It was thought that there were up to 12 Internationalists taking part in the 1977 race including Keith Angus (1976 British Olympic Marathon), John Temperton and Jane Colebrook.

The Route: East St, Castlegate, Avenue Rd, Sandon Rd, Hill Ave, Manthorpe Rd, Alford St, Redcross St, Castlegate, Avenue Rd and finish in the Riverside Park.

See below the report which appeared in the Grantham Journal 11/11/1977

see also the report in Athletics Weekly

Athletics hit town in spectacular style on Sunday, when Grantham AC staged their annual “Fireworks Five” series of road races in near perfect conditions.

Over 500 competitors of all standards from international to schools levels took part in the 5 events and more than a thousand spectators turned out to cheer them on their way.

For 2 hours the bottom of Avenue Road, Riverside area became a hub of activity and there was plenty to see for spectators at other points on the 3,000 metre course.

A new and remarkable winner emerged in the main event the “Fireworks Five” in the form of Northern cross country champion Alwyn Dewhirst, of Airedale and Spen Valley, who not only ran clear of a highly talented field, but broke Steve Kenyon’s course record with a splendid 24 min. 48 sec. time for the 3 laps (5 miles total) race.

Notts AC track star and English International, Dick Milne, took an excellent 2^nd place with Grenville Tuck winner of the first ever “Five” in 1975 finishing third.  The Aveling Barford cup went to Dewhirst, while the Fosters Builders Trophy for the team winners went to Cambridge and Coleridge AC, after being for 2 years the property of Holbeach AC.

The race produced a tremendous struggle and so high was the standard that the last 2 years’ runner up, Keith Angus, had to be content with 9^th place.  Local junior star, Jon Mitcham, ran faster than last year, yet still managed only 12^th spot, after being as high as 9^th in 1976.

The course was finished by 142 runners, Andrew Gordon, Dave Eldridge, Dave Madge and Ron Hindley completing the Grantham team.

In the women’s 3,000 metres event, a clear victory for English Cross Country Champion, Glynis Penny, of Cambridge Harriers was made all the more sweet because it was ahead of her fellow international, European 800 metre champion, Jane Colebrook, Margaret Belk, Jean Lochead and Janet Prictoe, all top class women’s middle distance runners.

Glynis won the newly instituted Barfords of Belton Trophy.

Local runner Ina Truesdale was a creditable 16^th.

More than 60 prizes were awarded in the 2 main events, thanks to the support of over 20 Grantham firms.

Before the big races, Notts Athletics Club dominated proceedings in the 3 x 1 mile Reads Cans girls and the 4 x 1 mile boys races, but in both cases local schools gave a good account of themselves.

St Hughs and KGGS took part in the Girls and St Hughs and Boys Central in the Boys events.  St Hughs winning Marco’s Bronze Medals.

But the most surprising and indeed welcome winner of the day was Grantham Swimming Club Captain, Brian Spridgens, whose victory in the local Sportsmans race was very well deserved against some of Lincolnshire ’s best young athletes, a worthy testimony of his fitness.

Commented organiser, Bob Tristram: “Brian would be welcome to join in our activities at any time”.

Team prize, the Alan Cox Shield, in this case went to Grantham College with 23 points, 2^nd came Grantham Youth Centre with 35 and 3^rd Grantham Swimming Club with 40 points. 

It was significant that Grantham Youth Centre were the only team of footballers to enter this competition, which in its initial stages was for a “Footballers Mile”.

Prizes were presented in the Grantham College Gymnasium by representatives of supporting firms and the Club’s President, Mr Tom Scott.

Local Results: “Fireworks Five” International Men’s Road Race

12 J Mitcham, 26 min, 42 A Gordon, 28:04, 68 D Madge, 29:36, 83 D Eldridge, 30:29

 Women’s 3,000 metres International Road race

16 I Truesdale, 12:25, 29 F Fox, 13:01

 Sportsman’s Race

1 B Spridgens 10:17, 3 S Baker, Granth College 10:56, 4 Murphy, Granth College 11:01

Girls U15 Relay

9 St Hughes A, 10 KGGS A

Colts Boys Relay

3 St Hughes A. 4 Bourne Secondary, 5 Boys Central A, 10 Grantham AC A, 11 Grantham AC B

1, A.Dewhirst (Airedale & Spen V) (rec) 24:48

2, R. Milne (Notts) 24:54

3, Gren Tuck (Cambridge & C) 24:59

4, K Steere (C&C) 25:02

5, P Romaine (Holb) 25:07

6, K Newton (Sheff) 25:21

7, R May (A&SV) 25:30

8, K Clifford (C&C) 25:37

9, K Angus (Sheff) 25:46

10, M Exton (Holb) 25:46

11, W Domoney (Sheff) 25:59

12, J Mitcham (Grant J) 26:00

13, R Evans (Card) 26:05

14, P Churchwood (C&C) 26:06

15, M Palmer (Notts) 26:08

16, G Tebbut (Sheff) 26:13

17, R Brewitt (Holb) 26:16

18, A Bigg (Hallam) 26:25

19, K Duckworth (A&SV) 26:26

20, D Mayho (A&SV) 26:36

21, I Barnard (Notts) 26:39

22, D Roberts (Camb H) 26:43

23, P Hurt (Holb) 26:48

24, I Norman (Notts) 26:51

25, M Watmough (Linc W) 26:52

26, P Connelly (Sheff) 26:59

27, J Henshall (Sheff)  27:03

28, J Manning (March) 27:05

29, I Drozda (Pless) 27:16

30, T Hawkins (Pless) 27:24

31, M Levery (Sheff) 27:27

32, J Adlington (Notts) 27:27

33, G Naylor (Rock) 27:28

34, M Halt (Nene) 27:29

35, I Wainwright ( Dark Pk ) 27:32

36, T Pugh (Hallam) 27:35

37, M Paul (Camb H) 27:43

38, S Mahoney (Sheff) 27:45

39, T Hanna (Leic Un) 27:46

40, M Olsbury (Holb) 27:48

Teams:

1, C&C 15;

2, Sheffield 26;

3, A&SV 27;

4, Holbeach 32;

5, Notts 38;

 (Women)

1, G Penny (Camb H) 10:39

2, J Colebrook (Cann) 10:52

3, M Belk (A&SV) 10:58

4, J Lochhead (A&SV) 11:07

5, J Prictoe (Linc C) 11:31

6, A Soar (Notts) 11:34

7, P Greasby (Rock) 11:38

8, V Weston (Linc W) 11:40

9, Tarunn Kolstad ( Norway ) 11:46

10, H Burgon (A&SV) 12:06

Teams:

1, A&SV 17;

2, Lincoln C&C 33;

3, Notts 39;

4, Rockingham 58;