Strong challenges for top harriers

Press, 18 July 1979, Page 40

Strong challenges for top harriers

By

GLENN HASZARD

Canterbury cross-country championship titleholders will have to be on their mettle to hold off challenges from old and new rivals on a new and testing course on North Canterbury farmland next Saturday. John Sheddan (Olympic) is at long odds this year in his bid to defend his senior men's title. The favourite will be the former Otago runner and Canterbury and New Zealand 10,000-metre track champion, Alan Thurlow, who has won his last two races and should find the testing course to his liking. Last vear’s runner-up Don Greig (New Brighton) should fight it out with University’s [Martin Couldwell for second. I The 12km course, comprising four laps of 3km i should suit stamina runners :

like Mel Radcliffe (New Brighton) and Tony Good (Olympic). The more favoured Tom Birnie and Peter Renner (New Brighton) are not expected to compete because they leave at the end of the month for an overseas track racing tour. Other leading contenders will be Gavin Donaldson and Bill Kennedy (Christchurch), Neil Lowsley (New Brighton), Warren Sheddan (Olympic), Frank Brookes (Technical), David Gardner (Timaru). Coleman Creagh, Eddie Gray and Graham Searle (Greymouth), Cam McLennan (Ashburton), Colin Hicks and Denis Patchett (Toe H), and a strong University contingent including Nick McMaster, Frank Nolan, Brian Kennelly, Brian Rhodes, lan Milne, Dave Rowell and Andrew Stark. A thrilFng duel should be seen in the senior women’s

race, with the title-holder Ann-Marie Keown again being unlikely to retain the title. More favoured will be Wendy Mollison and Mary O’Connor, who should be only seconds apart at the finish of the 4km course. Last year at Tinwald Miss Keown beat Miss O'Connor by nearly half a minute and Miss O’Connor was 27secs clear of Miss Mollison. But this year, with Miss Keown sidelined through injury for most of the season, and Miss Mollison showing the fruits of intensive training and coaching, the placings are expected to be reversed. Jim McDonald (Olvmnjc') should win the veteran; men’s race over 9km if he starts in that race rather j than the senior men’s. He is the titleholder and is unri-l vailed in veteran races. If McDonald does not start the next logical favour- 1

lite is Ronnie. Stevens, also I of the Olympic club, who was second last year, while Vic Sykes (Christchurch) will not have to contend with New Brighton's Don Greig, who beat him in the recent Skellerup steeples race. Greig said that his work as an official would preclude him from starting, but he will be a starter in the nationals in Otago. The veteran women’s titleholder, Jeanette Holland (Ashburton) has not been seen racing this season in Christchurch and will have to be fit to hold off a challenge from Westport’s Bev Woods and Olympic’s Pauline Woolman. Others who [should figure in the running are Terese Woodham: (United), who was runner-up [ last year, Bev Tweedie j (Christchurch) and June! Miles (Olympic). Another exciting race will be the girls’ under 18 cham-i

pionships where last year’s under-16 champion, Sarah Harnett (New Brighton), will take on Timaru’s Moreg Moran, who was third in the under-18 event last year. Miss Moran beat Miss Harnett in the Skellerup Steeples by 9 seconds but Miss Harnett won the Jane Patterson event over a testing course. Robyn Miles (Olympic) and the Avon twins Lynne and Dianne Tipper, should fight out the minor positions. The course consists of 3km laps, with three fences per lap. One of these fences comes after a hill climb and according to course organ- ! isers will probably need to ‘be climbed. At least one of 'the others is capable of [being hurdled by competent i harriers, while the third is 'vaultable. Underfoot conditions will depend on the weather ini the preceding few days, buti

are expected to contain surface water if there has been rain and will be greasy rather than heavy. There is reported to be ample passing room on wide open paddocks. The terrain is undulating to roiling, with a flat section at the start-finish area. The largest entry is the senior men’s event with 267 runners, followed by the veteran men (128), the senior women (63), the junior men (48), and the veteran women (30). There is a total of over 800 entries. Registration numbers are to be worn on the front of club singlets and runners wishing to be considered for selection for the national championships should inform the selectors (Messrs I. D. Greig and W. Hobbs) by 4 p.m. on Saturday.