The Chiltern Cross Country League came to its climax at Warden Hills, Luton, bringing mixed fortunes to the two Oxford clubs involved.

Oxford City maintained their narrow points margin to send unlucky Headington back down to Division 2 after their first season in the top flight. But they promised to come right back up.

Individual successes went to Headington's Jo Knapman, who won the women's under 20 race in her first appearance in the league, and Helen Turley and Janet Meredith, who came in second and third in the women's V45 category.

For Oxford City, John Exley was second in the men's V50 category and Hannah England won the girls' under 15 race.

City were also the top team in both the veteran men's and the under-15 girls' categories.

Among the men's teams overall, City were fourth and Headington sixth, while among the women, Headington had their best result of the season in second place, while City came eighth.

Over the whole series of five races, City's Roy Treadwell won third place in the V50 category, with England the top under 15 girl.

Charlotte Eadle and Lisa Newport each ran their best race of the season.

With these placings, City beat rivals Milton Keynes on the day, but had to be content with second place in the overall league standings.

But the small Oxford squad has much to be proud of.

They took four out of the top six places in the under 15 girls' overall standings, with a joint first place for England, fourth place for Pippa Sprinz, fifth for Newport, and sixth for Eadle.

Headington's star performer over the series was Janet Meredith, second in the women's V45 category.

Teamwise, Headington could feel pleased to have beaten their local rivals in both the main adults' categories, being placed sixth to Oxford's eighth among the men and fourth to City's eighth among the ladies.

But it was City's results over the winter in the junior races, including being second overall team in the under 15 girls, that brought them enough points to survive the relegation battle.

Apart from a 100 per cent turn-out from Jack Griffiths in the under 13s, Headington had no youngsters to contribute to team points and this is what sealed their fate in the end.

"We can feel proud to have come sixth in the men's and fourth in the women's in our first year in the league," said John Griffiths, Headington's team manager, "and we knew the scoring rules so we have no complaints about being relegated.

"The year after next, we hope to be back, and we'll be looking for a top-three placing in each adult category. That should be enough to keep us in the top division."

RESULTS

Men

Oxford City: 20 G Russell 34.23, 24 D Wheeler 34.43, 33 M Beerling 35.21, 34 S Johnson 35.26, 41 B Green 35.45, 53 J Chapple 36.40, 55 J Exley 36.48, 60 A Gleeson 37.07, 74 R Treadwell 37.58, 81 T Dixon 38.29, 90 D Parsons 39.08, 100 C Rolland 40.12, 127 P Grimsdale 43.37, 133 M Reynolds 45.14, 144 M Jenkerson 60.46.

Headington: 31 C Heatherington 35.14, 38 J Thorn 35.37, 39 R Thefrod 35.42, 43 J Griffiths 35.50, 52 F Gavaghan 36.36, 73 L McNeill 37.56, 80 H Nickau 38.29, 85 F Howard 38.55, 88 G Chapman 39.02, 95 W Atkinson 39.20, 97 J Marshall 39.42, 107 M Rasgauski 40.40, 115 R Moye 41.27, 121 I Hurman 42.26, 125 J Worth 43.14, 130 J McLaughlin 44.06.

Under 13 boys Headington: 38 J Griffiths 13.32.

Women

Oxford City: 23 G Hueter 21.29, 28 S Mead 22.13.

Headington: 6 J Knapman 19.26, 8 S Howard 19.51, 9 M Barnes 19.56, 5 P Jones 20.22, 18 H Turley 20.40, 34 J Meredith 23.12, 40 Fischer 24.08.

Under 15 girls Oxford City: 1 H England 11.30, 4 C Eadle 13.02, 5 L Newport 13.09.

Under 13 girls Oxford City: 12 J England 10.49.

FINALOVERALL POSITIONS

Senior men Headington: 19 J Thorn, 22 R Thetford, 24 S Gavaghan, 35 F Howard, 37 H Nickau, 38 R Moye, 40 J Worth.

Veterans over 40 Oxford City: 4 D Wheeler, 5 R Grant, 25 P Grimsdale. Headington: 6 J Griffiths, 13 G Chapman, 15 W Atkinson.

Veterans over 50 Oxford City: 3 R Treadwell, 5 C Rutland.

Under 13 boys Headington: 26 J Griffiths.

Senior ladies Headington: 5 S Howard, 8 P Jones, 11 Fischer.

Veterans over 35 Oxford: 5 G Hueter.

Veterans over 45 Headington: 2 J Meredith.

Under 15 girls Oxford City: 1 = H England.