Top clashes likely in cross-country
Top fields have been attracted to the annual Skellerup Steeples cross-country running races at Queen Elizabeth II Park playing fields on Saturday. A feature will be a clash in the women’s skm race between the two Christchurch internationals, Mary O’Connor (University) and Sue Bruce (Bascik New Brighton). Since they competed in the World Cross Country Championship in Portugal, the two athletes have taken completely different paths in competition. O’Connor went on to run a fast marathon, then returned to Christchurch to dominate women’s cross-country. The men’s field for the 10km is more even, and will probably be decided only in the last few hundred metres. The runner with the best credentials for the event is Neil Lowsley (Bascik New Brighton), who is the best steeplechaser in the field and has beaten most of those lined up against him in either the Bascik Cartage 10km race at the end of May or the Adidas half marathon in early June. Ken Maloney (Auckland) is the titleholder and had to beat Michael Gilchrist (Technical) last year to win, but Lowsley was not in the race then. Other capable runners from outside Christchurch are Greg Cameron, David Rush and Ross Thurlow from Otago, Russell Haswell from Auckland and
Eddie Gray from Greymouth. The top Christchurch runners are Lowsley, Tom Birnie (Bascik New Brighton), Bruce Rattray (Christchurch) and Pat Meffan (University). The veteran men’s race has attracted 109 entries
and will feature a clash between the Jane Patterson veteran winner Dave Rowell (University) and the Holloway Memorial 16km veteran winner and Canterbury veteran cross country champion in 1984, Bryan Atkins (United). Rowell won the Skellerup veteran title last year.
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Press, 3 July 1985, Page 64
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279Top clashes likely in cross-country Press, 3 July 1985, Page 64
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