The Napier Harriers conducted a very successful club trip to Rotorua to compete in the Redwoods Forest Relay on Saturday. With 500 metres of sealed road, cross country spikes aren't an option, so the heavy overnight showers created slippery conditions on the forest trails.
Napier Junior men's team won their 4x3200m race impressively by a large margin and smashed the four year old course record by 54 secs. Lead-off runner Stefan Smith(10.44) lost the sprint to the first changeover by a toenail to Energy City Harriers. A devastating lap by Ryan Woolley(10.29) immediately destroyed the hopes of the 14 rival teams, as he opened up a huge 2min.17sec. advantage. Kane Green(11.47) and Eric Speakman(11.31) cemented the team's position to finish in the new record of 44.31. Mt.Roskill Grammar(46.59) run down the early pacesetter Energy City Harriers(47.09) for the minor placings. Woolley had to settle for second fastest lap, just six seconds behind Fetalow Zomo(Mt.Roskill), while Smith(4th), Speakman(6th) and Green(10th) were all conspicuous amongst the individual ratings.
Napier Junior womens team began prominently amongst the 16 teams before securing third place behind two Tauranga Girls' College combinations.
With an average age of only 14 years, Katie Harris(13.17), Laura Nagel(14.09), Anieka Engels(13.50) and Sarah Starkey(14.15) performed admirably in their 4x3200m contest. Reigning champions Tauranga G.C.(52.40) won easily in a new course record from their second team(54.58), with Napier a tantalizing 33 secs adrift. Harris was credited with the fifth fastest individual lap.
Trish Cummins and Arthur Corbett were a surprise package in the two person 10km walk. An astonished Cummins(35.35) finished the opening lap only 5 secs down on the leader. When Corbett(34.39) recorded the third fastest individual lap, it consolidated their position ahead of another fifteen hopefuls. The Napier pair finished 1� mins behind the top Rotorua pair but comfortably over 3 mins clear of the chasers.
The Napier team filled second place in the 14 strong composite grade over 5x5000m laps. Eric Phimister(19.25), Craig Mathers(18.21), Trevor Fulton(19.34) and Steve Lindsay(20.50) managed to establish a slight lead. Although 12 year old Brendan Speakman(20.38) run a splendid final lap, he couldn't match the well performed senior John Charlton(17.49). This catapulted Cambridge Harriers(1.36.43) to an easy win by 2 mins 5 secs over Napier, who in turn were a massive 7 mins 43 secs clear of Lodge Frankton Harriers.
report courtesy Trevor Fulton
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