This is a free Community Handicap 5km cross country event held around the manicured Bayfield Park fields (1km, 2km, options are also offered for the primary and intermiate school ages). Hill City-University and Ariki and Civil Service join Leith in this event and use the Leith Online Entry System. The 1km Lap grassed course (map below) is perfect as it provides good visual feedback as to how you are progressing. The Handicap, is a method of enabling the slowest walkers/runners to compete against the fastest. A different but fun way to walk and run. If you provide your most accurate current or predicted 5km (flat) time, we can calculate the start times for each person. If you get it right, everyone should be sprinting towards the finish together.
Ariki AC opens its Guthrie Pavilion Clubhouse which has change-rooms, showers and toilets. Ariki also provides, coffee, tea, fruit juice with refreshments aided by voluntary contributions by the competitors
The course which is run in a clockwise direction includes the notorious hill at the Somerville Street end and an errant tree which loves to slap one’s face with its branches if you get too close to it
Joe Cowie Memorial
Bayfield Park 5km Handicap
SATURDAY 7 JUNE 2025
Bayfield Sports Fields, Guthrie Pavilion, Bayfield Park.
Meet at 1.30pm for 2pm start
Leith, Ariki, Hill City-University, Civil Service
2025 Results
All Clubs Results/ Report for the Bayfield 5km Handicap
The winner of the Bayfield 5km was Senior Women’s runner Rebecca Fay of Hill City-University. She was off a handicap of 7 mins 30 seconds for a handicap time of 34 mins 12 seconds. Her actual time was 26:42. Intemediate Mixed runner Niamh Porter of Ariki Harriers was next to cross the line running off a handicap of 13:30 for a handicap time of 37:06. Her actual time was 23:36. Third across the line in an all female podium was Hill City-Uni’s Senior Women’s runner Carly Smith off a handicap of 19:00. Her actual time was 21:25.
Fastest time honours went to Leith’s Senior Men’s runner Grayson Westgate who ran the 5 lapper in 16 minutes 10 seconds. Second fastest was Leith Senior Man Stephen Johnson who ran it in 16 minutes 30 minutes. Third fastest was Graham Fisher of Leith who ran it in 16 minutes 45 seconds.
First Across the Line
Girls & Boys 1 km: Oscar Bishop (LEIT) 1; Poppy McDowall (UNA) 2; Xaviour Walker (ARIK) 3.
Girls & Boys 2km: Sammy Walker (ARIK) 1; Hazel Tisch (LEIT) 2; Layla McDowell (LEIT) 3.
Overall 5 km: Rebecca Fay (HCU) 1; Niamh Porter (ARIK) 2; Carly Smith (HCU) 3.
Girls Under 16 5 km: Niamh Porter (ARIK) 1.
Boys Under 16 5 km:Hugh Walker (ARIK) 1; Lewis Anglemyer (HCU) 2.
Girls Under 18 5 km: Eva McLean (HCU) 1; Eve Kelleher (CAVH) 2.
Boys Under 18 5 km: Will Bolter (HCU) 1; Caleb Dobier (HCU) 2.
Men Under 20 5 km: Ruaridh Martynoga (HCU) 1.
Senior Women 5 km: Rebecca Fay (HCU) 1; Carly Smith (HCU) 2; Zoe Carman (HCU) 3.
Senior Men 5km: Vincent Walters (HCU) 1; Beno Shaw (UNA) 2; Caleb Rhodes (ARIK) 3.
Masters Women 35-49 5 km: Amy McMullan (OHH) 1; Robyn O’Neill (LEIT) 2; Jennifer Walker (ARIK) 3.
Masters Men 35-49 5 km: George Armstrong (UNA) 1; Mark O’Neill (LEIT) 2; Aaron Porter (ARIK) 3.
Masters Women 50-59 5 km: Donna Tumaru (LEIT) 1; Georgy Pakeho (HCU) 2.
Masters Men 50-59 5 km: Steve Stewart (LEIT) 1; Mark O’Donnell (LEIT) 2; Nick Heng (CAVH) 3.
Masters Women 60-69 5 km: Dalise Sanderson (ARIK) 1; Lynne Kerr (CAVH) 2; Jocelyn Springthorpe (LEIT) 3.
Masters Men 60-69 5 km: Ian Morrison (LEIT) 1; Pete Murray (LEIT) 2; Chris Sole (LEIT) 3.
Masters Women 70+ 5 km: Glenda Norris (LEIT) 1.
Masters Men 70+ 5 km: Phil Morris (HCU) 1; David Mackle (HCU) 2; Dave McLean (LEIT) 3.
Fastest Times
Girls 1 km: Poppy McDowall (UNA) 7:40, 1.
Boys 1 km: Xaviour Walker (ARIK) 4:51, 1; Oscar Bishop (LEIT) 5:30, 2; Archer Hendry (LEIT) 5:34, 3.
