News & Updates

26 July 2021 • General

Weekly Round Up: 26 July

Anneke Grogan on her way to claiming her maiden Auckland senior women’s cross country title (Photo: Michael Dawson)

New Zealand Competition Results

AUCKLAND
Auckland Cross Country Championships, Barry Curtis Park, East Tamaki – 24 July 2021
Anneke Grogan, former national junior women steeplechase champion, won the Auckland senior women’s cross country title for the first time. Grogan led throughout the five laps of 2km, finishing in 41:32, over four minutes ahead of Sarah Blyde and Olivia Gold. Grogan didn’t have the competition from the rest of her team that she had at the team’s championship last month.

“The rest of the North Harbour Bays runners felt that it was a bit too close to nationals for them, so they got some training in,” said Grogan.

It was also somewhat of a training session for her as well.

“I have been sick, so I took it easy to start with. Today was making sure I was all good for the nationals and practicing the down hills.”

Ronan Lee, with a fresh approach to his running, won the senior men’s title in 34:51. Jono Jackson was second in 35:23 and Dylan McCullough third in 35:49.

Lee had control of the race from the start and led the entire journey.

“It was pretty tough out there. I planned to stick in with the lead group but I was feeling quite good and I banked on my strength and went out from the gun and then hung tough. It was a good race,” said Lee.

“I’m heading down to Dunedin now for the nationals and hope to upset a few big names since this is my first year in the senior grade.”

He explained that he is having a breakout this season with a new coach.

“Phil Clode has been pretty awesome and things have been going really well,” he added.

Lisa Cross, national cross country champion in 2018, won the master women’s 6km in 25:04 while Nick Moore was a cut above the rest of the master men, winning the 8km in 28:49 from Owairaka club mate Simon Mace who ran 29:17.

Charlotte Floodsmith-Ryan won the under 20 women’s 6km in 26:01 and Sam Heyes collected the under 20 8km in 29:34. Under 18 winners were Ronan Codyre 6km 22:15, Stella Hammond 4km 16:17. Coen Anderson under 16 4km 14:27 and Eryn Westlake under 16 4km 16:04. Under 14 winners over 3km Quinn Moss 10:49 and Imogen Barlow 11:35. Under 12 2km Louay Benaoum 7:27 and Mingrui Zhang 7:50.

ROTORUA
Waikato Bay of Plenty Cross Country Championships, Ray Boord Park – 24 July 2021
Former national junior 800m champion and silver medalist at the 2013 Oceania Championships Kerry White won the senior women’s 10km title by a wide margin in 37:31. Aimee Ferguson was second in 41:01 and Sally Gibbs third in 41:19.

Sjors Corporaal, bronze medalist in the New Zealand mountain running championships, won the senior men’s 10km in 33:35 from Casey Thorby 34:16 and Will O’Connor 35:43.

Under 20 women 6km Hannah Gapes 21:36, Charli Miller 22:13, Jemima Antoniazzi 23:25. In the under 18 women’s 4km Boh Ritchie secured victory in 14:40 from Lulu Johnson 15:03 and Charo Heijnen 16:02. Ben Bidois won the under 20 men 8km in 26:55 and Ian Pugh the under 18 6km in 20:46.

Master women 6km Lauren Shelley 26:57, Vicki Rees-Jones 27:33, Karyn McCready 28:15. Master men 8km Iain Macdonald 27:04, Matt Parsonage 28:43, Michael Pugh 29:45. MM 65 plus 6km Dennis Litt 25:16.

Under 16 4km, Ella Smart 15:47, Renee Carey 16:19, Letizia Hay 16:30. Elliott Pugh 13:20, George Wyllie 13:34, Finnley Oliver 14:07. Under 14 3km Eleanor Pugh 11:48. Kayden Theron 11:02. Under 12 2km Sophia Maltai-Spence 7:53. Jack Stirling 7:31.

NEW PLYMOUTH
Taranaki Cross Country Championships, Peringa Park Fitzroy – 25 July 2021
Ben Hitchcock won the senior men’s 10km title in 37:29 from Oli Vincent who ran 38:21. Jordan Skeet won the senior women’s 10km in 48:29. Mac Rowe under 20 men 8km 28:26. Master men 8km Nathan Foley 29:09, Kyle Bridgeman 29:34. Under 20 women 6km Sasha Dazhani 36:42, under 18 4km Abby Carver 16:24. Cheryl Leuthart master women 6km 30:17.

