We were the host club for the New Zealand Road was held at Massey University on Sunday. Over 350 athletes from Northland to Southland entered the championship with grades ranging from Under 14 years to two competitors in the 80-84 year category. It proved to be a very successful competition for Manawatu-Wanganui athletes with a total of eighteen medals won, including five gold eight silver and five bronzes.
Of these, Feilding Moa members won 4 individual medals (all to our Masters Women) and contributed to all 7 teams medals.
First medal of the day, a silver, went to Ari Bennett (Ashhurst Athletics) in the Under-18 5km walk with a time of 27 minutes 35 seconds. Lucas Martin (Athletics Wanganui) also took silver in the Under-20 10km walk as did Arnika Nelson (PNAHC) in the senior women 20k walk. Martin and Nelson both achieved the qualifying standard for the 2024 World Athletics walk championship to be held in Turkey in April
The run course was 2km loop of the University Ave (the Ring Road), a course that ahd to e exactingly measured to achieve World Athletics certification. The first kilometre included a sweeping downhill to the intersection of University Ave and Main Drive, followed by a 300 metre hill section with 14 metres of elevation gain, the flat to the end. This hill proved a decisive factor in nay of the races during the day.
First road run race of the day was the Under 16’s 4km which saw Justin Cunningham of PNAHC fight out a thrilling sprint finish with Alex McBeth of Wellington harriers. Both earned Gold medals due to MacBeths Canadian citizen status. Cunninghams time for the 4km was a personal best of 12 minutes 44 seconds
The Masters Women 35 plus competed over 5km. Sally Gibbs (Wanganui Harriers) was second overall to Mel Brandon (Wellington) who was in the Women’s 40-44 grade. Gibbs comfortably won the Women’s 60-64 category. Amanda Wallis (Feilding Moa) won the W35-39, with silver medals to Wendy Cottrell-Teahan (W50-54) and Jo Speary (Moa) in the W65-69. Bronzes went to Bex Sharratt (Wanganui( W40-44) and Rosie McIntyre (Moa) W45-49.
The Womens 35+ team took home the gold medal (Sharratt, Wallis, Anita Chann, Dorota Starzak), while the W50+ team of Gibbs, Cottrell-Teahan, Claire Scott and Dale McMillan earned the silver medal.
The Masters men 10km was dominated by a trio Mens 45-49 runners, with Nick Moore of Owairaka taking the win in 32 minutes 40 seconds. Best of the local contingent was James Conwell (PNAHC) 4th in the M40-44 in 35m32s, while David Lovelock, also of PNAHC won bronze in the M35-39 grade with a time of 36m34s. The Mens 35 plus team matched the Masters women with a win; the team comprised Lovelock, Conwell, AJ Cornwall (Moa) and Brendan Sharratt (Wanganui). The Mens 50 plus team of Matt Cherri, Rob Dabb, Andrew McLean and Roy Haines (all Feilding Moa) took bronze.
The Under 20 men competed over four laps (8km). With one lap to go Pai Wynyard (Canterbury) and Nelson Doolan (PNAHC) were shoulder to shoulder. Wynyard managed to pull away after the final hill with 700 metres to go to take the win in 25m19s from Doolan is 25m30s.
The Senior Men’s race was a thriller. A group of four, Daniel Balchin (Canterbury), Ronan Lee (Auckland), Nathan Tse (Wellington) and Andre Le Pine-Day came through the first of the five 2km laps in 5m53 seconds. Four soon became two, with Lee leading Balchin into the final lap. The hill climb up past Wharerata proved decisive, with Lee fighting to the front but perhaps taking too much out of him as Balchin recovered better on the flat to stretch away to a 13 second gap, crossing the line in 30m27s. Tse was third in 30:51 with Le Pine-Day next in 31:24 leading in a quartet of Manawatu Wanganui runners. This team of Le Pine-Day, Isaac Murphy, George Varney and Samuel Parry (all Feilding Moa) took what is thought to be the first ever Senor men’s team title for Manawatu Wanganui.
GOLD
U16 boys Justin Cunningham (PNAHC)
W35-39 Amanda Wallis (Feilding Moa)
W60-64 Sally Gibbs (Wanganui Harriers)
Senior Mens team: Andre Le Pine-Day, Isaac Murphy, George Varner, Samuel Parry (all Feilding Moa)
M35+; AL Cornwall (Moa), James Conwell, (PNAHC), David Lovelock (PNAHC), Brendan Sharratt (Wanganui Harriers)
W35+: Bex Sharratt (Wanganui), Amanda Wallis, Dorota Starzak, Anita Chan (all Moa)
SILVER
U20 10km walk, Lucas Martin (Athletics Wanganui)
Senior 20km walk, Arnika Nelson (PNAHC)
U20 Men, Nelson Doolan (PNAHC)
W50 Wendy Cottrell-Teahan (Feilding Moa)
W65 Jo Speary (Feilding Moa)
U18 Walk, Ari Bennett (Ashhurst)
U20W team: Carys Middelton, Olivia Clifton, Amy Ellis, Lucy Evans (Feilding Moa)
W50+ team: Dale McMillan, Claire Scott, Sally Gibbs, Wendy Cottrell-Teahan (Feilding Moa)
BRONZE
M35-39 David Lovelock (PNAHC)
W40-44 Bex Sharratt (Wanganui Harriers)
W45-49 Rosie McIntyre (Feilding Moa)
U18 women team: Courtney Fitzgibbon, Katelin Perkins, Montana Doorey, Hayley Cornwall (all Feilding Moa)
M50+ team: Matt Cherri, Rob Dabb, Andrew McLean, Roy Haines (all Feilding Moa)
