Ingrid Cree at the finish of the Rotorua Marathon after winning the women’s title in 2:54:11.
New Zealand Competition Results
ROTORUA
57th Rotorua Marathon incorporating the New Zealand Masters marathon championship, Government Gardens – 8 May 2021
Michael Voss achieved back-to-back victories with a clear win over Greg Darbyshire in 2:29:29. The 24-year-old Rotorua builder finished five minutes ahead of Darbyshire and Ewan Sinclair in third.
Voss was seventh at Rotorua in 2018, third in 2019 and won last year in 2:31:13. The former New Zealand junior 8km road champion was seven minutes outside his personal best from a second in the 2019 Auckland marathon.
Darbyshire ran a PB 2:34:19, as did Zebedee Stone in fifth in 2:36:09.
Voss was stoked with the win.
“From the first kilometre I found myself in front and then I just time-trialled it, hoping to hold 3:30 kilometres the whole way. I started to get a calf niggle at 30km but thankfully that came right, and I stayed pretty strong to bring it home.
“The crowd coming down that finishing chute was unreal, it makes all the late-night training and hard work worth it,” he said.
Voss added that it was “pretty special” to join Jack Foster, Paul Ballinger and Dale Warrander in successfully defending the Rotorua marathon title.
Ingrid Cree (38) followed up her bronze medal effort in the New Zealand marathon championship in Christchurch last month in 2:53:28 with another consistent performance, winning the women’s marathon in 2:54:11.
Sue Crowley clipped 13 seconds off her PB in finishing second in 2:59:18. Anna Williams was third in 3:11:21.
“It is a dream come true to win such an iconic and historic marathon,” said Cree.
“It was such a great feeling running down that finishing chute, although thank goodness there was no-one behind me because I didn’t have much of a sprint finish left,” she added.
While Ingrid was running the Rotorua marathon her husband Elliot was competing in the Greymouth to Hokitika Ultra Marathon, where he finished second in the 100km in 8:58:13.
Masters men age group winners: 35-39 Zebedee Stone 2:36:09, 40-44 Greg Darbyshire 2:34:19, 45-49 Keith Burrows 2:43:25, 50-54 Troy Harold 2:42:33, 55-59 Bruce Edwards 3:06:39, 60-64 Geoff Anderson 3:24:37, 65-69 Phillip Curtis 3:48:37, 70-74 Andy Harper 3:44:12, 75-79 Bill Hodge 5:45:27, 80-84 Don Nicolson 5:13:53.
Masters women age group winners: 35-39 Ingrid Cree 2:54:11, 40-44 Esther O’Sullivan 3:43:00, 45-49 Anna McRae 3:28:11, 50-54 Sue Crowley 2:59:18, 55-59 Pamela Lee 3:45:50, 60-64 Betty Harp 3:49:26, 65-69 Michele Allison 3:47:05, 70-74 Christine Munro 4:50:34, 75-79 Colleen Falloon 5:43:50, 80-84 Eileen Odgers 6:50:21.
Garth Barfoot (84) was the last to finish in 746th, in a time of 8:53:11.
Sjors Corporaal flew around the half marathon in 1:12:28, improving on his PB of 1:15:51 recorded in finishing second last year.
Malcolm Hodge ran 1:13:43 for second and Jono Jackson, three weeks after winning the New Zealand mountain running title, was third in 1:16:12. The women’s half went to Katie Wyrill in 1:32:00 from Melbourne visitor Danielle Sansonetti, who clocked 1:34:16.
Hannah Gapes repeated her win from last year in the women’s 10km with a PB 36:17. Kerry White was second in 38:53. Iain Macdonald won the 10km in 34:56 from Matias Fitzwater 36:04.
AUCKLAND
Winter Throws Series #1, AUT Millennium Stadium North Shore – 8 May 2021
Centaine Noom-Duckworth DT 38.95m, 4kg HT 47.09m. Jasmine He Ling 3kg HT 39.70m PB, 4kg HT 32.20m PB. Bree Ackland 500g JT 33.34m PB, 600g JT 32.53m PB. Kate Hallie 3kg SP 12.77m, DT 34.82m. Percy Maka 1.5kg DT 38.47m. Daniel Shaw 700g JT 43.79m, 800g JT 43.51m.
WELLINGTON
University Cross Country Relays, Queen Elizabeth Park, Mackays Crossing Paraparaumu – 8 May 2021
Wellington Scottish won the senior men’s 4 x 3.5km relay, their team of Seamus Kane, Ben Twyman, Daniel Jones and Tim Hodge recording 48:34. Wellington Harrier Athletic Club were second in 50:42, just one second ahead of Feilding Moa. Fastest laps; Daniel Jones 11:25, Will Anthony 11:28, Seamus Kane 12:04.
