Athletics New Zealand - Weekly update

ITALY
Notturna di Milano, Arena Gianni Brera, Milan – 9 September 2010
Nick Willis further displayed good form going into the Commonwealth Games with victory over 1500m in Milan Italy Friday morning (NZ time).
The Beijing Olympic Games 1500m silver medallist won in 3m 35.17s, three seconds outside his personal best run in Paris in July 2006.
Willis was competing in the Notturna di Milano meeting at the Arena Gianni Brera and in a close finish beat 1500m silver medallist in the 2009 European Indoor Championships Diego Ruiz of Spain 3m 35.47s and world 1500m champion and bronze medallist in the 800m in Berlin last year Yusuf Saad Kamel of Bahrain 3m 35.70s.

http://www.dbresults.net/sitof/risultati/at/2010/Milano0909201001/at/indexframe.htm

SLOVENIA
26th World Mountain Running Championships, Kamnik – 5 September 2010
Official results of New Zealand’s participation. Senior men 12.0km, +1295m, -75: Jonathan Wyatt 8th 58m 23s, James Coubrough 83rd 1h 7m 1s. Race won by Samson Gashazghi of Eritrea in 56m 25s. Senior women 8.5km, +1035m, -75m: Anna Frost 18th 54m 10s. Race won by Andrea Mayr of Austria in 49m 30s.
Junior women 4.5km, +430m, -10m: Ruby Muir 11th 26m 42s. Race won by Yasemin Can of Turkey in 24m 4s.

AUSTRIA
Dolomiten Mann, Linz – 11 September 2010
12km +1950m mountain race, Jonathan Wyatt won in 1h 22m 8s, leading his team Kolland Topsport to victory in the teams race. Robert Krupicka of Czech Republic was second in 1h 25m 8s with David Schneider of Switzerland third in 1h 26m 7s. Wyatt has now won for the last three years in a row. He also won in 2004 and 2005 when he recorded a time of 1h 20m 19s.

CZECH REPUBLIC
Tesco Grand Prix, Prague – 11 September 2010
10km Road Race: Jake Robertson finished fourth in a PB 28m 32s, with his twin brother Zane finishing sixth in his debut over 10km in 29m 29s.
The race was won by Mourad Marofit of Morocco in 28m 27s, from Dickson Marwa of Tanzania in 28m 29s the same time as third placed Henry Chirchir of Kenya.

ITALY
Tre Cime Dreizinnenlauf, Sesto – 12 September 2010
17.5km +1350 mountain race, Jonathan Wyatt won in 1h 26m 23s, beating David Schneider of Switzerland 1h 28m 28s and Helmut Schiessl of Germany 1h 28m 55s.
Wyatt was fourth last year in 1h 31m and he won in 2001 in 1h 19m 58s.
Anna Frost was second in the women’s race in 1h 49m 23s. Won by Maria Grazia Roberti of Italy in 1h 44m 45s. Stephanie Jimenez of Andorra was third in 1h 52m 19s.

WHANGAREI – 12 September 2010
Ian Calder won the Northland marathon title in 2h 49m 32s on Sunday. Brett Cornforth of Takapuna was second in 2h 58m 12s with Richard Blogg third and second in the Northland championship in 3h 8m 44s. Leigh Ruddock won the women’s title in 3h 56m 36s. Eva Scheiwe of Hamilton was second in 4h 2m 8s.
Tim Goodwin won the half marathon in 1h 22m 48s and Kate Wood the women’s half in 1h 38m 20s. Alan Connelly was the best of the half marathon race walkers in 2h 26m 55s.

AUCKLAND
Viaduct Harbour 5km Series – 7 September 2010
Cameron Bennetts won in 16m 31s, beating Gavin Stevens 16m 49s and Neil Madgwick 16m 59s.
Racewalkers New Zealand 35km Championship, Ngataringa Bay Devonport – 12 September 2010
Mike Parker is the inaugural 35km race walking champion. Parker won in 3h 28m 0s, beating David Sim 3h 38m 41s and Mark Gray 4h 22m 34s. Alana Barber won the women’s title in 4h 39m 35s, with Shirley Barber second in 4h 51m 34s.

