Harriers: Hastings' Taylor wins Hawke's Bay Gisborne Centre title

Napier's Bradley Christison set a new M9 course record with a time of 27m for 8km. Photo/File

Matthew Taylor continued his excellent harriers season by comfortably winning the 10km road race at Westshore on Saturday to claim the Hawke's Bay Gisborne Centre title.

The Hastings Harriers flyer was always in control of the event to cruise home in 33m 16s. Napier's Graeme Buscke and Gisborne's Steve Morrow bravely tried to stay with Taylor but there was never any doubt as to what the outcome would be. Morrow eventually overtook Buscke to claim the masters title with a tidy 34m 42s Buscke was third in 35m 20s.

Dulia Daly kept Napier clubmate Kate O'Malley at bay in the women's 10km to win in 42m 18s and her rival finished in 43m 55s.

The age groups produced some outstanding performances. Napier's Bradley Christison broke the course record in the M19 to stop the clock at 27m for 8km. Hastings Kane Elms did his best to stay with the frantic pace but eventually faded to finish 58s behind in second place.

The B16 grade was compulsory viewing with the Napier quartet of Mitchell Snell, Ollie Marshall, Mark Day and Max Taylor playing the waiting game for the first half of their 5km event. Snell then broke away and won in 16m 46s, 11s clear of Marshall who was 6s faster than Day.

The G16 5km event was just as eventful with Gisborne's Briana Irving throwing down the challenge to her rivals. Napier's Brianna Lee did not give up the chase though and with just over 1km to go, she had drawn level with her rival. Lee then found the legs to outlast Irving to win by 8s with a time of 19m 07s. Ruby Brett of Hastings was a further minute back in third place.

In B14 Ethan Green dug deep to hold off his Napier rivals Josh Abel and Sam Elliott. Green has improved considerably this year with the victory and a 10m 36s time for 3km a good reward. In G14 Aniela Apperley destroyed the course record by 14s as she scampered over the 3km course in 11m 27s.

Maddison Hughes of Hastings and Napier's Sophia Moore joined Apperley on the podium.
Gisborne's Tania Gardner managed to outlast Napier's Annie Kane by 4s to claim victory in the masters women's grade. It was a Napier trifecta in B12 with Oliver Barry having to work hard to outlast the much improved Cody Munro with Robin Moore third. Sian Llewellyn got one back for Hastings in G12 with Napier's Grace Hogan and Cerys Llewellyn second and third respectively.

In the cubs Millie Lyford was too strong for Napier clubmates Sam Leigh-Smith and Blake Richardson.