Fifty Years of Progress 1880-1930

CROSSCOUNTRY RUNNING the way until the last three-quarters of a mile, when Willers joined issue, and, running neck and neck with Birch until the last 50 yards, just managed to win by a narrow margin. Both men were carried off shoulder high after a great race. It is interesting to recall that at the time Willers was twenty-two years of age and Birch thirty-three years. INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS It was not until r903 that the International Crosscountry Champion– ship, as at present constituted, was established, but it was in March, r 898, that the first English team of crosscountry runners visited the Continent and made history by defeating a picked team of French athletes by 2 r points to 69 points. This match was the result of a challenge from Paris, and was held over a reputed 9-mile course, from Villa-d'Aviary, finishing on the Versailles Road. At half distance the eight Englishmen were in a bunch, leading the first Frenchman by 38 sec. The order at the finish was :- r. S. J. Robinson Northampton C. and A.C. . 56 min. 36 sec. 2. H. Harrison Manchester Harriers . 56 min. 36¾ sec. 3. C. Bennett Finchley Harriers . 57 min. r4f sec. 4. T. Bartlett Essex Beagles 57 min. 22¾ sec. 5. J. D. Marsh Salford Harriers . 57 min. 48-g- sec. 6. G. Barlow Manchester Harriers 57 min. 5rf sec. 7. A. H. Meacham Birchfield Harriers . } 8 . 8 - J. J. Cook Salford Harriers . 5 mm. 4 1 '5 sec. Touquet (the French champion) finished next, time 59 min. s¾sec., and the last Frenchman (Aubert) took 64 min. rof sec. What a change since that date ! The French athletes have in the last four Internationals, 1926-7-8-9, beaten England in no uncertain fashion, although the indi– vidual honours have in those years remained with England. It points to a wonderful improvement by French clubs, and their runners, and it is largely due to the visits to France for Inter-Club races of such clubs as Highgate H., Polytechnic H., Derby C. and A.C., Birchfield H., and other clubs, and the International matches arranged by the National Cross– country Union and the A.A.A. Of the International Championships held, England has won the team honours 17 times and France 6 times. The individual honours are divided: England (r), France (4), Scotland (r). Club representatives who have won England's individual honours are South London Harriers (2), Highgate H. (r), Sutton H. & A.C. (r), Birchfield Harriers (5), Essex Beagles (2), Surrey A.C. (r), Royal Corps of Signals (2), Hallam– shire H. (2), Earlstown Viaduct A.C. (r), Salford Harriers (r) . The record, since the inception of the International Championship, is held by England, and was made at Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1924, the first six competitors being: W. M. Cotterell (Royal Corps of Signals), 113 H