ATHLETICS: Clubs in county brace (From Witney Gazette)
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ATHLETICS: Clubs in county brace
11:00am Wednesday 14th March 2012 in Athletics
Steve Naylor leads the way for Oxfordshire at Cofton Park
Woodstock Harriers and Witney Road Runners pulled off a west Oxfordshire double in the County Road Relays at Hook Norton.
Harriers won the men’s race by more than two minutes, while Witney took the ladies’ team prize, pipping Alchester by 20 seconds.
Martin Ineson took the lead for Woodstock on leg four of the 3.25-mile circuit and his team were not passed again, with Kevin Game and James Bolton taking them to victory in a time of 1hr 52mins 25secs.
Bolton’s split of 17.56 was the fifth fastest of the day, while Woodstock also took third in the veteran men’s race, clocking 1.57.31.
Elysia Ridley got Witney off to a flier in the ladies’ race where her opening leg of 19.14 was not surpassed.
Alchester’s Liz Grolimund took the lead on leg two, but Nikki Smith (19.30) hit back on the final circuit to win it for Witney, whose time was 1.02.53.
Woodstock’s women took bronze in 1.03.30, with Sophie Carter coming home in 19.21 for the second fastest split.
Witney also finished third in the veteran ladies’ race, clocking 1.13.20.
Meanwhile, Steve Naylor, from Woodstock, was Oxford-shire’s leading finisher in the Inter-Counties Champion-ships at Cofton Park, Birmingham on Saturday.
Naylor finished 26th, completing the 12km course in 36.47 and helping Oxon to 17th in the team standings.
The result, just four places behind his debut in 2011, showed he had shrugged off the Achilles tendon injury that ruled him out of the English Nationals.
Woodstock Harrier Jessica Webb, who also ran at Hook Norton on Sunday, was Oxon’s third runner home in the ladies’ race over 8km, clocking 32.16 as the county finished 18th.
OTHER RESULTS
(senior men unless stated)
SILVERSTONE HALF MARATHON
Witney Road Runners: D Swann 1.22.59, C Colbeck (V40) 1.45.03, H Chapman (SL) 1.55.03.
BATH HALF MARATHON
Witney Road Runners: F Snare 1.29.49, M Harris 1.38.04.
FINCHLEY 20
Woodstock Harriers: M Townsend (V50) 2.22.55.
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