DIANE Foster is celebrating after landing her third Mota-vation Series title in a row.

The Headington RR runner secured her fourth victory of the year at the final round in Kidlington to retain the ladies’ title she first won in 2017.

Former Oxford City AC runner Dan Blake landed the men’s crown after finishing second in the season finale.

Foster, who also took the vet 35 prize, was made to work hard in the last race, held on a new off-road course at Stratfield Brake – home of host club Kidlington AC.

She beat Banbury Harriers’ Tia Williams by five seconds, with Headington’s Emily Georgiades third.

It proved to be a double triumph for Foster and Georgiades, who helped Headington win the ladies’ team trophy by a commanding 367 points.

Georgiades was unable to make it hat-trick, though, as she was pipped to the senior ladies title by Abingdon AC’s Chloe Ridewood on head-to-head results after they both finished with eight points.

Witney RR’s Harriet Howard (U19), Alchester AC’s Samantha Usher (vet 45), Cherwell Runners & Joggers’ Clare Curnow (vet 55) and Headington’s Helen Turley (vet 65) were also crowned age group champions.

In the men’s race, Woodstock Harriers’ James Bolton set the early pace.

Only one second covered the top three on the second lap, but City’s Maxwell Robinson pulled clear to beat Blake by ten seconds.

It proved to be a memorable series for Witney, who won the men’s team title for the first time.

Banbury’s Owen Knox (U19), and Bolton (vet 40) finished first overall in their age groups, as did City trio Julian Richardson (vet 50), Brian Green (vet 60) and Roy Treadwell (vet 70).

Meanwhile, Michael Collins says he hopes to have more time to go running after calling time on 21 years as race director.

The 74-year-old has presided over more than 100 races in the annual event, held over five stages.

Collins will also be stepping down as chairman of Kidlington RC, who organise the series, in 2020 as he reaches his own finish line of 25 years in the role.

“It seems a good time to pass on the mantle,” said the retired Oxford University professor.

“One has to give up at some point and I will hopefully have a bit more time to do some running myself.”

Collins, who became the Mota-vation race director in 1999, added: “We’ve seen the series grow.

“When I first started, 150 runners was a big field and it sometimes dropped to under 100.

“Now it’s, barring unforeseen circumstances, 300 and sometimes over 400.”

The popular series has kept Collins on his toes, none more so than earlier this year.

In June, a crash on the A34 led to the second round at Bletchingdon being postponed.

Collins, who started running 30 years ago, said: “We can never be prepared for every eventuality.

“It was the first time we had to postpone a race because the runners couldn’t get there.”

And his final event before he handed over the baton to Richard Scaife was by no means a stroll in the park as it was held on a new off-road course at Stratfield Brake.

“I just had to get on with the job,” said Collins.

“We had to do a lot of preparation and there was a lot of work to do on the night – we were fairly rushed.”

SUBMITTED CLUB RESULTS

MOTA-VATION SERIES – RACE 5

Headington RR: 24 M Hill (V40) 23.17, 25 J Fenning 23.23, 28 C Gaden (V50) 23.33, 39 S Dales (V50) 24.07, 42 D Rings 24.17, 49 D Foster (LV35) 24.47, 52 E Georgiades (SL) 24.55, 56 R Cousens (V40) 25.05, 58 J Hayden (SL) 25.06, 61 H Grange 25.09, 62 R Skilbeck (V40) 25.09, 65 D Simpson (V50) 25.20, 77 C Turnbull 25.57, 79 D Bremner 26.05, 80 T Clarke 26.06, 101 K Lowies (V50) 27.12, 104 S Cowls (V50) 27.26, 118 M Herd (V50) 27.53, 120 S Power (SL) 27.57, 122 A Phelps (V50) 28.03, 125 Y Morris (LV35) 28.07, 128 S Crook (V40) 28.10, 129 H Cook (V50) 28.15, 135 R Shaw (LV35) 28.28, 138 M Davies (V60) 28.37, 148 M Ding (LV35) 29.01, 154 N Baker (V60) 29.19, 157 G Davies 29.27, 159 A Johnson (SL) 29.29, 160 J Peebles (SL) 29.29, 161 J Tranter (V40) 29.30, 163 K Byrne (V60) 29.35, 164 C Lochnatter (LV35) 29.39, 166 A England 29.42, 172 C Humphreys (LV35) 30.04, 176 E Myhill (SL) 30.09, 184 J Friedhoff (V40) 30.29, 201 W Farmborough (V40) 30.54, 206 D White (V40) 31.09, 209 I Homer (V40) 31.20, 211 H Turley (LV65) 31.26, 212 D Evans (LV45) 31.28, 215 E McDermott (LV35) 31.36, 217 M Lee (V40) 31.40, 220 D Sawyer (V60) 31.52, 221 R Collins (LV45) 31.56, 222 J Thomas (LV45) 31.57, 235 P Lister (V60) 32.44, 240 L Featherstone (LV35) 33.05, 241 H Nickau (V50) 33.07, 250 C Trentin (SL) 33.55, 252 J Faria (LV45) 33.58, 253 C McBride (SL) 33.59, 255 S Collins (V50) 34.01, 263 J Duvall (LV55) 34.43, 273 G Jones (LV55) 35.16, 281 S Conroy (SL) 35.36, 286 E Carter-Biggs (LV45) 35.44, 287 R Landreth (LV55) 35.45, 292 G Day (V50) 36.25, 298 G Norris (V70) 37.05, 305 R Clarke (V50) 37.41, 308 C Jones (V50) 38.08, 310 L Epton (LV35) 38.26, 313 M Goff (V40) 38.59, 325 S Leach (LV45) 42.22, 326 C Davies (LV65) 42.38, 336 K Villiers (V70) 55.50.

