Chance for promising harriers

Press, 10 March 1987, Page 32

Chance for promising harriers

Some major Canterbury cross-country titles could come the way of the “lesser lights” this season because some top athletes might be out of the country representing New Zealand.

At the start of the season the province will be without Mary O’Connor, Sue Bruce, Dave Burridge and Chris Tobin, all of whom have been selected for the New Zealand team for 1 the World cross-country championships. Then, later in the winter season, some of them and perhaps a few others might be in Europe with a New Zealand squad preparing for the World athletic championships. The season gets underway with the Hagley relays, organised by the University of Canterbury Athletic and Harrier Club, on April 25. This is a team event, with four runners in women’s teams and six in men’s, each running about 4km around North Hagley Park. The stronger clubs, particularly New Brighton and University, have traditionally dominated the relays. The 4km may seem a long way for some of the many novices who turn out for their clubs in the Hagley Relays, but they should spare a thought for the 100 or so who will compete in the 25th annual Brighton Pier 50mile race around the outskirts of Christchurch on April 4. Also in April are the

McAlpine half marathon and family fun run at Hanmer Springs on April 11 and the Hotel Ashburton marathon and half marathon on April 18. This marathon, formerly, run from Mt Hutt to Ashburton, will double this year as the Canterbury Marathon Championships. Road running has grown in popularity in the province, and some concession has been made to this with the appearance on the programme of a 20km handicap road race on May 9 and the City of Christchurch marathon on May 31. Last year’s winner, John Campbell (Southland), has already indicated that he will start. The first of the scratch cross-country races is the Jane Paterson, on May 16, formerly held on a farm at Motukarara but in the last couple of years on a

farm in West Eyreton. Traditionally, this event does not attract the top runners. They turn up, though, at the Skellerup Steeples, run at Queen Elizabeth II Park and organised by the Christchurch Harrier Club. Last year the event was staged as a trial “test” between Australia and New Zealand, and the organisers want a full scale test this year, on July 4. It could well be a feature of the winter season. A crop of younger runners has made an impact during the summer track season in senior

events, and how they fare this winter in crosscountry events will be watched with interest. It will also be interesting to see whether Sara Harnett (New Brighton), a former national women’s cross-country champion, can regain some of her form of three years ago in her second season on the come-back trail. John Sheddan (Olympic), a former New Zealand cross-country international, has also been running very well over shorter races during the summer and could make a big impact if he keeps up his training during the winter.

Bill Malloch (United) has swept all before him in the veteran section of the Adidas King of the Road skm road series, but how he will perform over the cross-country against runners of the calibre of Bryan Atkins, of his own club, and the. 1986 veteran cross-country champion, John Brownie (Olympic), remains to be seen. Brownie has just returned to the sport after a major operation, but has shown encouraging progress. Competition among veteran women (over 35) has become very strong in the last two years, and the province has perhaps more strength in depth in

this grade than any other province, as shown by the great effort of the Sumner veteran women in winning their section of a national relay in the North Island. Margaret Walker (Christchurch) would probably be the strongest veteran if she competed in veteran events, but she has tended to race in the senior grade and do well even there. Other leading veterans include Marie Stokes (Sumner), Pru Taylor (University), Colleen Bardsley (Sumner), Helen Grant (Sumner) and Judith Stewart (Ashburton).