Review of Hawke's Bay-Gisborne Athletic Centre Performances.

On Saturday, Hastings magically conjured the perfect day to stage the New Zealand Cross Country Championships. The course at the Hawke's Bay Showgrounds was deceptive, with the long straight across the oval testing runners with a slight breeze and a lifeless surface. While the rest of the 2km loop was hard and fast, it was continuously weaving and included three jumps, a slight mound and two tricky dips onto bridges crossing the creek. These all contributed to finishing times being only slightly fastest than achieved at the more demanding Waipuna Park course at Tauranga the previous year. The Masters section competitors from the host region, Hawkes Bay-Gisborne, finished with six individual medals and two sets of team medals.

The first event of the day attracted the largest field, numbering 94, for the multi-grade Mens Masters section over four laps. With region champion Iain Murray withdrawing, it left only Napier's Mark Speakman (31.13) ninth and Gisborne's Tim Marshall tenth in the M35-39 division. In the M40-44 section, Napier Harrier Shane McCormack took on board recent advice, starting less conservatively and was rewarded by being second fastest local runner. McCormack (30.43) was ninth while clubmate Peter Gillies (32.07) ran strongly for 15th and Hastings runner Mike Trautvetter(36.11) finished in 17th place.

After an administration error Geoff Martin decided to run the M45-49 section and finished 13th in 34.23. This was a tactically sound decision as his time would have placed him 18th in his correct age group.

The biggest prize of the day went to Gisborne's lastest running sensation Graeme Lear. He won the M50-54 in 30.16, beating off the predicted ambush from Canterbury duo Ron McTaggart (30.34) and Daniel Reese (30.42). This medal joins a quickly growing number of gold medals at national and international events since he turned 50. Trevor Fulton's (32.19) gutsy effort gained him 12th placing, just ahead of his Napier team mate Eric Phimister (32.31). Hastings Harrier Mark Walwyn (35.10) couldn't reproduce his good Waipuna Park effort and had to settle for 19th, while Napier's Frank Price struggled from lack of recent competitive racing and finished in 48.53.

Hastings stalwart Dan Haddock (34.12) produced a sterling effort to finish fifth in a small but powerful M55-59 section. Neville Wagner (37.28) continued the Gisborne assault on the medal tally with second placing in the M60-64 section. Two weeks ago, Wagner was on crutches after a lawnmowing mishap. In the M65-69 section Napier's Leo Visser ran 45.40 for fifth placing.

In the Women's Masters section over 6km, Gisborne's Karen File was unfortunately missing leaving only Sacred Heart teacher Rebecca Young (36.58) in the small W35-39 section. In the strong W40-44 section Gisborne's Christine Carleton (26.54) ran resolutely for fifth followed by leading Hastings veteran Claire Burnard(28.50).

The scratching of two top contenders Marion Millward and Karen Guillum-Green in the W45-49, left the door open and Napier rookie Marilyn Brown added to her growing CV with a second placing behind reigning champion Michelle Allison, sister of running legend Bernie Portenski. Brown (28.25) ran impressively and continues to improve. Both Napier's Sheila Smidt and Gisborne's Susan Thomas blew certain Athletics New Zealand Championship medals by not entering this event.

Napier veteran campaigners Cheryl Simpson (29.15) and Adele Marsh (30.31) gained the silver and bronze medals in the W55-59 section. Simpson has a sizeable collection of cross country medals but this was Marsh's first, and a nice partner for her road racing medal she gained in 2002. Evergreen Hastings veteran Dawn Cumming (36.26) was second in the W70-74.

In the third race on Saturday, top five prospect Amber Morrison did not start leaving Sonja Grant (Hastings) as the sole local competitor in the 6km Womens 19 contest. Grant (26.41) finished in 22nd place.

In the 6km Mens 16 years and under race the local centre had a strong representation with several 14 years grade runners choosing to run this event ahead of the non championship option. Sadly Ben Barry was missing from the starting lineup. Napier Harrier Steven Smith (22.20) produced his best effort since the N.Z. Secondary School Championships at Wingatui. His time on Saturday was identical but his continuing development saw him strongly run down two adversaries in the last 150 metres to finish 15th overall. Otago's Caden Shield, who Smith pipped on the line had finished 21 places ahead of him at Wingatui. Napier's Ryan Woolley (23.09) finished 23rd, while Rory Diver (23.33) produced his strongest effort of the season for 27th, just ahead of Gisborne's little battler Glenn Barwick (23.45). The younger brigade was led home by Hastings Harrier James Holden (24.07) in 35th placing, ahead of clubmate David Morton (24.15) and Napier's Eric Speakman (24.19). Unfortunately, Hogan Green (Napier) who had won a bronze medal at the North Island Cross Country Champs had to withdraw early in the race because of extreme chest pains.