Witney RR: 3 T Jones (1st V40) 20.57, 6 S Upton 21.14, 9 M Lock 21.58, 17 N Key (2nd U19) 22.34, 22 T Grantham 23.14, 23 C Colbeck (V40) 23.15, 36 L Edwards (U19) 23.48, 37 S Charles-Jones 23.53, 38 A Boxer 24.06, 44 C Mulcahy (V40) 24.33, 48 J Clark 24.46, 59 F Howard (V40) 25.08, 68 P Taylor 25.28, 72 G Ferris (V50) 25.45, 85 T Clarke (V40) 26.27, 91 D Wymer 26.52, 93 A Parsons (SL) 27.01, 95 R Green (V50) 27.06, 96 T Lock (V50) 27.07, 106 F Tracey (V50) 27.33, 109 S Howard (LV35) 27.41, 113 J Kamphuis 27.45, 115 G Le Good (V60) 27.47, 146 J Hackney 29.00, 147 C Bailey (V40) 29.00, 152 J Hewlett (SL) 29.09, 155 S Welch 29.23, 156 H Howard (2nd U19L) 29.24, 181 A Townsend (SL) 30.20, 185 K Webb (SL) 30.29, 194 M Hustler (LV45) 30.44, 195 L Holland (LV45) 30.45, 203 S Roberts (V50) 30.59, 218 L Vanstone 31.45, 226 J Wright (LV35) 32.06, 230 D Rouget (V60) 32.19, 238 G Bell (LV55) 32.47, 243 L Rhodes (LV45) 33.19, 246 T Moss (LV45) 33.35, 254 S Mackie (LV55) 33.59, 259 R Redford (V40) 34.21, 260 J Le Good (3rd LV65) 34.35, 261 M Cassidy (LV35) 34.36, 274 A Rouget (LV45) 35.18, 285 D Marhall-Thomas (LV35) 35.42, 289 L Hopkins (LV55) 36.12, 294 D Johnys 36.35, 299 S Christie (LV55) 37.14, 300 B Laer (LV35) 37.20, 309 A Maybrey (LV45) 38.22, 323 T Wymer (LV35) 40.57, 334 S Moore (LV45) 48.30, 335 B Moore (V50) 48.31.

BEDFORD TWILIGHT 10KM

Witney RR: 375 L Vanstone 52.43pb, 704 R Lally (LV35) 59.08, 709 A Maybrey (LV45) 59.10, 982 D Johnys 1.03.46, 1533 T Wymer (LV35) 1.14.38 1534 S Moore (LV45) 1.14.38, 1535 J Upton (SL) 1.14.39, 1536 B Moore (V50) 1.14.39.

BEDFORD HALF MARATHON

Kidlington RC: 6 G Hope 1.15.52.

MAIDENHEAD HALF MARATHON

Abingdon AC: 133 M Deering (V40) 1.22.00, 275 S Dudgeon (LV40) 1.29.00, 277 M Livingstone-Learmouth (V40), 1.29.02.

Eynsham RR: 882 K Williamson (1st LV70) 1.53.24, 1261 D Early (V60) 2.09.36.

Witney RR: 300 A Lock (V50) 1.29.44.

CONQUEST OF AVALON 30 MILES

Eynsham RR: S Paulus (V40) 5.26.45.

OLDBURY 10 MILES

Eynsham RR: 109 T Goss 1.16.12, 248 M Barlow-Oakes (SL) 1.33.03.

KENT COASTAL HALF

Abingdon AC: 275 K Clarke (LV35 ) 2.26.59.

MONT-BLANC RACE

Abingdon AC: 288 C Maclennan (V50) 2.26.59.

ANDOVER TRAIL MARATHON

Headington RR: 1 H Geddes 3.05.11.