| Note | The first Universities International Cross Country contest between Home Countries took place at Garscadden, Glasgow on 16 February, 1946, with teams of eight a side, with six to score, the format that was subsequently used. An Irish Universities team had been invited but was unable to compete. This was disappointing from a Trinity perspective as they had beaten Glasgow University in the Phoenix Park, Dublin in their first inter-university fixture since the end of World War II on 15 December 1945. The match over 5.5 miles between English and Scottish Universities was won by English Universities. The individual winner was D.W.M Haw of Leeds University. In 1947 he match was again a two-horse race at Weetwood, Leeds. Haw again took the individual title over a 7-mile road course and English Universities, the team honours by 61 pts to 75 pts. The contest in 1948 at Edinburgh saw the University of Wales joining for a triangular match with Scottish and English Universities. The individual title went to C.J. Black of Nottingham University, while English Universities again took the team title with 31 pts from Scottish Universities with 48 pts and the University of Wales with 115 pts. In 1949 the Universities International Cross Country took place at Nottingham as the same triangular contest. The first four athletes from English Universities finished together in joint 1st place - D.C. Birch (Leeds), the Universities Athletic Union (British Universities) champion, D. Calcott (Reading), R.V. Hughes (Birmingham) and E.A. Short (London). English Universities won easily with the minimum score of 21 pts from Scottish Universities (63 pts) and the University of Wales (107 pts). The 1950 contest was hosted by Glasgow University Hare and Hounds. Irish Universities sent a team for the first time, while the University of Wales did not participate. This was the first occasion that the Glasgow club had organised a cross-country event over a course at the Garscube Estate. The Lord Provost of Glasgow gave the participating teams a lunch-time reception in the City Chambers. The weather was described as very bad. R.V. Hughes of Birmingham University took the individual title from D.W.M. Haw (Leeds) and W.A. Robertson (QUB). Haw and Hughes had finished 1st and 2nd respectively in the UAU Championships in February at Sheffield. English Universities won for the 5th year in a row. |
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