Gisborne Harriers hosted the Athletics Hawke's Bay-Gisborne Road Race Championships for 2006 on Saturday. The mild conditions and light nor-west breeze made for near perfect racing conditions on the flat and fast circuit in Gisborne's industrial district.
Drama surrounded the first race frombefore the start when, due to lack of course marking, no-one could reliable tell where the event started. Even at the designated 1:30 start time there was no-one any where near the eventual start line. After much rushing around and many different potential starting lines being investigated, the correct start point was eventaully established (apparently by guestimate) and the race was started - on the outside of sharp bend which gave those on the inside a definate advantage. Further controversy surrounded one young lad from Gisborne who was unregistered, and did not belong to any club, but was allowed to participate in the race. His (presumadly) Father followed the race on a scooter and "encouraged" his athlete with a megaphone! It also appears he may well have been competing out of his age group and had an effect on the outcome fo the race by leading the start, almost to the finish! This should never have been allowed to happen!
Eventually Napier's Toa Elphick recovered to win the Boys 12 years race by four seconds from Charlie Chittenden (7.44) and Gisborne's Campbell Parkinson (7.55). Napier's Annie Creagh (7.45) won the Girls 12 years race by the narrowest of margins from the impressive improver Holly Edmonds (N), while Dallas Parkinson (8.04) emulated her twin brother by taking the bronze medal.
Laura Nagel (19.44) was untroubled in retaining her Girls 14 years title over 5km.
Gisborne's Dylan Pahima (18.21) impressively won the boys equivalent after finally gaining the ascendancy on the last lap of the Boy's 14 5km rce, over the talented Napier pair of Jack Needes (18.32) and Brendan Speakman (18.43).
Hastings' Katie Harris (19.51) produced her best run of the season to win the Womens 16 years gold medal, clearing out on Napier's Danielle Kiely (20.32) during the last 2kms.
The most brilliant run of the day came from Eric Speakman (16.24) in winning the Mens 16 years 5km race. After several recent indifferent performanes, Speakman was determined and impressively left the strong opposition reeling in his wake right from the gun. Napier clubmate Cameron Poole-Smith (17.06) and Hastings' big improver Brett Pulford (17.21) were left to scrap over the minor medals.
Hastings' Melissa Jacobs (23.55) won the Womens 19 years division from Napier's Shayna Heywood(25.03).
Ryan Woolley (N) lost 15 seconds removing a hamstring bandage midway through the Mens 19 year race, but still won comfortably in an impressive 27.18 over the 8km distance.
Andrea Williams (H) won the Masters Womens 5km title in 19.51, while Gisborne's Karen File returned to competitive running after a two year layoff to claim the Senior Women's trophy, cutting out the 10km in 40.31.
Napier's Shane Vincent (34.40) finally announced his arrival on the local running scene, by winning the Senior Men's title, comfortably ahead of Craig Mathers (36.42). Gisborne's 37 year old Hugh Allison(37.04) produced too many guns for the Napier pair of Trevor Fulton (38.05) and Frank Busch(39.07) in the Masters Mens contest, although Fulton's second placing in the masters section was sufficient to secure him the M50 title.
Five athletes were selected from the days racing to represent the HBG centre at the upcoming ANZ National Road Racing Champs in Christchurch - Eric Speakman (Napier) will contest the M16 grade, Ryan Woolley, Stefan Smith and Daniel Wallis (all NApier) the M19 and Andrea Williams (Hastings) the Masters Women's race.

