Race Report

300 runners turned out for Geoff Smith’s Banbury 15 on Sunday. In good running conditions an excellent race ensued with Richard Simkiss prevailing after chasing down David Green in the second half of the race. Green set a blistering early pace to go clear through the seven mile mark but the Northampton runner was pegged back by Simkiss as they raced back up out of Cropredy with Simkiss then going clear to win in an excellent time of 1 hour 24mins 34 seconds. Green came home just 42 seconds behind and former champion Paul Fernandez of Abingdon was third just 1 minute and 40 seconds further back. In the ladies race Kate Niehaus ran an excellent race to win by 4 minutes from Headington runner Diane Moore in a time of 1 hour 34 minutes and 38 seconds. Niehaus, an American student at Oxford University, looked composed on the hilly course running fluently for a deserved win. Third place in the woman’s event went to Julie Dixon of Wooton Road Runners. First Banbury Harrier home was David Hollidge who finished 23^rd in a time of 1 hour 38 minutes and 15 seconds.