Athletics New Zealand - Weekly Roundup

31st Huntly Half Marathon – 22 May 2011

Aaron Pulford is on target for some fast track times over 5000m when he takes in some international racing experience in Europe. On Sunday Pulford showed his class, winning the Huntly Half Marathon by 34 seconds over Stephen Lett. Mid way into the race Pulford and Lett were the only two in contention. On the hill section Pulford put in a surge broke clear of Lett and despite suffering from some stitch held on for victory. Pulford said that he felt fresh from the start.

“We had a pace maker through the first 5km, and I was feeling so good that I went to the front.

“On the hills Stephen was behind me and I could hear him breathing pretty heavy so I put in a few surges and managed to get a gap,” said Pulford.

“When I got to about 19km I was feeling really good and then all of a sudden I got this stitch real bad which reduced me to a bit of a walk. But I eventually managed to run through it,” he added. 

Pulford will now concentrate on some track training sessions in preparation for a five week racing circuit in Europe, which includes the British under 23 5000m championship. He will, later in the year, compete in the Auckland half marathon which doubles as the New Zealand championship.

Kyle MacDonald was third with Jonathon Jackson fourth and Angus Bell fifth.

Lisa Robertson, fourth last year, relished the perfect conditions, racing in for the women’s title to win by a wide margin of 3m 24s. Helen Rountree was second and Rachael Kingstone third.

Robertson said Rountree kept her honest.

 

“Helen kept me going, I could see her through the bends so I knew I had to keep pushing or I was going to get beaten,” said Robertson. “My focus is now the marathon and I will be racing my first one in the Auckland marathon,” she added. Rountree, aiming for the Gold Coast half marathon, said that her focus was to maintain second place.

 

Gavin Stevens was the fastest master and Melissa Norris the best of the master women. Orienteer Angela Simpson was the first junior woman and Asher Meltzer the first junior man. In the half marathon walk Matthew Holcroft won with Donna Roderick the first woman walker.

In the associated 2XU 10km Steve Rees-Jones won from Jonny McKee and Stefan Smith. Mikayla Nielsen won the women’s 10km from Hannah Barker and Olivia Ritchie.

Note: both the half marathon and 10km were short in distance. Times are being adjusted (based on the pace of each athlete) to accommodate the distance the races were short by, and will be posted on the Huntly Half Marathon website tonight:  www.huntlyhalf.co.nz   

 

WELLINGTON

 

Vosseler Shield Mountain Races, Mt Victoria – 21 May 2011

Evan Cooper won the senior 10km in 39m 43s, from Daniel Nixon 39m 51s and Rees Buck 41m 3s. Grant McLean led in the masters in 44m 13s from Michael Waterman 44m 48s. Tina Harris won the women’s 5km in 22m 24s, with Sarah Drought second in 22m 49s. Stephanie MacKenzie won the masters in 23m 14s from Catherine Dunn 24m 31s. The M19 5km went to Ryan McAlister in 19m 44s from Lachlan Davey 19m 50s while Nicole Mitchell won the W19 3.7km in 14m from Lizzy Bunckenburg 15m 11s. Jean Kozyniak won the W16 in 14m 6s from Susannah Lynch 14m 48s. Tim Robertson won the M16 in 12m 35s from Marcus Karamanolis 12m 39s.

 

DUNEDIN

 

Leith Cross Country Relays, ‘Ponydales’ – 21 May 2011

Caversham team of Bevan Stevens, Tony Payne, Lyndon Brown and Daniel Balchin won in a record time of 36m 27s, from Ariki’s Callan Moody, Will Smith, Dave Catherwood and Zach Butler. Balchin ran the fastest 3km lap in 8m 51s, with Lyndon Brown running 9m 4s. 

Hill City won the women’s relay with their team of Rachel Kingsford, Samantha Kingsford, Victoria Beck and Shauna Pali from Otago University’s Hannah Newbould, Lisa Rush, Frances Riley and Penny Roy. Newbould ran the fastest 2km lap in 7m 33s with Rachel Kingsford running 7m 52s.

 

ROUND-UP OF RACES AROUND THE COUNTRY

Rat Race 5km Takapuna 18 May: Alan Clinton 17m 28s, Marc Graham 17m 59s. Vicky Waijenberg 22m 20s.

 

USA OUTDOORS

Western Athletic Conference, Honolulu 12 May: Sarah Saddleton 1st high jump 1.80m, Te Rina Keenan 1st discus throw 49.27m, 11th shot put 12.12m. 13 May: Ashley Aitken 800m 7th 2m 16.85s (heats 2m 11.50s) 1500m 2nd 4m 29.22s.

Tuppeny Twilight, Swarthmore PA 14 May: Further result Alex Wallace 14th in the 1500m in 3m 49.64s.

ECAC/IC4A Championships, Princetown NJ 13/15 May: Laura Nagel 2nd 3000m 9m 25.78s.

American HP Series, Indianapolis Indiana 21 May: Brendon Blacklaws 1500m 3rd 3m 44.31s, Dallas Bowden 11th 3m 50.06s.