Owain Bristow proved a popular winner of the 26th White Horse Half-Marathon at Grove as he carried the colours of the home club.

In the chilly and very wet conditions of thawing snow, Bristow led for most of the race to see off his fellow competitors in a closely fought race.

The White Horse Harriers runner crossed the line in 1hr 11mins 57 secs to secure his first victory in the race.

Bristow joins an illustrious band of home club winners in the event that includes Dave Warren (1984), Derek Green (1992, 1994, 1995), Tim Hughes (1991, 1999) and Pete Wilson (1996, 1998, 2001) In second place, with a time of 1.14.43, was Brian Gardner (V50), of Swindon Harriers, who finished strongly to see off the challenge of Trevor Hunter (Handy Cross Runners).

The ladies were led home by Sophie Dawson, (Kidlington R&AC) who, in defending the title she won last year, completed the course in a time of 1.22.14 (21st place overall) seeing off her nearest rivals in convincing style Lucy Haywood, of Stafford Triathlon Club, was the second lady to cross the line in 1.25.55 - a minute ahead of Cathy Cook (L35), of Cirencester AC.

In the men's veteran categories, Gavin Fisher (Fell Runners Association) won the V40 class finishing in 12th place overall, recording a time of 1.20.14.

Gardner saw off his challengers in the V50 class, while Dave Parsons, of Oxford City, improved on the V60 men's open and county championship course record he set last year by over a minute.

In retaining the titles he lifted a year ago, Parsons recorded a time of 1.23.51 and saw his club dominate the V60 category with Roy Treadwell and Allan Matthews finishing in 2nd and 3rd place respectively in the class.

Cathy Cook finished well clear of her nearest rivals in the L35 veteran ladies' category with a time of 1.26.48 as third lady home in 38th place overall.

In the L45 class Katherine Bates, of Eynsham Road Runners, crossed the line clear of her challengers to finish in 133rd place overall, in a time of 1.40.38.

Her club colleague, Kate Williamson, secured a convincing victory in the L55 class with a time of 1.40.10, finishing in 128th overall The prizes this year were presented to the winners by Lin Westwood representing the local Wantage branch of Helen & Douglas House, the charity that provides hospice care for children and young adults.

Our picture shows Mike Shipway among the front-runners as the White Horse Half-Marathon gets under way.

RESULTS Top 50 (Senior men unless stated) 1 O Bristow (White Horse Harriers) 1.11.57, 2 B Gardner (Swindon Harriers, V50) 1.14.43, 3 T Hunter (Handy Cross Runners) 1.14.53, 4 N Holmes (Northbrook) 1.15.26, 5 J Bolton (Woodstock Harriers) 1.17.20, 6 C Tucker (Cherwell Runners & Joggers) 1.18.04, 7 B O'Connor (Woodstock) 1.18.21, 8 R Gould (Alchester) 1.18.45, 9 T Orange (Cherwell) 1.19.55, 10 C Hobday (Cherwell) 1.20.00, 11 B Vaughan (Woodstock, V50) 1.20.01, 12 G Fisher (Fell Runners Association, V40) 1.20.14, 13 P George (Woodstock) 1.20.20, 14 C Hall (Bristol & District Triathletes) 1.20.52, 15 S Jones (South Cheshire Harriers, V40) 1.20.55, 16 C Gray (Woodstock, V40) 1.21.00, 17 L Boden (Witney Roadrunners, V40) 1.21.10, 18 D Burton (Headington Roadrunners) 1.21.35, 19 M Saunders (Reading Roadrunners) 1.21.39, 20 K Game (Woodstock) 1.21.54, 21 S Dawson (Kidlington, SL) 1.22.14, 22 L Hurman (Headington, V50) 1.22.27, 23 J Webster (Winchester, V40) 1.22.36, 24 N Carter (Kidlington) 1.23.27, 25 A Hucker (Alchester, V40) 1.23.47, 26 D Parsons (Oxford City, V60) 1.23.51, 27 R Treadwell (Oxford City, V60) 1.23.53, 28 J Burgess (Alchester, V50) 1.24.15, 29 R Ward (unattached) 1.24.47, 30 C Noble (Cherwell, V40) 1.25.21, 31 A Tyler (Reading, V40) 1.25.30, 32 D Hollyoak (Meynell Valley Hunters Tri Club, V40) 1.25.50, 33 L Haywood (Stafford Triathlon Club, SL) 1.25.55, 34 S Harris (u/a) 1.25.59, 35 R Lavers (Thame Runners, V50) 1.26.09, 36 H Price (Woodstock) 1.26.26, 37 M Beard (Swindon) 1.26.34, 38 C Cook (Cirencester, LV35) 1.26.48, 39 A Woodbridge (u/a) 1.26.53, 40 T Garrod (Abingdon Amblers, V40) 1.26.56, 41 N Trinder (Alchester, V40) 1.26.59, 42 D Hollis (u/a) 1.27.02, 43 M Hall (u/a, V50) 1.27.07, 44 R Smith (Northbrook, SL) 1.27.09, 45 B Breaker (Eynsham Roadrunners) 1.27.42, 46 G Bridges (Eynsham, V40) 1.27.56, 47 G Tull (Reading, V50) 1.28.11, 48 A Reynolds (u/n, V40) 1.28.24, 49 A Matthews (Oxford City, V60) 1.28.28, 50 T Greenland (Abingdon, V60) 1.28.44.