Girls 2 km: Laurie Armstrong (LEIT) 8:40, 1; Hazel Tisch (LEIT) 10:41, 2; Ailish O’Neill (LEIT) 11:32, 3.
Boys 2 km: Sammy Walker (ARIK) 9:33, 1; James O’Neill (LEIT) 10:44, 2; Oliver Armstrong (LEIT) 11:16, 3.
Under 16 Girls 5 km: Niamh Porter (ARIK) 23:36, 1.
Under 16 Boys 5 km: Lewis Anglemyer (HCU) 21:21, 1;Hugh Walker (ARIK) 24:53, 2.
Under 18 Girls 5 km: Eva McLean (HCU) 19:24, 1; Eve Kelleher (CAVH) 20:22, 2.
Under 18 Boys 5 km: Will Bolter (HCU) 17:32, 1; Caleb Dobier (HCU) 18:17, 2.
Men Under 20 5 km: Ruaridh Martynoga (HCU) 19:22, 1.
Senior Women 5 km: Claudia Sole (LEIT) 20:10, 1; Carly Smith (HCU) 21:25, 2; Zoe Carman (HCU) 25:10, 3.
Senior Men 5km: Grayson Westgate (LEIT) 16:10, 1; Stephen Johnson (LEIT) 16:39, 2; Graham Fisher (LEIT) 16:45, 3.
Masters Women 35-49 5 km: Kristy Eyles (LEIT) 19:28, 1; Jennifer Walker (ARIK) 19:54, 2; Ange Bishop (LEIT) 21:23, 3.
Masters Men 35-49 5 km: Nathan Shanks (LEIT) 17:20, 1; Aaron Eyles (LEIT) 18:07, 2; Ben Pigou (LEIT) 18:15, 3.
Masters Women 50-59 5 km: Georgy Pakeho (HCU) 21:32, 1; Donna Tumaru (LEIT) 28:21, 2.
Masters Men 50-59 5 km: Christopher Holmes (UNA) 21:42, 1; Mark O’Donnell (LEIT) 22:09, 2; Nick Heng (CAVH) 26:50, 3.
Masters Women 60-69 5 km: Gail Sharp (CAVH) 26:56, 1; Dalise Sanderson (ARIK) 29:07, 2; Cathy Weatherston (HCU) 36:42, 3.
Masters Men 60-69 5 km: Brent Halley (ARIK) 22:10, 1; Robert Homan (CIVL) 23:26, 2; Ian Morrison (LEIT) 23:57, 3.
Masters Women 70+ 5 km: Glenda Norris (LEIT) 34:14, 1.
Masters Men 70+ 5 km: Phil Morris (HCU) 29:01, 1; Dave McLean (LEIT) 30:52, 2; David Mackle (HCU) 35:22, 3.
Results of the Leith Joe Cowie Memorial 5km Handicap
First Leith runner to cross the line on handicap was Masters Women 35+ runner Robyn O Neill. She finished 7th overall off a handicap of 15:30 for a time of 41:16. Her actual time was 25:46. Second Leith runner across the line was Senior Women’s runner Hope Duncan off a handicap of 11:30 finishing 8th overall for a finish time of 41:17. Her actual time was 29:47. Third Leith runner was Masters Men 60+ runner Ian Morison off a handicap of 17:30 finishing 12th overall for a finish of 41:27. His actual time was 23:57.
Fastest Leith time honours went to Leith’s Senior Men’s runner Grayson Westgate who ran the 5 lapper in 16 minutes 10 seconds. Second fastest was Leith Senior Man Stephen Johnson who ran it in 16 minutes 30 minutes. Third fastest was Graham Fisher of Leith who ran it in 16 minutes 45 seconds.
Photos of Leith Athletes in action (photographer Tim Dawbin from HCU)
Photos of athletes from all clubs and community (Photographer Tim Dawbin HCU)
Hill City-University’s Luke Geddes dedicates his run to officials, volunteers, helpers everywhere
Marc Boulle comments: “Luke had a backpack filled with these cardboard placards and he took a selfie on each of the 5 laps of the 5km Handicap. It was pouring with rain and cold but he persevered with his task. I was definitely not expecting this and it made my day. Apparently it was a plot hatched by Luke and his dad Mark. I was supposed to run the race so they had to change the selfie shoot and came up with this when they found out that I was instead actually going to be marshalling in the far corner. Thanks for your run in honour of marshalls, helpers, timekeepers, volunteers everywhere Luke. You are the real legend here.”
Here is an abstract from his facebook post
Luke: “On days like today, I appreciate the volunteers in our sport even more. In wintry, hailing weather, you all outdid yourselves so thank you. so cheers to each and every volunteer out there today. Thanks for giving up your time to help us zoom around Bayfield, you help make our sport an inclusive and welcoming one!”
