Club News
The start of our winter harrier season is just about here!
Saturday 23 March and Saturday 30 March
On Saturday 23 March is our Introduction Day for new and returning members. Join us at our clubrooms for a run and a coffee/beer afterwards. We will start off with some basic running drills as a warm up. After that, we will split into groups for the pack run. We are planning on having around four groups depending on numbers:
- walkers
- shorter run for new runners (time dependent on what people are comfortable with)
- medium pace / less hills (about 45 mins)
- fast pace / more hills (60 mins+)
We are also hoping to have our uniforms available for purchase.
Meet at the clubrooms at 1:45 for a 2pm departure.
The following week, 30 March, is another run from our clubrooms (if you're not doing the Wellington 5000m champs at the track).
Saturday 6 April
Another week later, Saturday 6 April, is our official opening and our first club races for the year - the 2km Maiden and Perston held at Grenada North Park. There will be four races: two for the younger kids, the Maiden (2km cross country for those who have never won a race before) and the Perston Memorial (2km cross country - same course as the Maiden, but for those who have won a race before).
The races are followed by an afternoon tea and free sausage sizzle back at the clubrooms - please bring a plate.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Club member Andrew Thompson, who won the inaugural national trail running champs in Christchurch in October, has been selected to represent New Zealand at the world trail running champs in Portugal in June.
The world champs event is in Mirandha do Corvo on 8 June. The course is a circuit that is 44km long and has an elevation gain/loss of more than 2000m.
From the Athletics NZ 12 November weekly roundup, on the Agency Group 10,000m:
In the last race of the night, two pace groups quickly set into their work.
Hamish Carson led a lead group on sub-30-minute pace. After a first lap of 68, he ticked off a long string of perfect 72-second laps. Nick Horspool, and Niam Macdonald tucked tidily in his wake for the journey. When he stepped off at 8.4 kilometres Nick, right on his heels, was still full of running, and picked up speed over the last mile to win in 29:50.71. Meanwhile, Niam Macdonald surprised many with a huge personal best in second of 30:06.94 just outside the qualification standard. Chris Dryden ran a wily race to finish third, also with a personal best of 30:38.46 passing several of the runners who had tried to go with Hamish's pace early. Before tonight no one had run under 30 minutes at Newtown Park since Paul Smith at the National Champs in 1993, where he ran 28:43.63.
Further back Keiron Sexton, Craig Kirkwood and Evan Cooper paced a large group including several juniors who were all seeking the World Cross Country qualifying time of 32.05. When Evan stepped off the track at 8km the pack was still together and also picked up speed. Sam Tanner of Tauranga went to the front of the pack and strung it out. He was the fastest junior, and fifth overall in 31:26.86, but closely followed by Auckland City's Alexander Hull in 31:34.02 and Wellington Olympic's Toby Gualter in 31:41.25. All three now have the qualification standard to be considered for the World Cross Country team.
Congratulations Toby!
::[Meet results]::
Athletics Wellington has named the Wellington team for the New Zealand road racing champs, to be held this Sunday in Cambridge.
The team is (with Olympic members in bold):
Senior Men
- Kristian Day (S), Malcolm Hodge (S), Rowan Hooper (S), Nick Horspool (S), Niam Macdonald-Joslin (S), Isaac Murphy (W), Callum Stewart (W), Nathan Tse (W).
Men Under 20
- Toby Gualter (O), Jack Hammond (H), Finn Molloy (T), Hugh O’Donoghue (Wairarapa).
Men Under 18
- Will Anthony (O), Liam Chesney (W), Liam Lamb (Wairarapa), Thomas Strawbridge (T), Mason Waterworth (W).
Masters Men 35
- Paul Barwick (S), Tom Bland (K), Brian Garmonsway (T),Valentino Luna Hernandez (S), Alasdair Saunders (S), Levante Timar (S), Andrew Wharton (S).
Masters Men 50
- Graeme Butcher (M), Paul Hewitson (W), Dallas McCallum (W), Grant McLean (S), William Twiss (S).
Senior Women
- Melissa Black (W), Maiya Christini (W), Esther George (W), Amelia Harris (O), Ayesha Shafi (S).
Women’s Under 20
- None
Women’s Under 18
- Saskia Cosgrove-Drayton (W), Hannah Gordon (H), Jessica Hughes (O), Hannah Molloy (T), Carly Smith (O).
Masters Women
- Lindsay Barwick (S), Andrea Harris (Wairarapa), Carline Thomas (W), Michelle Van Looy (O).
Walks
- Daniel Du Toit (T).
Athletics Wellington today announced the Wellington team for the New Zealand cross country champs to be held at Grenada North Park on Sunday 5 August.
The team is (with Olympic members in bold):
Senior Men
Harry Burnard (S), Kristian Day (S), Malcolm Hodge (S), Nick Horspool (S), Daniel Jones (S), Niam Macdonald-Joslin (S), Isaac Murphy (W), Nathan Tse (W).
Men Under 20
Toby Gualter (O), Jack Hammond (H), Seamus Kane (W), Max Karamanolis (W), Hugh O’Donoghue (Wairarapa), Logan Slee (T).
Men Under 18
Will Anthony (O), Jamie Barnes (S), Liam Chesney (W), Liam Lamb (Wairarapa), Dylan Lynch (S), Finlay Seeds (T), Thomas Strawbridge (T), Mason Waterworth (W).
Masters Men 35
Tom Bland (K), Joshua Campbell (T), Stephen Day (S), Brian Garmonsway (T), Darren Gordon (H), Valentino Luna Hernandez (S), Todd Stevens (S), Andrew Wharton (S).
Masters Men 50
Graeme Butcher (M), Paul Hewitson (W), David Kettles (S), Grant McLean (S), Tony Price (M), Peter Stevens (S), William Twiss (S), Michael Wray (S).
Senior Women
Maiya Christini (W), Nicole Mitchell (S), Ruby Muir (S), Sarah Riceman (O), Ayesha Shafi (S).
Women Under 20
Tessa Hunt (W), Jayme Maxwell (H).
Women’s Under 18
Emma Douglass (O), Hannah Gordon (H), Lucy Hegan (W), Maia Holbert (O), Jessica Hughes (O), Esther Kozyniak (W), Maali Kyle-Ford (W), Kirstie Rae (W).
Masters Women
Renae Creser (K), Carla Denneny (S), Sally Duffy (M), Tina Faulkner (S), Nicola Hankinson (O), Katie Jenkins (O), Mel MacPhee (S).