HANNAH Claydon took another stride towards securing the Wiltshire Off-Road League title with an emphatic victory in the Wickstead Wander event, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

The 22-year-old Swindon Harrier was a class apart from her rivals as she finished eighth overall of the 114 finishers and more than four minutes clear of ladies runner-up Diana Dee, of Highworth Running Club, in Sunday’s race.

That was win number three for Claydon following earlier victories in the Marshfield Mudlark and White Horse Gallop, so puts her in top spot overall for the league honours with three more events remaining.

“The Wickstead event was really tough as the course went through farms, over horse jumps and even through a water hazard, which was very icy,” said Claydon, who is a former student at St John’s in Marlborough.

“I put a lot of effort into my start to get to the front and then worked hard to stay there, although I obviously couldn’t stay with the overall leaders.

“But that is three out of three wins for me now and next up will be the Wiltshire Cross Country Championships.”

The county championships are incorporated into the Tri-Counties event, so Claydon will face the best women from Avon and Somerset as well as Wiltshire in the race at Bath University on December 11.

“I will be up against some very quick women at Bath but it will be interesting to see how I go as I have never done cross country before,” added Caydon.

“Hopefully it will go okay and I can get picked to represent Wiltshire for the South West Championships in January.”

Overall victory went to Heath Bampton, of Royal Wootton Bassett Hounds RC, with Swindon Striders’ Corin Wiltshire the runner-up.