millfield School), Newman, Field, Liverpool Harriers pair Hamill and Mandy Holmes, Sarah Desborough (Bedford & County AC), Jayne Spark (Altrincham AC), Lisa Hollick (Luton United Harriers) and Sue Parker (Sale Harriers).
After two miles Holmes took the lead with Newman and Hamill sharing second with Hollick a further 10 metres back. Mandy Holmes crossed the line in 16:27 winning by six seconds from Maxine Newman with Lisa Hollick third.
Mandy Holmes the St Thomas Becket student told the Liverpool Echo "Despite the muddy conditions, it was a comfortable victory, in fact, I had a harder race when I won the Northern championship a few weeks ago. A group of about 12 of us broke away early on, and by the halfway stage that group had been reduced by half. I was expecting someone to come and challenge me over the last mile, but they never did and I won by 6 seconds."
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