Cross-country grit

A course of three and three quarter miles, complete with a fence, a four foot stone wall and a two foot wall with a ditch, lay in store for the seniors of the newly formed Appledore Boys’ Sports Club when they set out on a cross-country run which took them over Northam Burrows on Saturday.
For the juniors the course was shortened to one and a half miles, but they still had to combat the three obstacles. Winner of the senior section was 16 year old John Hocking, of 34 Tomouth Road, Appledore, with Ken Taylor second and Bob Barter third. First past the tape in the juniors was John Smale, aged 13, of 8 South Road, Appledore, followed by Michael Platt and Alan Waters.
The picture shows John Hocking receiving a cup from Mr H Stevens of Appledore, who made the presentation in the absence of his son Harold, donor of the cup. John Smale will receive his cup from Mr S Fogaty, of Bideford, this week.
The cross-country event was held as a trial for a similar race tomorrow when representatives from the Appledore, Barnstaple and possibly four other local clubs will take part. From this the first six in the two sections will be chosen to take part in the national cross-country championships for boys’ clubs, held at Birmingham in April. A team from Devon has never been represented at Birmingham.
There were 13 entries in the senior section on Saturday and 23 in the junior. Hocking’s time was 18 minutes and Smale clocked in 16 minutes.
Starter was Mr J H Dryer, of Appledore.

Gazette article dated 24 November 1961