Senior women WHAC (Andrea Peat, Sarah Drought, Sarah Riceman, Esther George) 57:46, Scottish 60:07, WHAC B 61:09. Fastest laps; Ruby Muir 13:37, Esther George 14:13, Sarah Drought 14:24.
Master men 35 Scottish (Dougal Thorburn 12:28, Stephen Day, James Richardson, Rowan Hooper) 51:43, WHAC 53:33. MM 50 WHAC 58:20, Scottish 59:57. Steve Gawn 14:08.
Master women 35 Kapiti Running and Tri Club 1:11:40, Scottish 1:13:17, Olympic 1:13:40. Lindsay Young 16:08, Karis Rae 16:15, Deborah Platts-Fowler 16:32. MW 50 Olympic 1:12:13, Scottish 1:20:24.
Junior men Trentham 54:08, WHAC 54:35, Olympic 54:50. Henry Beliveau 12:07. Junior women Olympic 59:27.
CHRISTCHURCH
Lionel Fox Relay, Woodend Beach – 8 May 2021
Christchurch Avon’s team of Theo Walker, Tommy Richards, Chanel Muir and Cameron Clark won the 4 x 4km relay in 1:00:08 from Papanui Toc H 1:01:40 and Port Hills 1:02:48. Fastest laps; Ayrton Shadbolt 14:37, Cameron Clark 14:50, Charlie Hazlett 14:52.
Senior women; University (Angie Petty, Rosa Twyford, Hannah Hughes, Natalie Dryden) 1:15:13, Papanui Toc H 1:16:31. Fastest laps; Eva Pringle 17:07, Angie Petty 18:05, Emily Waters 18:10.
Master men; Sumner (David Fitch, Shaun McWhirter, Danny Carmine, Nathan Jones) 1:06:51, University 1:08:06, Sumner 1:10:45. Fastest laps; Dave King 15:28, David Fitch 16:02, Nathan Jones 16:23.
Master women; Sumner (Siobhan Palmer, Robyn Perkins, Hazel Zhu, Christina Freeman) 1:33:23, Papanui Toc H 1:36:16, Sumner 1:43:30. Fastest laps; Dorothy McPhail 17:47, Helen Wright 20:59, Robyn Perkins 21:35.
Men U/18 4 x 2km; Christchurch Avon 31:40, Port Hills 31:45, Selwyn 31:50. Fastest laps; Daniel Prescott 7:31, Hamish Gillett 7:32, Liam O’Donnell 7:38.
Women U/18 4 x 2km; Christchurch Avon 37:47, Port Hills 38:53, Sumner 39:00. Fastest laps; Elspeth McGuinness 8:30, Tahlia Pellow 8:31, Brynne Gordon 8:32.
DUNEDIN
Dunedin 5000m, Caledonian Ground – 9 May 2021
Finn Molloy 16:02.11, Leo Staufenberg 16:11.25, Tadhg Ryan-Charlton 16:15.27. Becky De La Harpe 19:36.77, Lucia Vincent 19:48.76, Aly Craigie 20:00.79.
Athletics Otago Awards – 7 May 2021
Shay Veitch has added another accolade to his increasingly impressive CV. The Ariki athlete was named Otago athlete of the year at Friday night’s Athletics Otago awards.
It comes after an impressive summer in which the 20-year-old claimed both the long jump and 100m national titles. He took another huge step up for a third season in a row, putting himself in contention for a Commonwealth Games spot next year. His jump of 7.71m equalled the Otago senior men’s long jump record, and he also managed a wind-assisted 7.78m. It was a distance also only once surpassed by a New Zealander in the past nine years.
He also clocked a season’s best wind-assisted 10.34sec 100m in the national final.
Veitch also won senior track and field athlete of the year. In doing so, he held off strong competition from distance runners Oli Chignell and Rebekah Greene, as well as Paralympic long jumper Anna Grimaldi. That trio were all acknowledged in other awards.
Chignell and Greene claimed men’s and women’s winter athlete of the year respectively. The duo both achieved highly on the national stage and both won medals at the New Zealand cross country challenge in Dunedin.
Grimaldi won para-athlete of the year. The long jumper showed she is well past a serious foot injury and set an impressive new personal best of 5.91m. Alongside closing in on the women’s T47 world record in the event, it left her second-equal on the open national rankings — including able-bodied athletes.
Cameron Moffitt claimed the junior athlete of the year award following another dominant summer in the hurdles, while showing his versatility in other events.
Veitch’s coach, Michael Beable, won the coach of the year award. Alongside Veitch, the Wanaka-based coach has guided an impressive squad of young Wanaka athletes to achieve highly on both the local and national scene.
Official of the year went to Stephen Palmer, while Sharleen Frost and Paul Gibbons won the contribution to athletics and contribution to coaching awards respectively.
Megan Gibbons and Mike Weddell were made life members of Athletics Otago after long-standing involvements and huge contributions to the sport.
International Results
USA
West Coast Relays, Clovis CA, 30 April: Murdoch McIntyre 3000m steeplechase 9:18.17 (19).
