News & Updates

Welcome to the Athletics New Zealand Weekly Round up.This week’s edition includes:

Results from around the country, including the North Island Cross Country Championships, Kennett Cup Steeples and South Island Cross Country Championships
International results from Australia, France, England and the USA, including the Gold Coast Marathon
Road and Trail race results
Upcoming events
Murray McKinnon
Athletics New Zealand Correspondent
P: 0274 806086
E:murray@mckinnon.co.nz

New Zealand Competition Results
TAUPO

North Island Cross Country Championships, Spa Thermal Park – 6 July 2019
Kara Macdermid, former New Zealand junior 5000m champion and runner up in this year’s senior 3000m dominated the second lap of the senior women’s 5km to win in 17:58. She shared the first lap of 3km with Maiya Christini before attacking the hills and making a break. Christini was second in 18:17 with former national half marathon champion Maria Bentley third in 20:07.

Macdermid said that she was pleased with the outcome. “The hills really kill you so I was happy how I held it at the end, I was staying strong and technique good and stuff,” she said.

Peter Wheeler made it two years in a row in the senior 9km in 30:06. Jono Jackson winner in 2016 and 2017 was second in 30:10 with Jacob Priddey third in 30:18.

Steve Rees-Jones set a masters 40-44 record of 20:05 in winning the masters 6km outright. Adam Gallagher in the 35-39 age group was second in 21:01 and Nathan Foley third in 21:09. Michael Wray won the 50 plus 6km in 22:58. For Rees-Jones, who shaved a second off Stephen Day’s 2016 record, it was a race against himself.

“I enjoyed that and it was nice to run a quicker second lap as well. I ran controlled for the first lap and then stretched out on the second. It felt nice and strong and when you are on your own you never know if you are running quick, so I just pushed it along. It’s nice to get Stephen Day’s record as he took it off me a few years ago,” said Rees-Jones.

Sally Gibbs in the 55-59 age group won the master women’s 5km in 19:53. Last year Gibbs won in 19:25 setting a 55-59 record. Tina Faulkner was second in 20:11 and Mel Stevens third in 20:29.

Margie Peat set a record of 22:09 in the 60-64 age group, carving a substantial amount off Judith Taylor’s 2016 record of 24:24.

Kirstie Rae had no trouble winning the under 20 4km in 14:28 from Catrin Dawson 15:15 and Maya Irving 16:14. Although firm under-foot it was a testing course.

“It was pretty tough, I ran last year, second to Hannah O’Connor in the under 20,” said Rae.“The rolling hills seem easy when you are jogging them and then on the second lap in the race you start to feel it a fair bit,” she added.“I’m looking forward to the nationals, home course. I ran the course for the Wellington secondary schools, so I’ve had a bit of practice on it,” said Rae.

Will Anthony U/18 won the combined U/20, U/18 5km in 16:13. Ben Bidois was second in the U/18 in 16:19 while Russell Green from Dunedin won the U/20 grade in the same time 16:19.

Joseph Morgan of Hamilton set a race record of 9:44 in winning the U/16 3km, cutting eight seconds off Jesse Weldschidt’s 2013 record. Christian De Vaal was second in 9:52.

Maali Kyle-Ford won the U/18 4km in 15:18 from Isabella Richardson and Emma Douglass. Bella Earl headed in Maia Wilkinson in the U/16 3km in 11:00.

Other winners B14 3km Oscar Monro 10:43, G14 3km Renee Carey 11:05, B12 2km Samuel Rickerby 7:30, G12 2km Amy Hurly 7:47, B10 1km Benjamin Brown 3:54, G10 1km Biahn Pallister 4:02.

CHRISTCHURCH

Kennett Cup Steeples and South Island Cross Country Championships, Old Ascot Golf Course, QEII Park, New Brighton – 6 July 2019

Chris Dryden won the 9km in 27:27. Last year’s winner Ieuan van der Peet was second in 28:00 and last year’s U/20 winner Connor Melton was third in 28:12. University won the senior teams from Christchurch Avon and New Brighton Olympic. Masters 9km David Fitch 30:17, Damien Cook 32:48, Richard Bennett 33:01.

National 800m and 1500m champion Katherine Camp won the senior women’s 7km in 24:05. Rebekah Greene who ran 26:05 to win last year was second in 24:17 and Andrea Hewitt third in 24:36. University won the teams.

Maggie Chorley won the masters 5km in 19:44 from Lisa Brignull 20:31 and Jo Ramsay 20:39.

U/20 7km; Daniel Roswell 23:29, Thomas Coleman 23:42, Jack Flannigan 24:37. U/18 5km; Cameron Clark 15:55, Ethan Smolej 16:19, Chanel Muir 16:29. U/20 5km; Tamara Reeves 18:44, Lahana Reeves 20:00, Lorna Pairman 20:38. U/18 5km; Morgan Flanagan 18:52, Neve Moulai 19:05, Ella Mcdonald 19:17. BU/16 3km Theo Walker 10:06, BU/14 3km Angus Sevier 10:26, GU/16 3km Maddie Sharpe 11:22, GU/14 3km Bridie Restieaux 11:48.

