Athletics New Zealand Media Release - Weekly Roundup

AUCKLAND
Lydiard Legends Marathon and Arthur's Half Marathon
Sam Wreford travelled up from Timaru to tackle the toughest marathon in the country, the Lydiard Legends race on Saturday, and carried off the winning purse of $5000 in style.
Raced around Arthur Lydiard's famous training circuit for his champions in the Waitakere Ranges, Wreford attacked the steep climb to the Scenic Drive with ease. He matched strides with last year's winner Scott Winton over the first 8km, but when Winton struck stomach problems, Wreford moved into the lead.
Wreford recorded a fast 2h 23m 11s for the course, breaking Winton's record by just under a minute.
"It was perfect conditions out there, I just loved it. I got stuck into it just relaxed in the first part. I could hear Scott breathing reasonably heavy so I put pressure on the hills and stretched the lead out," said Wreford.
"Strength was always going to be my asset here," he added.
It was Wreford's third marathon and a personal best time.
"I was beaten by Rowan Hooper in Dunedin and Phil Costley in Buller, so I encountered some strong opposition for those first two, so it is great to finally conquer one and a PB as well. I had more in the tank there, if needed be."
Wreford is looking to crack the 2h 20m barrier in the New Zealand marathon championship in Invercargill on 22 November.
Winton was second in 2h 36m 55s. He said that the problems he had during the run were not the reason for his below par performance.
"I had a few stomach problems out there today, at 7-8km I had to stop and do a Paula Radcliffe and I had a few more problems later on. But that wasn't the reason I didn't win today, I just haven't done the work," he said.
Winton was full of praise for Wreford's run.
"He's a really good runner and he looked really smooth, so who knows what he could do. I think he'd go well under 2h 20m if he gets a flat course. He'll get himself into the World Champs or Olympic Games in the next few years - so good luck to him," said Winton.
Ady Ngawati of Whangarei, winner of the Auckland marathon for the last two years, added the Legend to her Auckland successes, collecting the women's honours in 3h 4m 51s. Sam Dobson won the associated half marathon in 1h 10m 31s, beating Craig Kirkwood by over a minute. Melissa Norris was first in the women's half marathon in 1h 25m 32s.

Auckland Road Relay Championships
Pakuranga won both the senior men and senior women's relays in the Auckland road relay championships held on a new course around the roads of Ararimu and Hunua on Saturday. Johan Van Hoovels anchored the men's team to victory in 2h 36m 32s for the 46.79km, three minutes ahead of Wesley.
The women also won by three minutes over Hamilton City Hawks. The team of Sara Bradley, Sarah Devoy, Lisa Robertson and Rosana Balle recorded 2h 24m 9s for the 36.82km. Auckland City Athletics won the junior men and women as well as the masters men. The masters men over 50 went to Auckland University and the Hamilton Hawks dominated the master women taking the first two places. The new course will be used for the New Zealand road relay championships on 1 October 2011.

WHANGAREI
Northland Marathon Championship
Richard Blogg won for the fourth consecutive year in 2h 56m 11s on Sunday. Rob Lieffering was second. Lilac Flay of Kaitaia won the women's race in 3h 32m 58s. Kiri Price was second.

NELSON
Queen Charlotte Road Relay
Athletics Nelson junior men's team won for the fifth year in a row. The team of Joe Dixon, Harry Dixon, Matt Russ, Ewoud Noordeloos and Craig Lautenlager covered the 34.65km scenic route from Picton to Havelock in 1h 55m 55s. Athletics Nelson seniors were second in 1h 59m 18s. The Waimea Harriers masters women team of Liz Coke, Fran Kerse, Mary-Anne Omio, Dallas Ward and Eileen Beattie were the first women's team.

TIMARU
Round the Gorges Relay
New Brighton won the annual eight lap 65.2km relay. The team of Marc Ypelaar, Mark Reid, Alun Williams, Nick Burrows, Craig Savage, Leyton Tremain, Mick Whittle and Sander Kreik recorded 4h 1m 24s. Canterbury University were second in 4h 5m 48s, 26 seconds ahead of their B team. Fastest laps went to: lap 1 8.4km Rowan Hooper (UNC) 28m 57s, 2 8.3km Keegan Puller (TIM) 29m 49s, 3 7.1km Alun Williams (NB) 25m 18s, 4 10.8km Gary McIlroy (PHills) 37m 42s, 5 6km Craig Savage (NB) 22m 32s, 6 7.7km Thomas Holmes (UNC) 27m 12s, 7 7.6km Karl Hammond (PTH) 30m 35s, 8 9.3km Richard Olsen (UNC) 28m 20s.
Papanui TocH (Kimberley Chambers, Michael Jones, Aaron Richardson, Mark Hastie, Karl Hammond, Jake Stamper) won the junior 41.4km relay in 2h 45m 30s.

DUNEDIN
Port Chalmers to Dunedin Handicap Road Race
Oliver O'Sullivan was the fastest in 40m 47s, from Daniel Balchin 42m 6s and Simon Kerr 42m 36s. Tim Dobier fourth fastest won the race on handicap. Julie Wilson was the fastest woman in 49m 39s, from Sue Cuthbert 50m 13s and Marion Maxwell 50m 25s. Mrytle Rough MW65 running 1h 3m 40s won on handicap.

