Start of Season Opening Club Run, Sunday 14 April 2014
Chingford Park, North East Valley, Dunedin
Leith held its opening club runs and walks on Saturday at Chingford Park. Newly elected President Alan Funnell welcomed everyone present before people dispersed for the pack runs. The walking group ably led by Greg Johnston and Kevin Blair explored the streets south of Chingford Park, while Peter Hughes took the children on a run on the tracks surrounding the clubrooms. Margaret and Becky explored some of the steeper North East Valley streets before heading back via the Quarry tracks. The slow pack lead by David Barton went down to the gardens and then up through some of the Ross Creek tracks before heading back to the clubrooms. The medium and fast packs headed up Bethune’s Gully with the faster group going right up to the Organ Pipes before heading back to the clubrooms. Featuring strongly in these groups were Danny, Mark, Julian, Glen, Chris, Louisa, Joy and Alan
Leith Cross Country Relays, (Ponydales), Sat 24 May 2014
Dunedin Pony Club, Three Mile Hill Road, Dunedin
Leith Harriers held its Ponydales Cross Country Relays on Saturday. The weather changed from sun to rain during the event. The Leith Master Men’s 35 team of Glen Ferguson, Michael Tannock, Alan Funnell and Neale McLanachan won its grade. McLanachan (7min 22sec) achieved second fastest time while Glen Ferguson (7min 27sec) was the fastest Master Men’s 50 runner of the day over the 2km course. Louisa Andrew (8min 4sec) fastest time in the Master Women’s 35 grade led her team of Andrew, Jude Patterson, Christine Montgomery and Mel Aitken to a win in the Master Women’s 35 grade. The Leith Master Men’s 50 team finished third in the Master Men’s 50 grade. The Leith Social 1 team of Peter Frew, Andrew Wilson, Megan Balchin and Alan Funnell won the social grade with the Leith Social 2 team finishing third. The Leith Open team finished fifth in the Open 3km race
Barnes Cross Country, Sunday 8 June 2014
Kettle Park, Dunedin
Leith Harriers won the team’s prize for the Open Men’s 5km race at the Barnes Cross Country Handicap races held at Kettle Park on Sunday in excellent sunny, cool and mild conditions. The team of Peter Frew (3rd), Chris Sole (4th), Alan Funnell (7th), Glen Ferguson (10th), Jason Palmer (13th) and Ray Knox (20th) ran well to secure this title. Jason Palmer was the fastest Leith runner with a time of 18min 16sec. Not to be outdone, the Leith Open Women’s’ team of Megan Balchin (4th), Jude Patterson (5th) and Louisa Andrew (7th) won the Open Women’s 3.75km race. Top individual performances went to Louisa Andrew (fastest Open Women, 14min 57sec), Mel Aitken was third fastest with 15min 56sec. In the 1.25km Girls Under 13 race, Caitlin O’Donnell came in second, with fastest time of 5min 25sec
Edmond Cup Cross Country, Sat 12 July 2014
Wingatui Racecourse, Dunedin
There was another good turnout from Leith Harriers at the Edmond Cup Cross Country races at the Wingatui Racecourse on Saturday. It was a beautiful mild day and as usual the conditions were lumpy and soft. Caitlin O’Donnell kicked things off with a win in the 2km GU13 event.
In the main open 5km race all grades ran together which was great. Leith finished third in the Open Men’s team event – the team was Alan Funnell (8th), Andrew Lonie (10th), Mark O’Donnell (17th), Danny Baillie (19th), Mike Tannock (21st) and Pete Frew (23rd). Alan Funnell finished second in the master men’s 35 grade while Chris Sole finished third in the master men’s 50 grade.
The Leith team of Louisa Andrew (2nd), Mel Aitken (3rd) and Christine Montgomery (7th) won the Open Women’s team event. Andrew was first and Aitken second in the master women’s 35 grade
Otago Cross Country Champs, Sat 26 July 2014
Waikouaiti Race Course
It was a great day for Leith again at the Otago Cross Country Champs held on the at Waikouaiti Race Course. Conditions were soft underfoot and the grass was longer this year which created a little drag. It was quite windy at times but dry at least. Louisa Andrew and Mel Aitken were first and second in the 6km Masters Women’s race. Christine Montgomery and Jude Patterson backed up superbly to help Leith win the team’s event. Tasmyn White was third in the 4km GU18 race. Caitlin O’Donnell won the 2km GU13 race. Neale McLanachan won the Master Men’s 8km 35 race with with Andrew Lonie third and Alan Funnell fourth to take out the team’s event. Chris Sole was second in the 8km Master Men’s 50 race. Special mention must also go to Michael Walker and Cliff Kelway-Pope who gutted out the Open Men’s 12k race
Athletics New Zealand Cross Country Championships, Sat 9 August 2014
Christchurch
Leith Harriers athletes played a big part in the masters’ age grade at the Athletics New Zealand Cross Country Championships held in Christchurch on Saturday. Louisa Andrew went back to back with gold in the women’s 40-44 category after winning the women’s 35-39 group last year. She also finished second overall in the combined age-group race. Leith’s 2013 Otago Marathon Champion, Mel Aitken won gold in the women’s 35-39 grade. In the master women’s team section contested over the combined 35-49 grades, Otago won bronze with Andrew (second) and Aitken (eighth) part of the four member team. Andrew Lonie (4th M40-44), Alan Funnell (5th M45-49) and Danny Baillie (13th M45-49) helped Otago to a bronze medal in the combined masters men’s 35-49 grade
