PAUL Fernandez secured a hat-trick of victories in the Otmoor Challenge half-marathon – setting a cou-rse record in the process.

The Abingdon Ambler, pictured, beat his 2011 winning time by almost two and a half minutes, coming home in 1hr 14mins 50secs to smash the previous best in the race, being run for the 33rd time.

He was, however, pushed hard by James Bolton, of Woodstock Harriers, who improved from his third place 12 months ago by an impressive 3mins 38secs.

In third place, and winning the veteran’s competition, was Julian Richardson (Oxford City AC), who recorded 1.18.20.

Woodstock Harriers’ Bryan O’Connor, second in the veteran’s event, was fourth in 1.18.43.

Jessica Leitch defended her ladies’ title, setting a women’s course record in the process.

The Oxford University athlete, who was not running for a club, knocked an impressive 3.49mins off her winning time last year to come home in 1.27.37.

Liz Grolimund, of Alchester, was runner-up for the second year in 1.29.16, an improvement of 4.16, with clubmate Samantha Usher (1.30.17) third.

Usher won the veteran’s race – the Nexel Cup – while Alchester’s John Nelson sealed a good day for the club with victory in the men’s supervets competition, ahead of Paul Thomas (Didcot Runners) and Heine van Zyl (Oxford City).

The ladies’ supervet winner was Headington Road Runners’ Sandra Wolanski.

The men’s and mixed team competition was won by Woodstock Harriers A line-up of David Cantwell, Bryan O’Connor, Kevin Game and James Bolton, who were chased home by the Didcot Runners A quartet comprising Thomas, Paul Griffith, Jonathan Moon and Robert Darby.

In the ladies’ team event, Sue Powell, Julie Shand, Emmy Akin and Tracey Moggeridge were the winners for Didcot Runners.

OTMOOR CHALLENGE CLUB RESULTS Didcot Roadrunners (senior men unless stated): P Thomas (V50) 1.24.41, P Griffiths (V40) 1.33.49, R Darby 1.38.58, J Moon 1.43.44, D Knopp (V50) 1.43.44, S Powell (LV40) 1.52.37, S Howes 1.54.12, J Shand (LV45) 1.55.52, E Akin (SL) 1.59.31, B Pine (SM) 2.00.45, D Mason (LV35) 2.01.07, T Moggeridge (SL) 2.02.08, S Cousins (LV35) 2.07.35.

Woodstock Harriers: J Bolton 1.15.12, B O'Connor (V40) 1.18.43, D Cantwell (V40) 1.21.25, K Game 1.25.17, J Webb (SL) 1.30.48, C Gray (V50) 1.31.32, J Hill (V60) 1.59.22, V B-Bousquet (LV35) 2.05.00.

Kidlington Roadrunners: P Leek (V40) 1.32.21, A Finnigan (LV40) 1.42.53 (pb), J Finnigan (V40) 1.42.54, C Brading (V40) 1.44.18, W Bunce (V50) 1.45.00, J Greenhill (V50) 1.45.14, M Search (V50) 1.53.30, T Langrish (V50) 1.55.32, S Morton (LV40) 1.58.42, J Searle (LV40) 2.06.40, N Holford (LV40) 2.09.15.

Witney Roadrunners: A Church 1.45.25, H Smith (L) 1.55.48.