Veterans Men - 40: 1 G Fisher, 2 S Jones, 3 C Gray. 50: 1 B Gardner, 2 B Vaughan, 3 L Hurman. 60: 1 D Parsons, 2 R Treadwell, 3 A Matthews.

Ladies - 35: 1 C Cook, 2 S Enhard (Compton Harriers) 1.33.56, 3 A Lonie (Swindon Striders) 1.36.47. 45: 1 K Bates (Eynsham) 1.40.38 pb, 2 G Howell (Woodstock) 1.41.54, 3 K Dawkins (Bitton Roadrunners) 1.42.24. 55: 1 K Williamson (Eynsham) 1.40.10, 2 C Hollis (u/a) 1.41.24, 3 J Evans (Swindon) 1.42.02.

OTHER CLUB RESULTS Headington Roadrunnners: 53 F Burge 1.28.54, 120 S Sainsbury 1.39.36, 147 A Hopkins 1.41.41, 161 I McPherson 1.42.36, 215 G Norris 1.49.57, 222 C Coles 1.50.30, 259 A Sully 1.55.44, 262 G Day 1.55.55, 296 P Moran 2.01.18, 342 R Logan 2.12.27, 376 M O'Sullivan 2.30.20.

Eynsham Roadrunnners: N Sheard (SM) 1.29.10, T Whitlock (V50) 1.32.15, L Poole (V60) 1.38.41, R Buckenmair (SM) 1.38.47 pb, H Morris (V50) 1.39.00, D Breaker (V50) 1.42.00, D Bridges 1.42.48, M Rout (SL) 1.46.37 pb, B Middleton (V60) 1.47.30, M Johnson (V50) 1.48.41 pb, K Bird (LV35) 1.55.30, J Larbalestier (LV45) 1.58.00, D Andrews (LV35) 2.12.00, J Ryan (LV60) 2.16.31.

Witney Roadrunnners: C King 1.34.42, S Parfitt 1.35.58, E Heap 1.52.30, J Abrams 1.57.52, I Fowler 2.03.14, S Goodwin 2.03.30 Didcot Runners: P Griffiths 1.42.17, W Miah 1.42.17.

PARIS MARATHON Witney Roadrunners. K Chard 3.14.16, C Whitehead 3.14.16, B Ellis 3.38.14, J Legood 4.02.41, R Stocktin 4.02.47, L Leigh 4.05.14, A Stock 4.12.13, D Leigh 4.12.15, D Slatter 4.25.22, N Basson 4.55.39.

Headington Roadrunners. R Green V50 3.55.

HOGWEED HILLY HALF MARATHON Didcot: M Galimberti 113.24.