Boys 12 yrs and under - 2km Place Athlete Club Time 1 Toa Elphick Napier 07:40 2 Charlie Chittenden Napier 07:44 3 Campbell Parkinson Gisborne 07:55 4 Bradd File Gisborne 08:00 Girls 12 yrs and under - 2km Place Athlete Club Time 1 Annie Creagh Napier 07:45 2 Holly Edmonds Napier 07:45 3 Dallas Parkinson Gisborne 08:04 4 Briar Wilkie Gisborne 08:41 5 Natasha Town-Warner Napier 09:05 Boys 14 yrs and under - 5km Place Athlete Club Time 1 Dylan Pahina Gisborne 18:21 2 Jack Needes Napier 18:32 3 Brendan Speakman Napier 18:43 4 Duncan Morrison Hastings 20:28 5 Matt File Gisborne 21:10 6 Ben Fulton Napier 22:47 Girls 14 yrs and under - 5km Place Athlete Club Time 1 Laura Nagel Napier 19:44 2 Lana Philips Gisborne 24:15 Boys 16 yrs and under - 5km Place Athlete Club Time 1 Eric Speakman Napier 16:24 2 Cameron Poole-Smith Napier 17:06 3 Brett Poulford Hastings 17:22 4 Scott MacDonald Hastings 17:28 5 David Morton Hastings 18:03 Girls 16 yrs and under - 5km Place Athlete Club Time 1 Katie Harris Hastings 19:51 2 Danielle Kiely Napier 20:32 Girls 19 yrs and under - 5km Place Athlete Club Time 1 Melissa Jacobs Hastings 23:55 2 Shayna Heyward Napier 25:03 Boys 19 yrs and under - 8km Place Athlete Club Time 1 Ryan Woolley Napier 27:18 2 Shaun Pahina Gisborne 28:51 3 Glenn Barwick Gisborne 32:18 Masters Women - 5km Place Athlete Club Time 1 Andrea Williams Hastings 19:51 2 Frances Cox Gisborne 26:02 Senior Women - 10km Place Athlete Club Time 1 Karen File Gisborne 40:31 2 Carol Redpath Gisborne 41:34 3 Chick Bridge Gisborne 45:43 Masters Men - 10km Place Athlete Club Time 1 Hugh Allison Gisborne 37:04 2 Trevor Fulton Napier 38:05 Scott Furness Gisborne 38:57 3 Frank Busch Napier 39:07 4 Tim Marshall Gisborne 40:46 5 Terry Packman Gisborne 44:20 6 Neville Wagner Gisborne 45:57 7 Warren Edlin Gisborne 52:28 Senior Men - 10km Place Athlete Club Time 1 Shane Vincent Napier 34:40 2 Craig Mathers Napier 36:42 3 Chris Grant Gisborne 38:24 Open Walk - 5km Place Athlete Club Time 1 Chris Bowman Gisborne 31:17 2 Jack Packman Gisborne 36:31 3 Verlie Shepherd Gisborne 40:29

HANDICAP RESULTS

B/G12 Handicaps H'cap Place Athlete Club Time H'cap H'cap Time H'cap Points 1 Holly Edmonds Napier 07:45 00:40 07:05 15 2 Natasha Town-Warner Napier 09:05 01:50 07:15 14 3 Charlie Chittenden Napier 07:44 00:20 07:24 13 4 Annie Creagh Napier 07:45 00:20 07:25 12 5 Toa Elphick Napier 07:40 00:00 07:40 11

B14/16 Handicaps H'cap Place Athlete Club Time H'cap H'cap Time H'cap Points 1 Eric Speakman Napier 16:24 00:00 16:24 15 2 Ben Fulton Napier 22:47 06:20 16:27 14 3 Brendan Speakman Napier 18:43 02:00 16:43 13 4 Cameron Poole-Smith Napier 17:06 00:15 16:51 12 5 Jack Needes Napier 18:32 01:40 16:52 11

G14/16 Handicaps H'cap Place Athlete Club Time H'cap H'cap Time H'cap Points 1 Laura Nagel Napier 19:44 00:00 19:44 15 2 Danielle Kiely Napier 20:32 00:30 20:02 14

G19/SW/MW Handicaps H'cap Place Athlete Club Time H'cap H'cap Time H'cap Points 2 Shayna Heyward Napier 25:03 05:00 20:03 15

B19 Handicaps H'cap Place Athlete Club Time H'cap H'cap Time H'cap Points 1 Ryan Woolley Napier 27:18 01:20 25:58 15

S/MM Handicaps H'cap Place Athlete Club Time H'cap H'cap Time H'cap Points 1 Shane Vincent Napier 34:40 00:00 34:40 30 2 Trevor Fulton Napier 38:05 03:10 34:55 29 2 Craig Mathers Napier 36:42 00:50 35:52 28 3 Frank Busch Napier 39:07 03:10 35:57 27

Previous Years Results Here:- 2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005