Joe Cowie Memorial 3 Mile Handicap race, Sat 9 May 2009
Chingford Park
Steve Prescott won the Joe Cowie Memorial 3 Mile Handicap race, which took place on Saturday in cold cloudy conditions around Chingford Park. Off a handicap of 3 minutes with only Valerie Ashton, Penny Leith and Peter Nees in front of him, he kept up a steady pace to overhaul these three over the tough three mile multiple lap, multi terrain course. Once he had passed Penny Leith to surge into the lead, he set about keeping out the fast finishing Megan Balchin, Andrew Perry, Julian O’Hagen and Patrick Manning. Penny Leith did not panic and held on well for second place. Megan Balchin was next to finish with a well-deserved third place. Fastest time of 16 minutes 11 seconds went to Neale McLanachan who was off the scratch time of 9min 50sec.
Earlier, Sebastian Sole had won the 12 & Under 800m race finishing 1st B12 with Melorie Levings 1st G12.
Balclutha Half-Marathon (Otago Half-Marathon Champs), Sun 28 June 2009
Balclutha
At the Balclutha Half-Marathon (Otago Half-Marathon Champs) on Sunday, Brian Pascoe won the MM50 title, Sue Cuthbert won the MW35 title, Louisa Andrew second, Rosie Hodson third in the Open Women. Geoff Williamson finished third in the Open Men’s
Peninsula Relay, Sat 18 July 2009
Otago Peninsula, Dunedin
Leith competed in the Peninsula Relay on Saturday with the Leith Men’s No. 1 team achieving third fastest time and the Leith Women No. 1 team achieving a fourth place finish.
Some highlights were: Glen Ferguson’s massive effort over the tough first leg from John Wilson Drive to the Shiel Hill Tavern to post second fastest time; John Bayne’s 3.2km leg to Centre Road finishing with second fastest time; Alan Funnell, running the 6th Leg in third fastest time; Graham Anderson finishing despite a crippling archilles injury.
The Leith Women’s team of Sue Cuthbert, Alice Barach, Louisa Andrew, Rosie Hodson, Megan Balchin, Jan Craig, Kirsty Morris and Rebecca Keat put in a tremendous team effort to finish in fourth position in a time of 2hrs 37mins 26sec.
The Leith Men No. 3 team finished in 13th place. The Leith Men No. 2 finished 17th overall and with 8th fastest time.
Clyde to Alexandra (Otago 10km Road Champs), Sat 15 August 2009
Alexandra
Leith athletes excelled at the Otago 10km Road Championships run in conjunction with the Clyde to Alexandra Road Races on Saturday.
Glen Ferguson (32:03) led the charge with a fine win in the MM35. David Rush (33.30) finished second and Alan Funnell (34:14) fifth for the trio to take the MM35 team’s title.
Kirsty Morris (36:07) ran well to finish second in the Senior Women’s Otago Champs (2nd Otago Champs, 3rd SW).
Brian Pascoe (36:20) easily won the competitive MM50 race. Neale McLanachan (33:24, 9th Otago Champs, 10th SM) ran well to be first Leith senior man home.
A summary of the non-championship race results: Jill Alexander (5th MW50+); Joy Wylie (6th, MW35+); Peter Nees third in the new Clyde/Alex MM60 grade; Heidi Arsen equal third place in the 2km G12 Race; Ruben Scarlet second in the 2km B12 race; Adrian Arsen fourth in the 4km Men’s 14 race
Otago Road Championships Junior and Master Women, Sun 23 August 2009
Dunedin
On Sunday the Otago Road Championships for Junior and Master Women grades took place. Sue Cuthbert (18:31) won the Masters Women 35 title over 5km. Erin Knox (9:09) won the G10 title over 2km. Sam Cuthbert (9:31, 6th B10 2km); Alice Cuthbert (9:04, 4th G12, 2km); Reuben Knox (8:34, 5th B12, 2km)
In the Open 5km non-championship event: Neale McLanachan (15:43) first; David Rush (16:49) second; Ray Knox (17:26) fourth.
The Leith results from the 10km Handicap event: Steven Prescott (4th); Jim Kerse (6th); Patrick Manning (9th); Grant Koedyk (14th); Richard Hendry (15th). Richard Hendry (38:55) finished with third fastest time
Hughes Memorial Handicap Road Race, Sat 29 August 2009
Dunedin
On Saturday Leith members competed in the Hughes Memorial Handicap Road Races.
Maintaining her solid form from the Clyde/Alex Road Race, Megan Balchin (19:30) off a handicap of 7 minutes won the main Hughes Memorial Handicap Road Race held over 5km this year. Second off a handicap of 07:20 and just seven seconds adrift was the fast finishing Sue Cuthbert (19:17). Third off a handicap of 10:40 was Neale McLanachan (16:03 second fastest time). Ollie O’Sullivan (Hill City) finished with fastest time of 15:56.
In the Junior Boys and Girls Under 12 event there was some keen competition. Erin Knox off a handicap of 20 seconds won the combined boys and girls event. Second was Sam Cuthbert. Third was Tim Horton who also finished with fastest time of 4:04
National Road Champs, Sat 5 Sep 2009
Logan Park, Dunedin
On Saturday Leith members competed for Otago and Leith at the National Road Champs in Dunedin.
