New Zealand National Cross Country Championships, Sat 3 August 2013
Hamilton
Leith’s Louisa Andrew won gold in the master women’s 35-39 age grade at the New Zealand National Cross Country Championships held in Hamilton on Saturday. Running for the Athletics Otago team, she handled the hilly but hard and fast 6km course exceptionally well as she posted third fastest time of 22 minutes 50 seconds in the master’s women’s age grade. This was the first time she had broken 23 minutes for the distance. This performance from Louisa Andrew is a continuation of some standout results for her this season. Neale McLanachan continued with his resurgence in form this season. He had a solid run for the fourth placed six-member Otago team. He finished as the fourth placed team member in a time of 41 minutes 45 seconds over the 12km course
Otago and Leith Cross Country Champs, Sat 13 July 2013
Waikouaiti
The weather was fine and track firm at the Otago and Leith Cross Country Champs at Waikouaiti on Saturday. In Race One (2km) Caitlin O’Donnell (U13 girls) finished fourth. Tim Horton finished second in his under 14, 3km race winning the Civil Service Cup (first registered athlete). Louisa Andrew won the MW35 (6km) with Mel Aitken second and Jude Patterson fourth winning the team’s title. Ray Knox finished second in Race Two (8km) in the MM50+ grade by only six seconds with Andrew Town a close third and Chris Sole ninth to give Leith the team’s title. Race Three included the Open Men’s (12km) and MM35 (8km). Neale McLanachan came fifth in the Open Men’s race. Alan Funnell won the Master Men’s 35 grade from Andrew Lonie (on a one day registration) after both had their time in front. Mark O’Donnell ran well to get a good fifth overall
Edmond Cup Cross Country, Sat 29 June 2013
Wingatui Race Course
On Saturday, Leith Harriers competed in the Edmond Cup Cross Country at Wingatui Race Course. Louisa Andrew with a first place finish of 20min 2sec spearheaded the Leith women’s team of Andrew, Mel Aitken (fourth) and Jude Patterson (seventh) to a win in the Open Women’s two lap race. In the 1200m Girls Under 13 race, Caitlin O’Donnell who finished second in 5min 22sec, Annabel Murphy (third) and Charlotte Murphy (fourth) won the team’s prize. Tim Horton won the one lap Men’s Under 14 race in 11min 46sec. Jason Palmer in finishing sixth in 38min 29sec was the first Leith runner home in the four lap Open Men’s race. Peter Hughes was Leith’s sole entrant in the Men’s 50+ two lap race finishing tenth in 23min 46sec
Barnes Cross Country, Sun 9 June 2013
Kettle Park, Dunedin
Leith won the team’s prize in the Barnes Cross Country Open Men’s 5km Handicap Race on Sunday afternoon. Chris Sole finished third leading the Leith team of Sole, Mark O’Donnell (4th), Jason Low (5th), Ray Knox (8th), Peter Frew (12th) and Alan Funnell (13th) to a fine win in the cool, overcast and still conditions. Neale McLanachan (18th) achieved second fastest time of 17:31.
Gaya Gnanalingam finished third in the Open Women’s 3.75km Handicap race to lead the team of Louisa Andrew (4th place, 3rd fastest time of 15:01), Jude Patterson (13th) to second place.
With both of them off a handicap of 40 seconds, Leith’s Annabel Murphy and Ariki’s Sarah Langsbury battled to the end with Murphy winning by just two seconds. Leith’s fast finishing Caitlin O’Donnell (off one minute, fastest time of 5:49) finished third just seconds off the pace in this Girls Under 13 handicap 1.25km race
Leith Cross Country Relays, Sat 18 May 2013
Dunedin Pony Club, Three Mile Hill Road, Dunedin
Leith competed at the “Ponydales” Cross Country Relays, Saturday in foggy, cold but firm conditions.
Open Men: Jason Palmer, Angus McDonald, Aaron Eyles, Neale McLanachan third in 41:35. Masters Women: Louisa Andrew (8:18 fastest time MW35), Joy Scarlet, Jude Patterson and Mel Aitken (8:48 second fastest MW35) won its grade in 37:01. Social grades: Blue: Andrew Wilson, Craig Gordon, Sean Hepburn, Megan Balchin won in 34:38. White: Jason Low, Murray Jensen-McCloy, Clifford Kelway-Pope, Grant McDougall – third. Black: Michael Walker, Gaya Gnanalingam, Janice Ashton, Steve Skilling – eighth. Juniors: Tim Horton, Reuben Knox, Erin Knox, Mark O’Donnell – ninth.
MM50 team: Ray Knox, Chris Sole (8:36 second fastest MM50), Graham Anderson, Marc Boulle second in its grade in 37:29. MM35 team: Mark O’Donnell, Julian O’Hagan, Peter Frew and Alan Funnell (7:30 fastest time MM35) – third in MM35 in 31:44.
Children 12&Us: Aaron Allan, Bruce Knox, Caitlin O’Donnell, Annabel Murphy – fourth
Lovelock Relays, Sat 4 May 2013
University Oval, Dunedin
Leith Harriers competed at the Lovelock Relays on Saturday in fine sunny weather. The Masters Women’s team: Louisa Andrew (fastest grade time 5min 13sec), Joy Scarlet, Jude Patterson, Mel Aitken won its grade in 22:54.
The Masters Men’s team: Mark O’Donnell, Andrew Lonie, Glen McSkimming, Alan Funnell finished second in 19:16. The Masters Men’s team: Rene Aarsen, Chris Sole, Grant McDougall, Ray Knox placed fourth.
The Senior Men’s team: Neale McLanachan, Jason Palmer, Angus McDonald, Aaron Eyles, Andrew Wilson, Alan Funnell finished fourth in 28:58 in the senior men’s race.
The social team: Murray Jensen-McCloy, Cliff Kelway-Pope, Marc Boulle, Steve Skilling finished third. The social team: Gaya Gnanalingam, Heidi Aarsen, Megan Balchin, Celine Dufour finished fifth. The young social team: Tim Horton, Rueben Knox, Andrew Koens, Erin Knox finished eighth.
The Blue team: Caitlin O’Donnell, Aaron Allan, Annabelle Murphy, Bruce Knox finished third in the 12 & Under mixed grade
Lovelock Relay trials (Club Mile), Sat 27 April 2013
Chingford Park, North East Valley
Leith held its Lovelock Relay trials on Saturday at Chingford Park. Neale McLanachan (first SM, 5min 16sec) won the club mile from Alan Funnell (first MM35, 5min 26sec) and third placed Andrew Lonie (second MM35, 5min 34sec). Andrew Wilson (SM, 5min 44sec) finished fourth winning the club maiden mile. Master Women’s athlete Louisa Andrew (5min 57sec) finished in sixth position overall behind Glen McSkimming (5min 55sec) the third placed master men’s runner. Seventh placed runner Rene Aarsen (6min 2sec) was the first Master Men’s’ 50 runner to finish. Gaya Gnanalingam (6min 54sec) in eleventh place was the first senior women’s runner to finish. Men’s 16 & Under runner Reuben Knox finished in 13th place while Women’s 14 & Under runner Erin Knox finished in 16th place. The children’s 400m race was keenly contested. Annabel Murphy won the G12, Bruce Knox the B12 and Charlotte Murphy won the G10 race
