Lovelock Relays, Sat 2 May 2015
University Oval, Logan Park Drive, Dunedin
At the Lovelock Relays which were held on Saturday at the University Oval, Leith Harriers took podium finishes in the age grade races. The Leith Master Men’s No. 1 team of Andrew Lonie, Mark O’Donnell, Alan Funnell and Glen Ferguson won the race with the Leith MM2 team of Dave Rush, Danny Baillie, Chris Sole and Andrew Perry finishing second. The Leith Master Women’s team of Louisa Andrew, Siobhan McKinley, Christine Montgomery and Mel Aitken won its race with Aitken posting fastest time. The Social 2 team of Rob Creasy, Caitlin O’Donnell, Marc Boulle and Cliff Kelway-Pope finished second with the Social 1 team of Jason Palmer, Jude Patterson, Susan Craig and Michael Walker not far behind
Joe Cowie Memorial 5 km Handicap, Sat 9 May 2015
Forbury Park Racecourse, Dunedin
The Joe Cowie Memorial 5 km Handicap race at Forbury Park on Saturday afternoon went well. In warm and windy conditions Leith Harriers athletes battled a strong wind during the race which was a five lap circuit of the raceway. Chris Sole won it in convincing fashion crossing the line at 22min 36sec (off a handicap of 3min 15sec, actual time 19min 21sec) followed by Ben Mitchell at 23min 19sec (off 5min handicap, fastest actual time of 18min 19sec) and Cliff Kelway-Pope at 23min 25sec (off 1min handicap, actual time 22min 25sec). Mel Aitken was the fastest woman finishing in an actual time of 19min and sixth across the line. Caitlin O’Donnell ran the junior age grade 4km in 18min crossing the 3km mark in 13min 25sec
Leith Cross Country Relays, Sat 23 May 2015
Dunedin Pony Club, Three Mile Hill Road, Dunedin
Leith athletes put in a great performance in cool ideal conditions in the Leith “Ponydales” Cross Country Relays on Saturday. The Masters Men’s 35-49 team of Glen Ferguson (3rd fastest, fastest MM50), Mark O’Donnell, Andrew Lonie (2nd fastest) and Neale McLanachan (fastest) won the grade, the team of Chris Sole, Ray Knox, Steve Tripp and Nolan Hill finished 3rd. The Masters Women’s 35+ team of Louisa Andrew (2nd fastest), Siobhan McKinlay, Christine Montgomery and Mel Aitken (fastest) comfortably won its grade. Cliff Kelway-Pope, Marc Boulle, Michael Walker and Stu Hodges finished second in the social grade and the team of Caitlin O’Donnell (fastest GU15), Joy Scarlet, Susan Craig and Jan Brosnahan was fifth. In the longer Open Race the team of Jason Palmer, Steve Morrison, Neale Mclanachan and Rob Creasy finished second to a strong Caversham outfit. Jamie Gardener, Thomas Dwight, Glen Ferguson and Andrew Lonie finished fifth
Barnes Cross Country, Sun 7 June 2015
Kettle Park, Dunedin
Fifth placed Andrew Lonie (handicap 10min) was first Leith runner home in the Barnes Cross Country Open Handicap 5km race held on Sunday. He finished strongly narrowly missing out on a podium finish by just seconds. His time of 18min 52sec was fifth fastest. Chris Sole (handicap 8:30) finished just five seconds behind Lonie in sixth place. Neale McLanachan (handicap 11min) finished with fastest time of 17:58 in seventh place. Steve Morrison (handicap 11min) finished 8th with second fastest time of 18:04. Rob Creasy (handicap 11min) finished 12th with third fastest time of 18:17. Sixth placed Christine Montgomery (handicap 8min 30sec) was first Leith runner home in the Open Women’s 3.75km race with 8th fastest time. Siobhan McKinlay (handicap 8min 30sec) was in 7th place and fastest runner Mel Aitken (handicap 6min and fastest time 15:08) finished 12th. Caitlin O’Donnell finished first in the women’s under 15 grade 2.5km race
Edmond Cup Cross Country, Sat 27 June 2015
Wingatui Race Course
The Leith Women’s team of Mel Aitken (1st), Tasmyn White (5th), Christine Montgomery (7th) and Siobhan McKinlay (9th) won the Open Women’s Gough Family Trophy at the Edmond Cup Cross Country Championships run in cool weather and soft conditions at the Wingatui Race Course on Saturday afternoon. Mel Aitken was the individual women’s winner of the two lap 5.4km event in 20min 52sec winning the Jenny Hughes Trophy. The Leith Open Men’s team of Neale McLanachan (6th), Ben Mitchell (7th), Andrew Lonie (9th), Mark O’Donnell (14th), Ray Knox (25th) and Nolan Hill (27th) finished third in the Open Men’s event. Ben Mitchell who ran well to finish seventh overall, was the second youth runner to finish – his time was 18min 48sec. Caitlin O’Donnell won the Women’s Under 15 race held over the one lap 2.4km course in a time of 12min 15sec
Otago (and Leith) Cross Country Champs, Sat 11 July 2015
Wakouaiti Race Course
Leith athletes performed admirably at the Otago (and Leith) Cross Country Champs held in perfect conditions at Wakouaiti Race Course on Saturday. Mel Aitken won the Open woman’s title, holding off the quality chasing field in thrilling fashion. In the Open Men’s race Jason Palmer overhauled team mate Rob Creasy at the finish to grab second place by a second. Steven M orrison ran a creditable sixth place. Caitlin O’Donnell won the under 15 girls race in convincing fashion and Cliff Kelway-Pope won the open 4km.
It was one two for Christine Montgomery and Siobhan McKinlay in the masters woman’s race with Susan Craig finishing in fifth. Neale McLanachan, Andrew Lonie and Mark O’Donnell took the top three places in the master men’s 35-49. Steve Tripp finished 5th and Michael Walker 7th. Glen Ferguson convincingly won the largest grade, the masters men’s 50 race. Chris Sole finished fourth
New Zealand Cross Country Champs, Sat 1 August 2015
Christchurch
Leith athletes excelled in the Otago singlet at the New Zealand Cross Country Champs. Mel Aitken came away with two golds, a silver and a bronze. She left the entire masters women’s field in her wake in her 6km race (her time was 22:35.56) and then came 6th in the 8km senior woman’s race in 30:34.61. Also having great runs in the masters woman’s and collecting bronze in the teams was Christine Montgomery (25:51.08) and Siobhan McKinlay (26:13.69). In the masters men’s race Neale McLanachan (first Otago runner) finished 5th overall and 3rd in the 35-49 age grade in 27:36.35. Glen Ferguson finished first in the men’s 50 + age grade in 27:48.21 leading the Otago masters men’s 50’s to a team third. Also in this team was Chris Sole. Ben Mitchell performed incredibly well in the U18 Men’s 6km race to finish in a time of 20:40.53