Bobcat Classic, San Marcos TX, 1 May: Ben Collerton 110m H 14.68 +3.0 (6), DT 40,.42m (7).
Oregon Twilight, Eugene OR, 7 May: Jeff Lautenslager 1500m 3:45.92 (9RB).
Akansas Twilight, Fayetteville AR, 7 May: Isaiah Priddey 1500m 3:47.18 (2).
Montreat College Last Chance, Montreat NC, 7 May: Colin Kirkpatrick 1500m 3:54.53 PB (2).
Big West Conference Multi-Event Championships, Irvine CA, 7/8 May: Aaron Booth decathlon 7520 points (1) (100m 11.00 +2.3, LJ 7.20m +1.9, SP 13.61m, HJ 1.99m, 400m 51.99, 110m H 15.64 +1.9, DT 39.38m, PV 4.41m, JT 60.74m 1500m 4:42.44).
Lone Star Conference, Canyon TX, 7 May: Leah Belfield 100m 11.86 0.0 (1H2), 200m 24.31 +2.6 (1H1). 8 May: Leah Belfield 100m 11.73 +2.3 (3), 200m 23.96 +1.4 PB (3).
Aggie Invitational, College Station TX, 8 May: Jack Beaumont 3000m steeplechase 9:05.51 (1).
Mid-American Conference, Miami University, Oxford OH, 8 May: Chris Devaney 5000m 14:32.24 (6). Toby Gualter 10,000m 29:49.97 PB (4).
Portland Twilight, Portland OR, 8 May: Jeff Lautenslager 1500m 3:46.78 (3).
AUSTRALIA
Queensland Short Course Cross Country Championships, Brisbane 1 May: 4km; Caitlin McQuilkin-Bell 14:42 (2).
Sydney 10, SOP, 2 May: 10km; Esther Keown 35:28 PB (15).
Road and Trail Races Around the Country
AUCKLAND
O’Hagan’s 5km, Viaduct Harbour, 4 May: Keith Burrows 16:37, Liam Templeton 16:41, David Bagot 16:48. Sophie Broome 19:56, Tia Knight 20:00, Kayla Fairbairn 20:12.
Rat Race 5km, Takapuna, 5 May: Tom Hanrahan 19:14, Vern Kelly 21:12, Gene Rand 21:12. Jacqueline Kemp 22:38.
Sri Chinmoy Half Marathon, Auckland Domain, 2 May: Fabe Downs 1:11:47, Rodwyn Isaacs 1:12:49, Carl Byrne 1:30:48. Lisa Harris 1:41:32.
WAIPUKURAU
Hawke’s Bay Trail Run Series, Ranui Farm Park, 9 May: Half marathon; Dougie Kyle 1:48:12, Jamie Blakely 1:50:39, Tim Kershaw 1:53:21. Roanna Vining 2:17:08, Sal Bredenkamp 2:32:34, Erleen Oldham 2:37:29.
BLENHEIM
Saint Clair Vineyard Half Marathon, 8 May: Luke Grogan 1:19:50, Christian Cartwright 1:22:11, Matt Dawson 1:23:07. Molly Spark 1:31:03, Rose Marshall-Lee 1:31:25, Rebekah Anderson 1:32:49. 12km; Jack Taylor 50:28, Hamish Clark 51:51, Morgan Williams 53:04. Stacey Goeble 50:56, Melissa Giles 54:23, Rebecca Newbould 55:29.
HOKITIKA
South Island Ultra Marathon, Greymouth to Hokitika, 8 May: 100km; Daniel Cox 8:21:45, Elliot Cree 8:58:13, Barney Hoskins 9:01:13. Toni Smith 10:14:44. 54km; Chris Taylor 4:25:14, Caris Teo 4:32:58, Shannon Rhodes 4:41:25. 24km; Stewart Milne 1:35:01, Chris Pfahlert 1:49:00, Mark Boon 1:49:20. Sophie Smith 1:52:09.
Obituary
Prominent combined events athlete of the 1980’s Margaret Forsyth ONZM of Hamilton died on Tuesday 4 May 2021, aged 59.
She won the New Zealand junior women’s pentathlon title in 1979 and the New Zealand senior pentathlon title in 1981. She also won several national secondary schools shot put titles. Forsyth was a member of the Hamilton Athletic Club / Hamilton City Hawks Club during the 1970’s to 1980’s.
She was the youngest Silver Fern to play at a World Cup, selected as a 17-year-old while still at Hillcrest High School for the tournament in 1979. Forsyth was also part of the 1987 Silver Ferns side that won the World Cup in Scotland. She played 64 tests with the Silver Ferns. She went on to become head coach of Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic netball team in 2017 and 2018.
Additionally, Forsyth served in the police as well as three terms as a Hamilton City councillor.
In the 2020 New Year Honours she was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for her services to netball and the community.