ROTORUA
Red Stag Redwood Forest Relays – 11 September 2010
Men 5 x 5000m: Tauranga Ramblers (Ben Ruthe, Ben Ruthe, Kyle MacDonald, Craig Kirkwood, Iain MacDonald) 1h 21m 18s 1, Hamilton City Hawks 1h 23m 7s 2,
Lake City Rotorua 1h 26m 46s 3.
Fastest lap: Aaron Pulford (Hamilton) 15m 17s.
Masters: Hamilton City Hawks (A Wark, J Crane, J Bowe, D Sharp, G Sexton) 1h 27m 46s 1, Lake City Rotorua 1h 26m 46s 2, Tauranga 1h 35m 6s 3. Fastest lap: Craig Kirkwood (Tauranga) 16m 14s.
Women 5 x 5000m: Cambridge (K Dawson, K Houston, B Deverell, C Hammond, J Rumsold) 1h 41m 17s 1, Hamilton City Hawks 1h 42m 3s 2, Napier 2h 1m 32s 3. Fastest lap: Sarah Biss (Hamilton) 18m 38s.
Masters: Hamilton City Hawks (A Bradley, M Arthur, L Sharp, T Greenwood, M Leonard) 1h 45m 45s 1, Hamilton City Hawks No 2 1h 58m 23s 2, Tauranga 2h 1m 29s 3. Fastest lap: Sally Gibbs (Tauranga) 19m 25s.
Youth 4 x 3200m: Male: Egmont 43m 53s 1, Tauranga Boys’ College 47m 28s 2, Egmont No 2 47m 36s 3. Fastest lap: Matt Baxter (Egmont) 10m 37s.
Female: Tauranga Girls College 53m 45s 1, Napier GHS 56m 55s 2, Tauranga Ramblers 55m 3s 3. Fastest lap: Esther McArthur (Tauranga Girls) 12m 57s.
Walk 2 x 5000m: Taupo No 2 1h 12m 18s 1, Taupo No 1 1h 12m 19s 2, Calliope No 2 3. Fastest lap: Sheila Smidt (Napier) 33m 34s.

WELLINGTON
Waterfront 5km Series – 7 September 2010
Hamish Carson won in 14m 45s, beating Stefan Smith 14m 48s and Hayden Shearman 15m 32s. Shearman had earlier finished sixth in a PB 15m 3s in the Suncorp Bridge to Brisbane 5km road race on 29 August. In the Bridge to Brisbane 10km road race Dale Warrander was third in 30m 54s.
Tina Harris was the first woman in the Waterfront 5km in 16m 58s, with Gabrielle O’Rourke second in 17m 34s and Stephanie Mackenzie third in 17m 52s.

DUNEDIN
Moro Dunedin Marathon and Half Marathon – 12 September 2010
Sam Wreford’s burgeoning marathon running career took a giant leap forward with a record breaking run in the annual Moro Marathon in Dunedin on Sunday morning. In only his fourth marathon Wreford romped home in 2h 19m 17s, to slice over five minutes off Paul Allison’s 1993 course record of 2h 24m 31s.
In perfect conditions for marathon running, still cool conditions early morning and then sunny with a slight breeze, Wreford was on his own throughout, winning by a wide margin of 18 minutes. Will Smith was second in 2h 37m 11s with the first master Tim Graham third overall in 2h 51m 12s.
Wreford was second to Rowan Hooper in 2008 in 2h 27m 36s, second again to Phil Costley in the Buller marathon last year in 2h 23m 20s and then victory in the Lydiard Legends Marathon in Auckland a year ago in 2h 23m 11s.
Wreford said that his plan was to cruise through the first 25km and then pick up the pace for a time trial effort over the final 15km. He was through the half way in 70m.
“I’m finding marathons are my cup of tea. I knew, having run the course before, 2h 30m was achievable, perhaps 2h 25m, it was a bit quicker than I thought,” said Wreford.
His long term goal is the marathon at the 2012 London Olympic Games, but before that he is looking for a fast time in the Fukuoka marathon in December.
Sarah Chisnall won the women’s section in 2h 57m 50s, with master Ingrid Frost second overall in 3h 16m 30s and master Toni Smith third in 3h 18m 13s.
Luke Hurring won the associated half marathon in 1h 8m 22s, from Tony Payne 1h 10m 12s and Oliver O’Sullivan 1h 13m 0s. Robert Battocchio was the first master in 1h 16m 47s.
Kellie Palmer won the women’s half in a race record 1h 19m 56s, with master Michelle Hopkins second in 1h 20m 26s and Kirsty Morris third in 1h 23m 43s. Deborah Lynch ran 1h 29m 33s and Eveline Coombe 1h 30m 10s. Palmer, who won the half last year, clipped 31 seconds off Kirsty Morris’ 2007 record.
The half marathon race walk went to Daniel Lord in 2h 8m 27s, just under a minute ahead of Roger Leslie. Kate Newitt won the women’s half walk in 2h 31m 19s from Margaret Jones 2h 32m 1s and Jill Stewart 2h 34m 57s.