Havant on Saturday 08/03/1997 5 Km (Under 17 Women)

The Under 17 Women's English Cross-Country Championships took place at Staunton Country Park near Havant. The location was the southernmost point the event had been run in the history of the race.

Jodie Swallow (Brentwood AC) was nineteen seconds ahead of Claire Campbell (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers) in the individual race with Karen Fletcher (Kirk Hallam AC) third. Campbell had the consolation of leading her club to victory in the team race with a margin of over 100 points over Skipton & District Harriers, Liverpool Harriers were third.

After the race Swallow told Athletics Weekly "I'm shattered - that was a proper cross country course and not manufactured like some."