OTAGO CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS Saturday 15 July 2017
Waikouaiti Race Course, Waikouaiti
Glen Ferguson won the Men’s 50+ grade 8km Otago Cross Country Championship held out at the Waikouaiti Race Course on Saturday. His time of 31min 21sec in sunny but soft and wet ground conditions overcoming a strong field of 13 runners was impressive. Hamish McKinlay won the Men’s under 20 grade 8km in 0:33:36. The Leith Men’s 35-49 grade team was impressive in winning the teams event over the same distance. The three man team of 2nd Andrew Lonie 0:31:39, 3rd Neale McLanachan 0:32:48 and 5th Michael Walker 0:34:55 earned Leith 10 points to win the event. Caitlin O’Donnell won the Women’s Under 18 grade 4km in 0:20:18 and Sophie Smith won the Women’s Under 20 grade 6km in 0:26:06. Louisa Andrew was third in the Women’s 35-49 grade 6km in 0:28:44. Glen Chisholm was the first Leith senior men’s runner, finishing 6th in the main 10km event in 0:39:34. Congrats to all Leith runners who competed in this event and also to all those who helped in setting up and taking down the course and officiating on the day
Edmond Cup Cross Country Races, Saturday 1 July 2017
Wingatui Race Course, Mosgiel
The Edmond Cup took place on Saturday in wet and soft conditions with Leith’s Open A team finishing third in the Open 5km event. Highlights for Leith were: Hamish McKinley’s win in the Men’s Under 20 grade; Christine Montgomery’s win in the Women’s 50+ grade; Andrew Lonie’s third place in the Men’s 35-49 grade; Caitlin O’Donnell’s win in the Women’s Under 18 grade. Glen Chisholm was the first Leith athlete to finish in the Open 5km event. He finished in 18min 19.2sec. Andrew Lonie was just seconds behind him in 18min 22.8sec. Hamish McKinley at 19min 12.8sec was the third Leith athlete to finish. Michael Walker, Mark O’Donnell and Cliff Kelway-Pope made up the rest of the third placed Leith Open A Men’s team
Barnes Cross Country, Sunday 11 June 2017
Dunedin Rugby Club Rooms, Kettle Park, Victoria Street
Ray Knox won the Barnes Handicap 5km Cross Country Race on Sunday at the rugby grounds at Kettle Park. Leith had a remarkable day, with Hamish McKinlay second, Andrew Lonie third and Glen Chisholm fourth. Off a handicap of 3 minutes, Knox held off the fast finishing field to add this race to his list of winning achievements in harrier running over the last 25 years or so. Young Hamish McKinlay off a handicap of 6 minutes 15 seconds was just 12 seconds back and finishing fast for a well-earned second place having held off third placed finisher Lonie who had been off a handicap of 7 minutes. Leith also took the six person team prize with the first six Leith runners counting: Knox (1st), McKinlay (2nd), Lonie (3rd), Chisholm (4th), Cliff Kelway-Pope (9th) and Mark O’Donnell (19th). Glen Chisholm had fifth fastest time of 18min 44sec. In the Women’s 3.75km handicap race, Christine Montgomery finishing third off a handicap of 4min 15sec spearheaded Leith to second place in the team’s event. Louisa Andrew 5th, Mel Aitken 12th and Susan Craig 16th completed the Leith team. Aitken achieved third fastest time of 15min 58sec
Lovelock Relays, Saturday 6 May 2017
University Oval, Dunedin
Leith had a very enjoyable day out at the Lovelock Relays held on the grass track at the University Oval, commemorating 1936 Olympic gold medalist Jack Lovelock’s 1500m win in Berlin. Thanks to Hill City University Athletics Club for organising (healthy food options were particularly appreciated). The Leith team of Danny Baillie, Andrew Lonie, Alan Funnell, Michael Walker won the master’s men relay in 20:06 (2nd was Hill City in 20:20). The team of Pete Hughes, Tom McKinley, Nolan Hill, Mark O’Neill finished in 23:16. Three Leith teams enjoyed the social grade: Cliff Kelway Pope, Mark O’Donnell, Hamish McKinlay, and Jim Flynn finishing in 29:09; Luke McKinlay, Sophie Smith, Meg Skilton, and Margaret Knox in 25:17; Caitlin O’Donnell, Louisa Andrew, Susan Craig, and Christine Montgomery in 25:29. Leith Kids running were Marko Farella, Frankie McKinlay, Archie McKinlay, and Terrance Farella
Leith Club Mile Races – Lovelock Relay Trials, Saturday 29 April 2017
Chingford Park Club Rooms, North East Valley, Dunedin
Once again a small group of runners participated in this event. Neale McLanachan strode out well in the later stages of the mile race to win comfortably. In a close tussle for second, Cliff Kelway-Pope’s sprinting speed in the finishing straight ensured that he stayed in front of Michael Walker who was finishing strongly. Christine Montgomery ran well to be the first of the women to finish.
Full Results:
1 Neale McLanachan 5.25
2 Cliff Kelway-Pope 5.49
3 Michael Walker 5.51
4 Mark O’Donnell 6.07
5 Christine Montgomery 6.31
6 Louisa Andrew 7.04
7 Margaret Knox
