Gore Half Marathon, Sat 16 May 2015
Gore
On Sunday Leith athletes made their presence felt in the Gore Half Marathon with Mel Aitken winning the ladies section. Jude Patterson and Susan Craig were 2nd and 11th respectively in the associated 12km race.
Christchurch Marathon, Sun 31 May 2015
Christchurch
On Sunday at the Christchurch Marathon first home for Leith in the marathon was Jason Palmer (4th overall) and 4min PB of 2hr 30min. Mel Aitken (2nd woman) and PB of 2hr 49min. Danny Ballie 3min 02min. In the New Zealand half marathon champs, Glen Ferguson claimed the master men’s 50 title in 1hr 14.58sec.
Peninsula Relay, Sat 8 August 2015
Otago Peninsula, Dunedin
The Leith 2 team finished second across the line on the new Peninsula Relay course layout starting and finishing at the Portobello Domain on a bitterly cold Saturday. The team of Jan Brosnahan, Siobhan McKinlay, Michael Walker, Cliff Kelway-Pope, Steve Aitken and Danny Baillie were one of the first teams to start leaving off 6 minutes with the Caversham Lions. The team pulled away from the Caversham Lions on the 4th Leg with great finishing runs from Kelway-Pope, Aitken and Bailey and overhauled all those teams that started ahead of it but on the 5th leg was unable to keep out the fast finishing Ariki Green team. The Leith 1 team of Mark O’Donnell (2nd fastest leg 1), Steven Morrison (3rd fastest on leg 2), Mel Aitken, Nolan Hill, Rob Creasy (2nd fastest leg 5) and Jason Palmer (fastest leg 6) finished 6th on handicap with 3rd fastest team time
Brighton Green Island Handicap Road race, Sat 15 August 2015
Brighton to Green Island, Dunedin
Mel Aitken and Rob Creasy were first across the line in their respective grades of MW35-49 and Senior Men at the Brighton Green Island Handicap Road race on Saturday afternoon. Aitken who also finished with fastest time in her grade was also the 7th fastest runner and tenth across the line all grades. Creasy who was 2nd fastest and 18th across the line all grades made the most of this opportunity to run the race which Caversham Harriers opens by invitation to all Otago Clubs once very five years. Other Leith runners to shine in the fastest time category were: Neale McLanachan who had fourth fastest time across all grades and was fastest in the Men’s 35-49 grade; Mark O’Donnell, 8th fastest time all grades, 2nd fastest Men’s 35-49 grade
Clyde to Alexandra 10km Road Race, Sat 22 August 2015
Alexandra
Leith Athletes competed in the Clyde to Alexandra 10km Road Race on Saturday and did very well. Rob Creasy won the Otago Open Men’s 10km Road Champs by being the first Otago registered runner to finish in the Clyde to Alexandra 10km Road Race on Saturday afternoon. He placed third overall. Likewise, Neil McLanachan won the Otago Master Men’s 35-49 Road Champs placing second in his grade making it a threesome for Leith with Mclanachan, Danny Baillie (2nd) and Mark O’Donnell (3rd) being the three podium finishes for the Otago Master Men’s 35-49 Road title. Mel Aitken was competing in the non-championship Master Women’s 35-49 grade and although she was the first female runner home, she was therefore not able to be considered for the Otago Open Women’s title
NZ Road Champs, Sat 5 September 2015
Tauranga domain
Fresh from her win in the Otago Masters Women’s road championships the weekend before, Leith’s Mel Aitken, Otago’s sole representative in the Master Women’s grade, added the Athletics New Zealand 35-39 age grade 5km Road Championships title to her trophy list at the Tauranga domain on Saturday. In winning this prestigious event in a time of 18 minutes she also was the fastest Masters Woman over the entire age grade from 35 and upwards
Dunedin Marathon, Sunday 13 September 2015
Dunedin
Leith’s Mel Aitken was the first woman across the line in the Dunedin Marathon held on Sunday. Even though she had to battle sometimes blustery conditions, she finished sixth overall and her time was 2hrs 56.56secs, one of the few to break the three hour barrier. Rob Creasy finished third in the full Marathon in 2hrs 48.11secs and was second in the Open Men’s grade. Neale McLanachan won the Master Men’s grade Half-Marathon title finishing third overall. His time was 1hr 12:58secs. Siobhan Mckinlay finished third in the Master Women’s grade in the Half Marathon in 1hr 37.06secs
National Road Relays, Saturday 3 October 2015
Takahe to Akaroa course near Christchurch
Leith sent a team to the National Road Relays which were held on the Takahe to Akaroa course near Christchurch on Saturday. The team of Andrew Lonie, Neal McLanachan, Danny Baillie (2nd Master Man, leg 3), Tim Bayne, Rob Creasy, Ollie O’Sullivan, John Bayne (3rd Master Man 50+, leg 7) and Christine Montgomery (3rd Master Woman, leg 8) finished seventh in the B grade
