February 10: MMK wins overall Chiltern League team title at Oxford

Despite weakened senior teams MMK, who had entered the final fixture with a lead of 488 points over Chiltern Harriers, survived the final match in which Chiltern Harriers pulled back 267 points but could not quite make up the full deficit.

After heavy rain during the week, the course was very muddy, with many athletes slipping and sliding around the course.

There was another win for Sophia Chapman (F15) which also saw her win the series just ahead of teammate Katie Webb. There were second places for Jacque Smith (M15), James Parker (M13), Lara Bromilow (FS) and Maddie Pearce (F17). Arthur Small was third in the U11 Boys Race. For the Senior Men, Ian Wood was the first MMK runner home in 8th place, the first veteran to finish. Matt Dicks dropped out after spraining his ankle in the woods on the first lap of the Senior Men’s race.

In the overall series, based on the best four scores, there were wins for Ian Wood (M40), Harry Totton (M20), Jacque Smith (M15 – in his first year in this age group), Lara Bromilow (F35), Debra Brent (F55) and Sophia Chapman (F15). There were second places for Matt Dicks (MS), Josh Edwards (M20), Imogen King (FS), Maddie Pearce (F17) and Katie Webb (F15). In the overall Men’s and Women’s Categories there were second places for both Matt Dicks and Lara Bromilow.

MMK took four overall team titles: Senior Men, U20 Men, U11 Boys (grabbing the overall lead from St Albans in the final race) and U15 Girls.

As well as winning overall, MMK won the Male overall Category, with second places in the Female overall category, overall seniors and overall juniors.

MMK results from Oxford

Full results from Oxford

MMK Chiltern League Rankings

More pictures by Brian Graves