News & Updates

Photo: Hamish Carson produced a lap record to help win the senior men’s title for Wellington Scottish last year

The eagerly-awaited rematch between last year’s senior men’s gold and silver medallists – Wellington Scottish and University of Canterbury – will form the centrepiece of the 2020 New Zealand Road Relay Championships in Feilding on Saturday.

This year’s event has attracted 117 teams from 31 clubs, who are all set to compete in one of the most cherished events on the domestic athletics calendar.

With the Auckland region remaining in Alert Level 2, extra health and safety precautions have been put in place to ensure the event can proceed in a safe manner while abiding by the Sport NZ guidelines on gatherings and intermingling.

“We are delighted the Road Relays can go ahead,” event director Rob Dabb says.

“The uncertainty (created by the global pandemic) has made it a challenging build-up. The local organising committee has done an awesome job in holding everything in place. 

“I’m sure that, just like last year, the teams will enjoy a memorable experience.”

The senior men, senior women, women’s 35+, men’s 35+ and men’s 50+ divisions will tackle seven laps of the scenic and undulating long course totaling 67.467km with junior men, junior women, women’s 50+ and open 60+, as well as non-championship walking and social divisions, taking place over the six-lap 38.386km distance.

A year ago, the senior men’s race served up a compelling last-lap drama as defending champions Wellington Scottish produced the great escape to clinch a nail-biting victory by just 18 seconds.

Trailing by a little over two minutes leading into the final 9.148km lap, 2016 New Zealand Olympic 1500m representative Hamish Carson of Wellington Scottish produced a blistering lap record time to overhaul Ben Musson (University of Canterbury AC) in the final 500m to secure a famous win.

Six of the triumphant Scottish team from 12 months ago – which includes Carson and 2:16 marathoner Daniel Jones – return to the team and there will be no lack of motivation as Scottish pursue a record-breaking sixth successive win in the senior men’s race.

But the University of Canterbury will be hurting from last year’s narrow defeat and will be determined to return to the top of the podium for the first time since 2011.

Led by 2019 New Zealand half-marathon and marathon champion Oska Inkster-Baynes, former national road race and 3000m and 5000m gold medallist Daniel Balchin and 2019 New Zealand mountain running title-holder Andy Good, Canterbury look a formidable force for the 2020 event.

Other strong challengers include the Dunedin-based Hill City AC – who boast the 2020 NZ Cross Challenge bronze medallist Oli Chignell in their ranks.

The Auckland teams could also pose a threat led by Pakuranga AC, who include two-time Olympic triathlete Ryan Sissons and former national 3000m champion Peter Wheeler in their seven-man team.

The 2019 New Zealand Cross Country champion Cameron Graves is the headline act in a strong-looking North Harbour Bays team. Meanwhile, the 2019 senior men’s bronze medallists Auckland City could also feature.

Wellington Scottish men’s club captain Ben Twyman says the club will be gunning for a record-breaking sixth victory in the men’s senior race but he fully acknowledges the enormity of the challenge for this year’s race.

“Six straight wins has never been achieved before and it is interesting that it is us and University of Canterbury who have both recorded five in a row, because in all likelihood they’ll be our main rival this weekend,” explains Twyman.

“Their team looks particularly strong this year. We are very much shooting for six but it is hard to look past the UC team.”

Last year, Wellington Harriers claimed a decisive victory to take the senior women’s crown for the first time in 19 years but will face a strong challenge to retain their title in Feilding.

Former national 5000m bronze medallist Jean Kozyniak and 1:24 half-marathoner Esther George are among two of their more prominent athletes but several clubs will be keen to knock them off their perch.

Last year’s silver medallists, North Harbour Bays, look particularly strong as they pursue what would be a fifth senior women’s title in the past eight years. Leading their challenge as part of their seven-strong team is national 10,000m silver medallist Anneke Grogan, New Zealand 5000m bronze medallist Brigid Dennehy and former New Zealand half-marathon champion Annika Pfitzinger.

The University of Canterbury include 2019 national half-marathon and mountain running champion Sabrina Grogan. Auckland City also look strong, led by 2019 New Zealand cross country champion Maiya Christini and former national 10km race and half marathon champion Olivia Burne.

Wellington Scottish will be hunting a hat-trick of Top Club prizes and once again will start favourites to take the overall prize.

In 2019, Scottish triumphed in the men’s 40+ division and although this year a men’s 35+ division will replace the men’s 40+ division, expect the capital-based club to once again feature. Watch out too for Lake City AC – who boast in-form Matt Parsonage, who was fourth at last weekend’s Rotorua Marathon, and Sjors Corporaal, the half-marathon runner-up in Rotorua, in their seven-strong line-up.

Scottish start firm favourites in the men’s 50+ division and expect the powerhouse club to be at the fore in the defence of their women’s 35+ title while the club is already guaranteed top spot in the women’s 50+ category with both entrants.

Nine teams feature in the open 60+ event, which will replace the men’s 60 event won 12 months ago by the University of Auckland.

Feilding Moa were popular winners of the junior men’s crown last year and the host club return with two of the 16 teams in what is a highly competitive division.

Wellington Harriers return to defend their junior women’s title. 

Besides Hamish Carson and Ryan Sissons, a further four Olympians – Adrian Blincoe (North Harbour), 2008 5000m; Shane Reed (Feilding Moa), 2008 triathlon; Gavin Stevens (Auckland University), 1988 cycling; and 2016 1500m runner Julian Matthews (Nelson) – will also compete in Feilding.

For more information on the 2020 New Zealand Road Relay Championships please click here 

Results will be available here