International Results
AUSTRALIA

Gold Coast Marathon, 7 July: Zane Robertson finished third in his marathon debut in a New Zealand national record of 2:08:19. His twin brother Jake held the record of 2:08:26 set in the Lake Biwa marathon in Japan in March 2018.

Zane’s time qualifies him for next year’s Tokyo Olympics and this year’s world track and field champs in Doha.

The race was won by Japan’s YutaShitara in2:07:50, with Kenya’s Barnabas Kiptum second, 17 seconds ahead of Robertson who was through the half marathon in 1:03:36.

“Gave it everything out there today,” Robertson wrote on Instagram after the race.”Pushed the pace and set us up to run a 2.06 sadly failed to hold it together with Kiptum in the last 5k with the headwind gusts.We got caught by the dropped off Yuta Shitara and he destroyed us the last 2.5km.91% humidity, headwinds first 16.5km and last 5k, rained on us, oh and the shoe lace came undone at 5k into the race.So overall pretty happy with a NR (new record)…. For now I’m off to have a hot shower, lay down and some dinner at the steak house with good friends.”

A groin injury denied Robertson the chance to make his marathon debut at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games last year.

Other New Zealand results: Caden Shields 2:15:36 (14) debut PB, Daniel Jones 2:16:15 (15) PB, David Ridley 2:21:18 (24), Nathan Jones 2:37:52 (61), Denis Finn 2:39:31 (65), Iain Macdonald 2:41:05 (69), Daniel Coates 2:42:42 (80). Mel Aitken 2:53:15 (18). Lydia O’Donnell started but pulled out at 30km after passing through the half in 1:16:45.

Half marathon: Cameron Graves 1:05:28 (14) PB, Michael Voss 1:05:41 (15) PB, Daniel Balchin 1:08:56 (36), Joshua Baan 2:09:36 (38), Matthew Berrington 1:13:19 (67), Mathew Bradbury 1:14:07 (74), Zac Gerring 1:16:08 (94), Tim Hitchcock 1:17:03 (107), Nic Warren 1:17:48 (117). Melissa Black 1:22:33 (19) PB, Shauna Pali 2:23:19 (22) =PB, Rachael Smith 1:29:21 (60).

10km: Josh Maisey 30:28 (5) PB, Jordan McLennan 31:08 (15). Amy Shaw 41:47 (57).

FRANCE

41st Marathon du Mont-Blanc, Chamonix, 30 June: Ruth Croft won the 42km 2730m+ event for the second year in a row in 4:34:44. Silvia Rampazzo of Italy was second in 4:37:57. Last year as the first woman Croft recorded 4:37:30. Croft said that it was extremely hot conditions. She was in fourth position at 28km and then was strong on the climb uphill which gave her confidence and she passed Silvia and went into the lead at 37km.

ENGLAND

Night of 10,000m, Parliament Hill Athletics Track, Highgate London, 6 July: Callan Moody 10,000m 29:45.95 (6) debut PB.

USA

Rose City Mile, Duniway Track, Portland OR, 29 June: Jeff Lautenslager 4:08.27 (1) (Meet record).

Road and Trail Races Around the Country
Auckland

Rat Race 5km, Takapuna, 3 July: Michael Wanden 16:46, Luke Mercieca 18:11, Damon Nicholas 18:21.

Taupo

Hoka One One Steamy Huka, 7 July: 42.2km; Craig Torr 3:19:16, Sam Rout 3:20:58, Alex Mcfarlane 3:26:28. Sue Crowley 3:35:45, Nicole Niehues 4:09:14, Anna Longdill 4:12:06. 21.1km; Cameron Swales 1:19:33, Casey Thorby 1:22:57, David Haunschmidt 1:25:11. Grace Ritchie 1:34:25, Emma McCosh 1:39:47, Sasha Antunovic 1:42:23. 10km; Benjamin Rickerby 43:14, Blake Miller 44:46, Steve Wenzlick 44:56. Samantha Bradley 48:05, Holly Sprosen 49:00, Jen Mcdermott 49:06.

Christchurch

Forest Run Fest, Frost Edition, Bottle Lake, 7 July: Half marathon: Daniele Danesin 1:30:02, Alan Bryson 1:32:15, Chris White 1:32:25. Laura Pfeifer 1:36:32, Maggie Davies 1:42:40, Sofia Sosa Salas 1:42:44. 10km: Garry Evans 36:51, Hamish Bell 40:10, Liam Cosgrove 41:04. Juliana McMillan 42:23.