Wellington athletes took on the challenging cold muddy conditions at the China Southern Airlines New Zealand Cross Country Championships, Hagley Park North on Saturday with numerous individual and Wellington provincial team medals coming back up country.
Successes were in youth and Masters grades predominantly with Individual titles going to Under 16 ad Under 18 Men with Jacob Williams and Alex McBeth leading home their grades respectively. Jacob’s younger brother took the non-championships Under 12 Boys races as well. Meanwhile in the Under 14 grade race Kapiti Running & Tri club had the first three across the line with Lucia Harfitt, Lucie Thomson and Maggie Barke.
A shout out to Eric Speakman who took a hard fall at the steeple chase hurdle, had to put his shoe back on, and got up to finish 3rd in the Masters 35 grade.
In the Masters Women grades, Andrea Peat led home the field to take Women’s 35 division, with Katie Jenkins winning the 50-54 section and Wellington made a clean sweep in 55-59 division with Heater Walker, Bridget Douglas and Michelle Van Looy . Pua Hewitson took the Men’s 60- 64 division.
In the teams events Wellington picked up team medals with bronze in Men’s 16 and silver in the Senior Men’s team led home by Toby Gualter with a top place 4th just missing bronze by a few seconds. The Masters Teams for 50-64 grades were title to Wellington for both Men and Women
Top 3 Championship Results
- Men U16 4000m- Jacob Williams 1st
- Women U164000m – Mia Thomson 2nd
- Men U18 6000m – Alex Macbeth 1st
- Masters Men 35+ 8000m – Eric Speakman 3rd
- Masters Women 35+6000m – Andrea Peat 1st
- Masters Men 50-54 8000m – Paul Evans 2nd, Daniel Clendon 3rd
- Masters Women 50-546000m – Katie Jenkins 1st
- Masters Women 55-59 6000m – Heather Walker 1st, Bridget Douglas 2nd, Michelle Van Looy 3rd
- Masters Men 60- 64 8000m – Paul Hewitson 1st
- Masters Men 70- 74 6000m – Tony Price Masters 70 – 74 2nd.
- Masters Men 75 – 80 6000m – John Skinnon Masters 75- 79 2nd
Team Results
- Men U16 3rd – Jacob Williams, Reuben Hayne, Harry Barton, Fekix Topp
- Senior Men 2nd – Toby Gaulter, Liam Chesney, Callum Stewart, Joshua Fitzgerald
- Masters Women 50 – 64 1st – Heather Walker, Katie Jenkins, Bridget Douglas, Michelle Van Looy
- Masters Men 50 – 64 1st – Paul Evans, Daniel Clendon, James Waite, Graeme Morrison
Full results can be found here:
