Wheeler back to her best at Hooky Christmas Canter

STRATFORD AC’s Sarah Wheeler showed she is returning to her best after a year of relative inactivity after finishing second woman in the Hooky Christmas Canter.

Over a seven-mile countryside course around Hook Norton, Wheeler clocked 49.29 to finish 29th out of 230 runners and second woman.

Phillips Abrams, of Stratford, also competed the race in a satisfying 1.17.31, finishing 215th.

Meanwhile, Kate Wright continued the successful form of Stratford’s women runners to take second place in the 20km Christmas Cracker held at Warwickshire College in Moreton Morrell.

Wright was fifth overall and second woman in a time of 1.20.25.

James Cussack, with a couple of marathons pencilled in for 2017, was 12th in 1.25.39 and Tim Tandy, back in action after twisting his ankle, was also delighted to clock 1.33.31 for 22nd place.

The event also featured a 10k race with three Stratford runners in action.

First to finish, in the magnificent time of 46.22 was 75-year-old Roger Wilson, who was first in his age category. John Butler took 106th place, third in his age group, in 1.02.57 and Karen Jackson finished in128th place in 1.06.42.