PAUL Fernandez timed his race to perfection to collect a fourth victory at the White Horse Half Marathon and become the most successful runner in the event’s history.

The Abingdon athlete, who was making his final preparations for this month’s London Marathon, took victory from London Hearthside’s Andy Barnes in 1hr 13mins 18secs to reclaim the title he won three years ago.

Defending champion James Bolton, of Woodstock Harriers, completed the podium in the race, which also doubled up as the Oxfordshire championship.

Led by Bolton, Woodstock Harriers won the men’s team prize with 77 points, as he was followed home by David Cantwell, Rob Webster and Jake Harrison.

Vet 40 runner Fernandez, who was also crowned county champion, now stands at the top of the competition’s all-time list with five medals from six appearances.

Though he would end the contest comfortably in front, taking the win by 23 seconds, it wasn’t until the 11th mile that he finally dropped Barnes.

Fernandez made the decisive burst as the runners came into Denchworth for the second time.

Previously the pair had been battling it out for four miles having left Bolton at the seven-mile mark.

Abingdon’s Michael Deering (senior), Alchester’s John Nelson (V50), Guildford’s John Knowles (V60) and David Basham, of Alchester, (V70) are also Oxfordshire champions.

Witney claimed the men’s county team prize.

In the ladies competition, Jessica Webb, of Woodstock Harriers, slashed a huge six and a half minutes off her personal best to take victory in 1.21.20 ahead of last year’s runner-up Diane Moore, of Headington.

Moore won her age group as Headington clinched all three medals, with Elizabeth Barker second and Anna Jenkins third.

Webb scooped county gold in the senior ladies category, while Stratford’s Rachel Pearce (LV45), Compton’s Philomena Mburu (LV55) and Eynsham’s Kate Williamson (LV65) were Oxfordshire champions in their age groups.

Headington clinched the county team honours.

RESULTS

WHITE HORSE HALF MARATHON

Abingdon: 1 P Fernandez (1st V40, County Gold) 1.13.19, 4 M Deering (2nd SM, County Gold) 1.17.16pb, 35 D Wilson 1.26.39, 54 M Lewy (V50, County Bronze) 1.29.19, 58 J Miller 1.29.54, 71 G Wood 1.32.19, 86 C Whitehead 1.33.54pb, 109 B Watson (V40) 1.36.06, 127 A Francis (V45) 1.38.42pb, 159 K Welby (V45) 1.43.04, 165 P Brown (V40) 1.43.35, 237 T Clarke (V45) 1.51.48, 242 P Goddard 1.52.14, 257 S Tumelaire (LV45) 1.53.30, 320 L Blackmore (LV35) 1.59.31, 325 J Wiblin (LV45) 2.00.06, 332 J Pennington (LV45) 2.01.05, 362 H Burton (LV35) 2.05.04, 364 J Worth (LV35) 2.05.39, 381 S Jones (V45) 2.07.50, 387 J Styles (V50) 2.10.19, 389 C Hutchings (SL) 2.10.30, 402 L Hamilton (LV55) 2.13.46, 406 J Howard (LV55) 2.14.38, 409 P Wilson (LV55) 2.15.43, 413 C Willcock (V40) 2.16.11.

Eynsham: 46 H Hale (Eyn, 2nd SL) 1.28.33, 61 G Bridges (Eyn, V50) 1.30.25, 87 A McEwan-James (Eyn) 1.33.49, 130 M Chuilon (LV35) 1.38.57pb, 138 M Creasey 1.39.44 (2nd V60, County Silver), 145 T Hale 1.41.07pb, 146 J Byworth (V40) 1.41.10pb, 171 K Williamson 1.44.09 (2nd LV55, 1st CC LV65), 202 T Evans (LV35) 1.47.44, 248 R Evins (SL) 1.52.27pb, 326 N Coppuck (LV35) 1.59.54pb, 336 A Craggs (LV35) 2.01.11, 339 R Green (LV35) 2.01.38, 345 L Tyler (LV35) 2.02.04, 382 A Berrett (LV35) 2.07.40, 443 M Johnson (V60) 2.33.22.

Headington: 6 R Ashby 1.19.57, 8 S Kerr 1.20.59, 17 D Moore (LV35) 1.23.42, 42 A Darbyshire (V50) 1.27.33, 44 E Barker (LV35) 1.28.12, 47 M Charlton 1.28.47, 72 A Jenkins (LV35) 1.32.30, 75 N Wenban-Smith (V40) 1.32.42, 76 K Cremona-Howard 1.32.50, 85 R Shaw (LV35) 1.33.49, 97 J Clargo (V40) 1.35.06, 105 J Foster (V40) 1.35.31, 113 C Turnbull 1.36.34, 118 M Merkestein 1.37.23, 126 D Bremner 1.38.18, 141 C Noakes (LV35) 1.40.47, 167 D Sawyer (V60) 1.43.57, 180 M Reid (LV35) 1.45.28, 194 C Scott (LV35) 1.47.03, 199 P Lister (V60) 1.47.39, 204 S Robertson 1.47.57, 205 A Tester (V40) 1.48.14, 216 R Payne (LV35) 1.49.46, 225 L Featherstone 1.50.29, 244 A Pound (V40) 1.52.27, 267 A Palmer (V40) 1.54.21, 272 C Childs (LV35) 1.55.01, 306 J Larsen (LV35) 1.57.54, 316 G Norris (V60) 1.58.54, 351 S Harding-Brown (LV45) 2.03.11, 358 R Clarke (V50) 2.04.34, 361 L Macaskill (LV45) 2.04.56, 386 R Buswell (V60) 2.10.09, 411 M Keenan (LV45) 2.15.57, 422 G Day (V50) 2.19.56, 437 S Ledingham (LV45) 2.26.55, 438 P Smith (LV55) 2.28.39.

Kidlington: 94 L Hosier 1.34.42, 114 J Finnigan (V40) 1.36.19, 128 A Finnigan (LV35) 1.38.25, 178 L Tapper-Howe (LV35) 1.44.05, 317 D Sandy (V60) 1.58.31, 335 T Langrish (V60) 2.00.45.

White Horse Harriers: 74 N Druce (V40) 1.32.21, 122 M Lane (V40) 1.37.29, 142 D Day (V50) 1.40.43, 191 I Rees (V50) 1.46.05, 203 H Chaundy (SL) 1.47.39, 222 R Gilmour (V50) 1.49.42, 253 J Pemberton (LV55) 1.52.43, 385 J Smeddle (V50) 2.09.10, 395 J Bales (V50) 2.11.05.