Athletics New Zealand Media Release - Weekly Roundup

AUCKLAND – 18 October 2009
Sir Barry Curtis 10km Road Race
Jason Woolhouse easily retained his Sir Barry Curtis 10km road race title with a convincing win in the annual event from Musick Point to Lloyd Elsmore Park in Pakuranga yesterday.
He recorded 29m 55s, 23 seconds outside Dale Warrander’s 2005 race record, in what is regarded as the premier 10km road race in New Zealand.
The former Canterbury runner, now based in Melbourne, was out on his own after 2.5km, after being just piped by James Hand for the money for first through that mark, and maintained a relentless pace to the finish. The 29 year old fraud manager with a finance company scorched through the 5km in 14m 27s leaving Dale Warrander and Sam Dobson to battle it out for second and third. This pair passed the 5km in 15m 2s, 23 seconds ahead of Stephen Lett.
Warrander had secured the runner up spot by 6km and finished in 30m 37s, half a minute ahead of Dobson.
Woolhouse said any plans he had prior to the race were soon forgotten as he warmed up.
“When you are warming up in that rain plans kind of go out the window. I had a good dig over the first 5km and then used that gap as I knew that the wind was going to be around here and knew it would be bumpy.
“If anyone came we’d sort it out then, it was a bit tough the last couple of k’s but I got away with it,” said Woolhouse.
The New Zealand 5000m champion for the last two years said that his next goal is the Commonwealth Games in India next year.
“I’m running the Zatopek 10km in Melbourne and there is no reason why I can’t run 28 minutes flat which is the aim in December,” he said.
Warrander, who now resides on the Gold Coast, said he was happy with his performance.
“Jason went out hard, he’s in good shape at the moment, so I knew it was going to be hard work trying to beat him today. I haven’t raced for a while I just need to get myself race fit and then I’ll probably give myself a better chance against these guys,” said Warrander.
His next race will be the New Zealand half marathon championship in Auckland on 1 November, followed by the Great Australian 15km road race in Melbourne on 29 November.
Dobson said that he was fairly happy with his result.
“I’m a bit tired after last week’s road relay and I dropped off (the pace with Warrander) after five and half kms,” he said.

In her first race in over a year Nina Rillstone held out last year’s winner Alice Mason to win the women’s honours in 34m 22s. Rillstone and Mason matched strides over the first 7km, after passing the 5km in 17m 8s, before Rillstone eased into the lead. Mason recorded 34m 49s with Rachel Kingsford of Dunedin third in 35m 51s.
Rillstone, who won in 2007, said it has been a year with a few injury problems.
“I’ve had a year of rehabilitating Achilles, they’ve come right, they’re magic. This is my first line up since Beijing, which is over one year ago now, I’m just so excited to actually be on the start line,” said Rillstone.
The world championships and Olympic Games marathon representative said that her run felt surprisingly good.
“My lungs are certainly burning now, really burning, I’ve really done nothing in the way of quality, but I’m feeling quite strong,” she added.
Rillstone will be competing in the Auckland half marathon followed by a race in Melbourne.
Mason, who trains with Rillstone, has her sights set on another crack at the steeplechase on the track this summer.
Jess Ruthe, winner in 2006, competed finishing fourth in 36m 1s.
“That was tough, tougher than I thought it would be really, I was not race fit – it was hard work,” she said.

Gavin Stevens was the first master in 34m 58s while Shireen Crumpton was the first master woman in 36m 48s.

Jono Jackson fifth place was the first M19 in 32m 36s and Breeanna Potter in ninth in the women was the first W19 in 37m 47s.

Tony Sargisson won the 10km walk in 50m 30s, 21 seconds ahead of Mike Parker. Alana Barber won the women’s 10km walk in 56m 56s.

The Mayor of Manukau City Len Brown took part in the associated 5km walk, after starting the race for the younger competitors.
“I’m here to support the club and the youngsters, it is a great club and very much an icon in the Manukau. I’m very happy to be down here today and celebrating a race that’s named after my predecessor, the great man Sir Barry Curtis. Appropriately named after his very strong connections with the area – one of the Pakuranga boys,” said Brown.
He added that there are big developments going on for the Pakuranga Club with the laying of an all weather track.
“It’s all about our young people and keeping them active.”
1976 Olympic Games 5000m silver medallist and former world 5000m record holder and Manukau City Councillor Dick Quax spoke at the prize giving.