NELSON
Tasman Centre Cross Country Championships, Rabbit Island – 24 July 2021
Angus Wemyss of Athletics Nelson reeled in Hayden Squance halfway into the senior men’s 10km and then forged ahead in the final 3k to take the title in 35:21. Squance was second in 36:34.

National mountain running champion Nancy Jiang won the senior women’s 8km race in 31:26.

Josh Gill ran 20:16 to lead Athletics Nelson training mates Matt Bowen (20:35) and Fenlon Bayley (20:37) across the finish line in the M18 6km race.

Other winners Amelia Clark W16 3km 11:09, Bella Cain-Townley G14 3km 10:58, Hogan Ward M16 3km 10:11, Oliver Costley B14 3km 11:02.

CHRISTCHURCH
Canterbury Cross Country Championships, Halswell Quarry – 24 July 2021
Katherine Camp collected the senior women’s title for the fourth year in a row with an impressive run of 37:40 for the 10km. Hannah Oldroyd was second in 38:03 and Olivia Ritchie third in 39:39.

Christopher Dryden retained the senior men’s title in 31:37. 2019 champion Connor Melton was second in 32:07 and Harry Ewing third in 32:24.

Under 20 women 6km Rosa Twyford 23:19, Georgia-Rose Dawson 23:48, Natalya Carter 23:59. Kiera Hall under 18 4km 15:43, Niamh Motley 16:19, Rosaria Gibson 16:36. Master women 6km Nicola Handley 25:25, Tina Cox 25:33, Lisa Brignull 25:41.

Cameron Clark, winner of the under 20 national cross country challenge last year, won the under 20 8km in 26:07 from Jamie Barnes 26:37 and Max Yanzick 26:46. Charlie Hazlett under 18 6km 19:23, Theo Walker 20:14 and Pai Wynyard 20:28. Master men 8km Blair McWhirter 27:49, Dave King 27:52, Ryan Kiesanowski 28:09. Under 16 3km Elspeth McGuiness 11:32. Under 16 4km Angus Sevier 13:37. Under 14 3km Tessa de Wit 12:36. Otto Church 11:42. Under 12 2km Tayla Cox 8:50. Ethan Richardson 8:19.

International Results

ITALY
VI Sprint Meeting, Merano, 17 July: Zoe Hobbs 100m 11.86 -4.5 (1), 200m 24.00 +0.6 (1).

Arcobaleno Atletica Euro, Celle Ligure, 22 July: Cameron French 400mH 51.67 (4R2).

Road and Trail Races Around the Country

AUCKLAND
O’Hagan’s 5km, Viaduct Harbour, 20 July: Josh Nishitani 16:23, David Atkinson 16:38, David Bagot 16:45. Freya Atkinson 18:33, Kayla Fairbairn 19:43, Tia Knight 19:52.

Rat Race 5km, Takapuna, 21 July: Haoting Ma 17:30, Tom Hanrahan 19:24, Conan Christmas 20:28.

Orewa Half Marathon, 25 July: Sarah Lockhart 1:37:00, Kerryn Johnson 1:38:24, Lisa Harris 1:39:01. Daniel Coates 1:16:07, Keith Burrows 1:16:55, Gene Rand 1:17:55.

XTERRA Tail Run, Hunua Ranges, 25 July: 12.6km; Francis McKeefry 57:34, George Mawson 58:10, James Kuegler 58:26. Pip Tuckey 1:03:37, Stella Hammond 1:04:47, Jen Mcdermott 1:06:56. 5.8km; Jacob Hewitt 26:25, Denika Clooney 26:49. 19.4km; Aaron Jackson 1:48:05. Magdalena Stanuch 2:24:37. 23.6km; Mariano Piagentini 2:11:12. Greer Logue 2:27:24.

SOUTH CANTERBURY
Mackenzie Half Marathon, Village Green, Fairlie, 24 July: Katie Morgan 1:33:34, Lydia Pattillo 1:41:36, Emma Roche 1:46:07. Gavin Dale 1:20:30, Daniele Danesin 1:20:55, Daniel Pilgrim 1:29:07.

DUNEDIN
Leith Harbour Free 5 and 10, 25 July: 10km; Tadhg Ryan Charleton 33:51, Corey Lewis 37:16, Ben Pigou 39:35. Margie Campbell 40:33, Stephanie Beech 41:25, Orlaith Heron 44:09. 5km; Nic Bathgate 17:49, Sandor Toth 19:13, Henry Eyles 21:44. Gail Sharp 25:47, Dalise Sanderson 26:41, Elly Stevens 28:24.