INVERCARGILL
Southland Road Championships
Ricky Gutsell, third M45 at the NZ Road Champs, opted to compete for the senior title which he won in 33m 14s ahead of 18 year old Shaun Burgess with 34m 23s and Dwayne Sheddan 34m 58s. Glen McLeay headed Tyrone Lake by 14 seconds for the masters title in 35m 36s. Genevieve Bourke of Wellington Harriers, but now living in Southland, was first woman with 39m 15s. Christina Taylor won the 5km race outright, taking the W19 title in 17m 20s. Kathy Maclachlan was first MW, in 17m 42s ahead of Debbie Telfer 19m 26s. Robbie Mckenzie won the M16 grade in 17m 30s, Paige Hubber won the W16 with 19m 35s.

KESWICK, CUMBRIA, UK
Commonwealth 24 hour Ultra Distance Championship - 17/18 September 2009
Valerie Muskett, ranked third with 205.140km going into the race, finished fifth with a total distance of 201.431km covered in the 24 hours. Vivian Cheng was ninth with 191.708km and Lisa Tamati 19th with 161.712km. New Zealand were fourth in the teams championship.
Commonwealth Mountain Running Championships, Up Hill Race - 18 September 2009
Men 12km: Jonathan Wyatt was second in 51m 21s. Won by Kenyan Wilson Chemweno in 50m 42s. Dougal Thorburn was eighth in 54m 19s, James Coubrough 11th in 55m 2s and Aaron Jackson 23rd in 57m 24s. Glenn Hughes, suffering from serious shin pain was forced to withdraw during the race. New Zealand were second in the teams on 21 points. England won with 15 points.
Women 8km: Anna Frost WON in 48m 6s. Lara Phillips was 12th in 53m 50s and Sarah Biss 14th in 54m 19s. New Zealand were third in the teams with 27 points. England won with 10 from Scotland 26.
Commonwealth 100km Ultra Distance Championship - 19 September 2009
Martin Lukes was seventh in 7h 28m 2s. Graeme Butcher was 19th in 8h 51m 50s.
Commonwealth Mountain Running Championships, Up and Down Hill Race - 20 September 2009
Men 12km: James Coubrough was fifth in 49m 7s, Michael Banks 13th in 50m 46s, Dougal Thorburn 14th in 50m 52s, Aaron Jackson 19th in 51m 33s and Michael Wakelin 23rd in 52m 38s. New Zealand were second in the teams with 32 points, England winning with 9 points.
Women 8km: Lara Phillips was seventh in 43m 22s, Sarah Biss 12th in 44m 23s and Melissa Moon 13th in 45m 4s. New Zealand were second in the teams with 32 points, England winning with 7 points.

EARLYSVILLE VIRGINIA US - 19 September 2009
Rochelle Sceats, a freshman from George Mason, finished fifth in the Lou Onesty cross country race at Panorama Farms in Earlysville. Sceats recorded 18m 47s for the 5km, just over a minute behind the winner Lauretta Dezubay from Virginia.

SYDNEY - 20 September 2009
Sydney Marathon
Gavin Stevens finished a creditable seventh in 2h 42m 38s, winning the 50-54 age group. Richard Were was 36th in 2h 56m 56s and was third in the 50-54 age group.
BRUCE McCOMB - Running the length of New Zealand
Bruce McComb of Cambridge has almost completed the North Island stint of running from Cape Reinga to Bluff.
He left the Cape on Monday 31 August and is scheduled to run the last leg from Invercargill to Bluff on Wednesday 14 October, arriving at 12noon. McComb aged 68 says that he is doing it because it is there. He starts each day at 6am and runs about 25km and starts again at 3pm and runs another 25km. McComb hopes to hit Wellington, having completed 1082km, in time to catch the 6pm sailing of the Cook Strait ferry. McComb has put up a challenge and is interested to know if there has ever been a runner older than 68 who has run the length of New Zealand.

OBITUARIES
LES BRADSHAW
Athletics Otago stalwart Les Bradshaw died in Dunedin on 7 September aged 87.
Bradshaw was a Life Member of Athletics Otago and at the 1982 annual general meeting of the national association was elected a Life Member of Athletics New Zealand.
Bradshaw was President of Athletics New Zealand 1966-67.
He managed the New Zealand team to the 1969 world cross country championships in Clydebank Glasgow, where New Zealand led by Rex Maddaford in seventh place were fourth in the teams and Val Robinson in third led the women to second place in the teams.
Bradshaw was a New Zealand cross country and road selector in the mid 1970's and was a council member of Athletics New Zealand, representing Otago, for 12 years during the 1970's and 1980's.
He was honoured with an OBE, for his services to the sport, in the 1990 New Year Honours List.
Bradshaw, who attended Otago Boys' High School 1935-38, was a retired chartered accountant and company secretary. He was honoured in 2007 with the presentation of a 60 year membership certificate of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants.

PETER KALIVATI
Prominent New Zealand sprint hurdler during the 1980's Peter Kalivati of Wellington died on 8 September aged 50.
Peter is the father of Nick, the New Zealand 400m hurdles champion, and Peter was at Newtown Park in March to present the gold medal to Nick after he won the national title.
Peter lost his battle with motor neurone disease. He was a top hurdler himself, finishing second in the 110m hurdles at the 1982 New Zealand championships in Christchurch and third in the 110m hurdles at the 1984 New Zealand championships in Auckland. Peter, who attended Hato Paora College Feilding 1972-76, served 31 years with the New Zealand Police Force.