News & Updates

New Zealand Competition Results

ROTORUA
56th Rotorua Marathon – 26 September 2020
It was third year lucky for 23-year-old local Michael Voss as he took out the Rotorua marathon in 2:31:13, two minutes ahead of 2018 winner and second last year, Blair McWhirter.

“Time wasn’t the goal today, I went out with the intention of trying to get the win,” said Voss who was content to sit with the leading group over the first half. “The last 10km was a real push and I can’t really remember most of it, so it was so good to get to the finish line. If it had been another km I don’t think I’d have made it.”

Voss had plenty of support around the course and particularly over the closing stages. “I had lots of friends, family and work colleagues out there and they made a real difference. A few were giving me time updates and that kept me confident,” he added.

It is 45 years since the last Rotorua local won, the late Jack Foster winning in 1975 in 2:18:32.

“It’s great to be the first local in over 40 years to win. I didn’t realise it’s been so long until a few of the old fellows here mentioned it, so it’s pretty awesome to get back on top,” said Voss.

Voss has built up an impressive record at the iconic meeting starting with a fifth in 2014, followed by second in 2015 and a first in 2016 in the half marathon. He moved up in distance in 2018 for seventh in the marathon and third last year.

With a personal best of 2:22:34 Voss, who was second last year in both the national 10,000m track and 10km road championships, should be not too far from cracking the 2 hour 20 minute barrier.

“My next marathon is in Auckland in November, I got second last year so I hope to go one better this year.”

Nick Johnston from Feilding, the 2018 Feilding marathon champion and second in last year’s Hawke’s Bay marathon, was third in 2:37:28.

Alice Mason, three times national marathon champion and 2018 national half marathon champion, made it three years in a row in the women’s section. The 33-year-old was a clear winner in 2:50:45. Mel Aitken of Tawa was second in 2:57:36, 19 seconds ahead of fellow Wellingtonian Ingrid Cree. Mason has a personal best of 2:38:35 from fifth in last year’s Sydney marathon.

Mason said that she was just running for the win and her time was okay for the course. “It was pretty much fun for the first 34km and then it started to feel like a bit of hard work. I had a wicked group to run with for most of the way and then I dropped off this group for the last 5km and was running by myself,” she said.

Like Voss, Mason had plenty of support. “I used to work at the hospital and I was in Rotorua up until a couple of months ago so I had a lot of people out on the course giving support.”

Mason said it was good to be part of one of the first mass participation road race events in the world to take place since the outbreak of the global pandemic. “During lockdown in training we did little workouts over the start and finish line pretending that there were races and there weren’t, so it’s nice to actually come back and have something, it’s special.”

Aaron Pulford repeated his 2011 victory in the half marathon, sneaking home by 29 seconds over Sjors Corporaal in 1:15:22. Sarah Morrison won the women’s half in 1:35:25 from Kirsten Milne 1:36:04 and Hannah Lynch 1:38:05.

Sixteen-year-old local Hannah Gapes ran an impressive 37:19, an inaugural best for her, in the associated 10km event. Ben Bidois, national junior 5000m champion, won the 10km in 34:58 from Iain Macdonald 35:45.

Race walk winners: Marathon, Derren Hutchinson 5:11:56 and Penny Purcell 4:50:09; Half, Chris Paice 2:32:50 and Vicki Adlam 2:30:45; 10km, Ian Morton 1:13:59 and Diane Langley 1:23:28.

AUCKLAND
Throws Spring Competition, AUT Millennium Stadium, North Shore – 26 September 2020
A successful throws competition with over 30 athletes competing, resulting in a number of personal bests. Anthony Barmes, third in the national senior hammer throw for the last two seasons, was out to a PB 55.90m with the 7.26kg hammer. Arno van der Westhuizen also had a PB of 52.22m.

Liam Ngchok-Wulf 6kg SP 14.86m, 6kg HT 51.08m. Levi Papalii 4kg SP 12.61m PB, 4kg HT 54.61m PB. Centaine Noom-Duckworth 4kg HT 46.33m DT 38.33m. Suluama Vaeau Mulitalo 3kg HT 43.11m, DT 36.04m. Nadja Kumerich 3kg SP 13.77m PB, 3kg HT 44.30m PB. Jasmine Saimoa 3kg HT 53.34m PB. Jamane Saimoa 3kg HT 49.84m PB. Grace Matulovic DT 34.83m, 3kg SP 12.05m PB. Sionann Murphy T37 3kg SP 7.46m PB, DT 19.16m PB. Kate Hallie 3kg SP 11.52m PB, DT 35.97m PB. Karmen Elizabeth Maritz 3kg SP 10.84m PB, DT 35.06m PB, 3kg HT 32.38m PB.

MASTERTON
Winter Track and Field Series, Colin Pugh Sports Bowl – 27 September 2020
Cody Wilson 100m 10.94 +2.5, Jake Paul 100m 11.05 +2.5, Angus Lyver 100m 11.39 +1.6. George Lambert 5000m 15:45.45. Daniel Du Toit 5000m race walk 21:53.72 PB, nine seconds outside national under 17,18,19 record. Kaleb Sola 5kg HT 50.02m. Corran Hanning F12 5kg HT 30.20m PB. Mikayla Sola 3kg SP 10.56m, 3kg HT 32.98m.

DUNEDIN
Peninsula Relay, Portobello – 26 September 2020
Hill City University (Phil Morris, Cathy Weatherston, Tim Dawbin, Georgy Pakeho, Josh Hou, Steve Bloomfield) won the annual 29.5km relay on handicap from Caversham masters men 50+ and Leith senior men. Cavy senior men’s team of Oliver Young, Leon Miyahara, Alex Dodds, Ben Pigou, Ben Rowley and Nathan Shanks were the fastest in 1:45:20. Leith master men 35 recorded 1:51:53 and Leith senior men 1:54:32.

Fastest laps: Lap 1 4.3km Hamish McKinlay 16:03, Olivia Gold 18:11; Lap 2 3.2km Leon Miyahara 13:39, Sophie Smith 17:56; Lap 3 5.4km Tim Bolter 17:21, Gaya Gnanalingam 22:06; Lap 4 4.0km Ben Pigou 14:02, Claudia Sole 19:46; Lap 5 5.6km Josh Hou 19:25, Janice Finnie 22:20; Lap 6 7.0km Nathan Shanks 23:34, Rebekah Greene 25:31.

International Results

AUSTRALIA
Gold Coast Running Festival, 6 September 2020: 10km Lilli Burdon 35:00 (1).

Road and Trail Races Around the Country

WHANGAREI
Whangarei Run/Walk Festival Town Basin, 27 September: Half marathon; South African triathlon representative Simone Ackermann won the half marathon outright in 1:25:56 from Ian Calder 1:26:34 and Michael Gibson 1:29:54. Ady McKenzie, 2008 Auckland marathon winner, was next and second woman in 1:30:05, followed by Calvin Ball 1:34:40, Steve Cowan 1:35:19 and Katie McVerry 1:37:13. 8.5km result; Iain Macdonald 29:44, Murray Dix 37:09, Clayton Hicks 37:17. Louisa Firth 39:40.

AUCKLAND
Rat Race 5km, Takapuna, 23 September: Mike Wanden 17:00, Gavin Butler 18:22, Damon Nicholas 18:54. Jacqueline Kemp 23:55.

WAIPUKURAU
Hatuma Lime Half Marathon, 27 September: Hayden Storrier 1:23:18, Vernon Preston 1:27:24, Steffan Wong 1:28:37. Heather Neill 1:29:25, Sarah Nilsson 1:36:09, Jade Valler 1:39:57.