The Hawke's Bay-Gisborne Centre had their largest representation in the two lap Womens 16 years and under competition. Sadly Napier's Ashley Aitken and Laura Smidt decided not to add their class to the field. Finishing in 20th place was Laura Mohi (Hastings) in 17.24, followed by Napier's Katie Harris (17.41) in 26th, two places ahead of the fast improving Hastings Harrier Olivia Luxton (17.59). The rest of the large Hastings group included Courtney Denton-Giles (18.16) 30th, Sacha Murray (18.48) 31st, Catherine Brebner (18.49) 32nd, Sarah Morton (18.54) 33rd, Melissa Jacobs (19.24) 37th, Kate Morrison (19.31) 38th, and Julia Trautvetter (19.33) returning from a series of illnesses, back in 39th placing, while an injuried Danelle Byrant recorded 19.16 for 35th placing.

The Mens 19 years and under 6km event was unquestionably the best contest of the day, with a knife edge finish featuring possibly the next generation of New Zealand running, highlighted in this race by Abdulah Guled (Wellington) and Shafat Salad (Waikato-BOP). Sadly local supporters didn't get the opportunity to see Daniel Wallis and Kane Green display their talent. Having lived in the shadow of Wallis all season, the stage was left to Stefan Smith to perform and he delivered big-time. Lying fifteenth most of the journey, he produced an impressive surge over the last kilometre to gobble up those on survival mode. Gaining another vital place in the shadow of the finishing arch, Smith (28.28) finished in ninth place. Included in Smith's victims during his late surge were Tim Hodge, Hayden McLaren and Ben Bamford, all of whom had beaten Smith at last year's event.

In a small Senior Womens field, Andrea Williams (Hastings) was the sole entrant representing the region. Williams finished 19th in a slow 35.38.

In the premier event, the 12km Senior Mens race most local interest was still focusing on Hawke's Bay born and bred Phil Costley, and his quest to win three consecutive titles. Amongst the crowd were two of his sisters, emotionally riding his every stride. Costley quickly established a commanding advantage and was relentless on his distressed rivals. Costley was exactly a minute quicker than at Waipuna Park in 2003. Matthew Holder (Hastings) ran strongly to finish fifth but was never with the pacesetters. His time was 39.53, while clubmate Neville Smith (41.57) picked up a few stranglers to finish in 24th. Meanwhile, Richard Potts (Hastings) racing condition gave out with two laps to go and he slowly drifted to finish 29th in 42.38. Josh Barber (Hastings) finished 33rd in 42.52, well ahead of clubmate Michael Newton (46.56) in 45th place. In the absence of Kevin Fisher, it was left to Brent Jones (47.36) in 48th to lead home the Napier runners, ahead of a badly restricted Craig Mathers (48.07), who was running with a bad foot injury, and Shane McCormack (48.36). McCormack seemed to be having a personal duel with Brendan Magill(Tauranga), both of whom had fronted in the Masters race earlier in the day. Magill had beaten McCormack by 24 seconds in the earlier race, but McCormack got revenge by 46 seconds this time.

The Hawkes Bay-Gisborne Centre team were awarded the Masters Women bronze medal. Christine Carleton (Gisborne), Marilyn Brown (Napier), Claire Burnard (Hastings) and Cheryl Simpson (Napier) were the first four qualifying finishers.

Masters Women Teams Championship
1.Wellington 1, 4, 5, 6, 16pts.
2.Waikato-BOP 2, 3, 12, 14, 31pts.
3.Hawke's B-Gisb. 8, 10, 11, 13, 42pts.

One of biggest battles on the day was to get a Hawke's Bay-Gisborne Centre Mens Masters 50 years plus team eligible for a teams prize. An inexcusable mistake by team selectors had seen five runners eligible for this grade listed in the Mens Masters 35-49 team. Three weeks before the event team officials were told of the situation, and four days before the event were informed in writing by the Napier club secretary. The selectors only chose the team on the eve of the event, so it wasn't until after the race that competitors found that a Hawke's Bay-Gisborne Centre 50 years plus had not been entered. Trevor Fulton fought for an hour to get some action taken and all but given up, before Dan Haddock and Steve Armon managed to involve Jim Tobin. Finally the case was put to the Athletic New Zealand officials from the Veteran Athletics delegate. At the official prizegiving at the Angus Inn, an hour and a half later, no one knew whether the case presented had been dismissed or was successful. Only after the results had been announced, could a formal protest be put in. Dan Haddock couldn't trust his feelings on the matter so stood near the exit. The Hawkes Bay-Gisborne Mens Masters 50 years plus team were awarded the silver medal. The first four qualifying finishers were Graeme Lear (Gisborne), Trevor Fulton (Napier). Eric Phimister (Napier) and Dan Haddock (Hastings).

Masters Men 50 years plus Teams Championship
1.Waikato-BOP 1, 3, 6, 7, 17pts.
2.Hawke's B-Gisb. 2, 13, 14, 20, 49pts.
3.Auckland 5, 11, 17, 21, 54pts.