NORTHLAND – 17 October 2009
Rod Dixon Invitation Mile, Otamatea High School, Maungaturoto
Cameron Graves, the New Zealand M16 3000m champion, won the third annual Rod Dixon mile in Maugaturoto on Saturday in 4m 42.7s. Tadele Tekle-Haimanot provided plenty of competition keeping Graves honest right up till 200m remaining. Haimanot recorded 4m 46.3s for second with race record holder Ryan Smith finishing third in 4m 54.1s. Smith ran 4m 42.3s in the inaugural race in 2007.
Margot Gibson, the national W16 1500m champion, won the women’s mile in 5m 41.8s. Raced on a soggy grass track in windy conditions Gibson headed in Georgie Grgec who ran 5m 45.6s. Melissa Simpson was third in 6m 0.7s.

TAURANGA – 17 October 2009
Joseph Millar won the 60m in 7.28s and the 150m in 16.02s. Jordan Taylor was second on both occasions in 7.60s and 17.16s.

WELLINGTON – 17 October 2009
Yarride Rosario won the 80m in 9.15s and the 150m in 17.01s. Sarah Hosegood won the women’s 80m in 10.43s. Stephen Isaac was the best in the 300m hurdles in 40.16s. Ryan Roselli was out to 7.05m (+1.4) in the long jump.

CHRISTCHURCH – 17 October 2009
Kelsey Berryman 8.08s (-0.1) 60m and 5.04m (+0.1) long jump. Abigail Watson 26.41s 200m (-0.5). Rebecca Hodgson, second in the NZ W16 and third in the NZ W19 hammer championship last season, exceeded her current Canterbury W16 hammer record with a throw of 41.73m. Todd Mansfield 60m 7.04s (-0.1). Tim McKee M19 pole vault 4.20m and javelin throw 50.87m. Simon James M16 won the 3000m in 9m 48.86s.

DUNEDIN – 17 October 2009
Rebekah Greene highlighted the Otago open meeting with an Otago W15, W16 and W17 1500m record of 4m 36.53s. The runner up in last season’s national W16 3000m also won the W16 400m in 59.97s. Greene won the silver medal in the 3000m at the Sydney Youth Olympic Festival in January. Matthew Robinson of Southland won the M19 100m in 11.28s (-1.4) and the 400m in 48.61s.

INVERCARGILL – 17 October 2009
Glen Ballam won the 800m in a solo run in 1m 58.71s, while Shaun Burgess won the 3000m in 9m 12.10s. At the Ribbon Day on the Sunday Burgess won the 1000m in 2m 36.67s.

SELECTION of RESULTS from the STATES
Rochelle Sceats was second in the Blue and Gold Invitational 5km cross country in 18m 27s at White Clay Creek State Park in Newark Delaware. Laura Sinclair was fifth in 19m 8s.
Matthew Mildenhall was second at the Panorama Farms Invitational 8km cross country in Charlottesville Virginia in 23m 37s.
Camille Buscomb was third in the Sam Bell Invitational 6km cross country in 22m 1s in Bloomington Indiana. Alice Feslier-Homes was 19th in 22m 54s. Simon Rogers was 10th in the men’s 8km at the same meeting in 26m 9s.

NOUMEA, NEW CALEDONIA – 17 October 2009
Jacko Gill bettered the New Zealand M16 and M17 5kg shot put records with a performance of 19.72m at the international meeting in New Caledonia on Saturday. The pending record improves on Tom Walsh’s M16 record of 18.38m and Walsh’s M17 record of 19.60m. At the same meeting David Ambler won the 100m in 10.51s (+0.2) Matt Brown was second in 10.70s and Carl Van der Speck was third in 10.90s. Damian Smuts was third in the shot put with 15.12m and Brent Newdick 5th with 13.88m. Stuart Farquhar won the javelin with a throw of 78.65m with Johan Smalberger third with 72.61m. Keshia Grant was second in the women’s javelin with 47.09m.

BRUCE McCOMB MADE IT
Bruce McComb reached Bluff last Tuesday after running the length of New Zealand (Cape Reinga to Bluff) in 46 days.
McComb is a member of the Rotorua Marathon Survivors Club being admitted in 2004. He has completed 20 Rotorua Marathons.
The gutsy 68 year old from Cambridge now wants to run in the Auckland Marathon on 1 November, but he does not have an entry, so if anyone has an entry that they no longer need and can transfer to him he would be most appreciative.