Glen Ferguson (32:27) running for Otago won the gold medal in the MM45-49 grade 10km Road Race finishing third overall in the MM35-49 grade and was in the third placed Otago team in this grade. Alan Funnell (35:03), Ray Knox (35:05) and Richard Hendry (35:47) also did well in this grade.
Louisa Andrew (18:04) running for Otago won the silver medal in the MW35-39 grade and finished second overall in the W35-39 to win team gold together with Sue Cuthbert (bronze, 18:46, W40-44 grade).
The evergreen Jim Flynn (58:51) had a great run to win silver in the MM75-79 grade.
Kirsty Morris (4th, 37:01) finished just one position outside the medals in the Senior Women’s race, however she was in the silver medal winning Otago team along with Megan Balchin (13th, 39:50)
Dunedin Marathon & Half Marathon, Sun 13 Sep 2009
Dunedin
On Sunday, Richard Hendry took out the master men’s title in the full Dunedin Marathon, while Sue Cuthbert finished second woman and first master woman. Glen Ferguson finished second overall and first master man in the half-marathon while Louisa Andrew and Alan Funnell also featured at the top of the field.
Port Road Race, Sat 19 Sep 2009
Port Chalmers to Dunedin
At the 12.3km Port Road Race on Saturday, Alan Funnell (off 23min) was rewarded with a fifth place finish overall (4th male). His time of 44min 6sec gave him seventh fastest time overall. Andrew Lonie (off 25min) finished with 10th fastest time of 45:34 overall. Brian Pascoe (46:22) was fastest MM50+ runner. Sue Cuthbert (off 19min) was first Leith woman (second fastest time of 50:13 in this grade). Christine Leith (off 1:30) was the next Leith woman. Megan Balchin (off 18min) was third Leith woman to finish (fourth fastest time in this grade).
The Leith team of Funnell, John Bayne, Pascoe, Cuthbert, Leith and Balchin finished third.
Heidi Aarsen (off 2:30) won the 2.4km G12 race second placed Alice Cuthbert (off 2:30). Erin Knox (off 2min) was third. Leith won the team’s prize.
In the 2.4km B12 race, Sam Cuthbert (off 1min) won, and Reuben Knox (off 3:15) was second.
Trophy Presentations, Sat 26 Sep 2009
Chingford Park
Leith held its trophy presentations and patrons’ club runs and walks from Chingford Park on Saturday. After runs and walks that took in the Organ Pipes, North Road, Forester Park and the Gardens everyone enjoyed the refreshments and the presentations.
Rosie Hodson won the John Raynor Trophy for the Leith athlete with the most provincial potential, while Louisa Andrew won the D. A. Forbes Trophy for the most consistent Leith winter harrier.
Neale McLanachan won the J. H. G. Clarke Memorial Cup for being the first senior men’s runner in the club cross-country championships and Kirsty Morris won the D. G. Robinson Bowl for first senior woman. Presenter Ron McLay-Barnes congratulated these and other trophy winners on behalf of President Peter Hughes.
Patron Doug Milne, although unable to attend, conveyed his best wishes to all members and congratulated everyone who had been successful in events over the past season
Hill Free Half-Marathon & 10km, Sun 4 Oct 2009
Outram
Leith athletes competed in the Hill Free Half-Marathon and 10k Road Races held out at Outram on Sunday. These races are organised by the Hill City Athletic Club.
Senior Men’s runner Jason Palmer finished second in the 10km Road with a time of 35 minutes 3 seconds. Megan Balchin finished third in the women’s grade with a time of 40 minutes 28 seconds
National Road Relays, Sat 10 Oct 2009
Takahe to Akaroa, Christchurch
Congratulations on a fantastic effort by the 40-strong Leith contingent that went to the Athletics New Zealand National Road Relay in Christchurch on Saturday and to all who helped make this a great occasion for our club.
The Leith Masters Women’s team of Jan Craig, Louisa Andrew, Joy Wylie, Viv Eyers, Jill Alexander, Jan Brosnahan, Meredith Molloy and Sue Cuthbert excelled by winning a silver medal.
Leith’s Open C grade team of Jason Palmer, Andrew Lonie, Grant McDougall, Mark O’Donnell, Peter Green, Richard Wilson, Lachie Ashton and Neale McLanachan finished an excellent third in its grade.
The Leith Master Men’s 40 team finished fifth in a very competitive grade.
The Leith Senior Women’s team finished ninth in another very competitive grade, while the Open Masters 50 committed itself well in finishing eleventh in its grade.
Jan Craig and Jan Brosnahan set new records on their laps in the MW50 grade
Southland Marathon & Half Marathon, Sun 22 November 2009
Invercargill, Southland
In Sunday’s Southland Marathon, Andrew Lonie won the master men’s half-marathon title in a PB of 1hr 14.20sec finishing fifth overall. John Bayne (2hrs 43.53) also had a PB in the full marathon finishing 5th in the master men’s grade and 10th overall. Sue Cuthbert missed breaking three hours by just 13 seconds to earn a fine fourth place finish in the master women’s full marathon.
