Melissa Hawtin completed a hat-trick of titles at the Oxfordshire Schools' Cross Country Championships at Radley College.

Hawtin (Gosford Hill), winner at under 15 for the last two years, overcame muddy conditions to beat Bea Swords (Headington) in her first crack at the under 17 race over 3.4k.

Julia Blackstock (Gillott's, Henley) was back in third.

Swords's younger sister, Beth, runner-up to Hawtin 12 months ago, went one better with victory in the under 15 girls' race over 2.9k.

She came home from Cherwell duo Ellie Clarke- Jacques and Imogen Kemp- ton.

Bloxham's Sophie Tyers, a winner and then runner-up at under 17 for the last two years, took the under 19 honours.

She was first in the 4.1k event from Megan Roberts (St Helen & St Katharine's, Abingdon) with Antonia Haringtonok (Tudor Hall, Banbury) third.

Tim Traynor's bid for a hat-trick of titles was dashed as he finished second behind King Alfred's, Wantage schoolmate Robert Bowles in the under 19 boys' race.

It represented a turn- around in form from last year when Traynor came out on top with Bowles back in fourth. Jack Bibbings (St Edward's, Oxford) took third place in the 7.5k event.

James Bennington (Mag- dalen College School, Oxford) took the glory in the under 15 race.

But there was drama behind him in the 4.6k contest with runner-up Josh Northam (Banbury) disqualified as he was too old to run.

Abingdon School's Alistair Duff was promoted to second - the position he occupied 12 months ago - with Radley College's Theo Bromfield placed third.

Cherwell's Charlie Bennett stepped up on last year's third-place finish to take victory in the under 17 race over 5.8k.

He led home Burford's George Miller, with Abingdon School's Alex Muir taking the minor honours.

In the team races, there was a double success for Abingdon School in the under 15 and 17 boys' races.

The top eight in each race now go on to represent Oxon in the English Schools' Championships at Sefton Park, Liverpool, on Saturday, March 8.

OXON SCHOOLS' CROSS COUNTRY RESULTS.

(Top eight positions).

BOYS.

Under 19: 1 Robert Bowles (King Alfred's), 2 T Traynor (King Alfred's), 3 Jack Bibbings (St Edward's), 4 F Slemeck (St Edward's), 5 B McCallum (OXford & Cherwell Valley College), 6 S Miller (Cokethorpe), 7 S Smith (St Edward's), 8 B Pawson (St Edward's). Team: 1 St Edward's 22pts, 2 Abingdon School 68, 3 Wood Green 84.

Under 17: 1 Charlie Bennett (Cherwell), 2 George Miller (Burford), 3 Alex Muir (Abingdon School), 4 J Simmons (Warriner), 5 P Manning (King Alfred's), 6 S Ferguson (Chipping Norton), 7 T Stindt (Bloxham), 8 T Watkins (Abingdon School). Team: 1 Abingdon School 23, 2 Langtree 120, 3 Wood Green 124.

Under 15: 1 James Bennington (Magdalen College School), 2 Alistair Duff (Abingdon School), 3 Theo Bromfield (Radley), 4 G Rogers (Radley), 5 O Simmons (Warriner), 6 S Webster (Langtree), 7 E O'Hara (Larkmead), 8 S Jones (Abingdon School). J Northam (Banbury) finished 2nd, but was disqualifed. Team: 1 Abingdon School 46, 2 St Birinus 89, 3 Cherwell 109.

GIRLS.

Under 19: 1 Sophie Tyes (Bloxham), 2 Megan Roberts (St Helen & St Katharine's), 3 Antonia Harington (Tudor Hall), 4 E Patrick (Cheney), 5 Kitty Gorman (Henry Box), 6 Ella Gorman (Henry Box), 7 J Brook (Bloxham), 8 M Bates (European). Team: 1 St Helen & St Katharine's, 2 Headington.

Under 17: 1 Melissa Hawtin (Gosford Hill), 2 Bea Swords (Headington), 3 Julia Blackstock (Gillott's), 4 R Rust (Headington), 5 J Sutherland (John Mason), 6 D Anderson (Matthew Arnold), 7 M Thresher (European), 8 S Mills (Bloxham). Team: 1 Headington 44, 2 Bloxham 69, 3 Gosford Hill 124.

Under 15: 1 Beth Swords (Headington), 2 Ellie Clarke-Jacques (Cherwell), 3 Imogen Kempton (Cherwell), 4 L Hawtin (Gosford Hill), 5 J Walker (Cheney), 6 C MacMillan (North Oxon Academy), 7 B Warne (Oxford High), 8 B Murphy-Hand (King Alfred's). Team: 1 Cherwell 62pts, 2 Tudor Hall 76, 3 Headington 77.

Emma Grant (St Helen & St Katharine's, Abingdon) won the under 17 girls' race at the Vale of White Horse Schools' Cross Country Championships and not Elizabeth Frank as reported in the Oxford Mail on Saturday, January 26.