Athletics: Tobin tackles skills in cross-country

Hawke's Bay's Jim Tobin finished 13th in his age group when tackling the 8km crosscountry race at the World Masters Athletics Championships in California yesterday.
Tobin, who is competing in the 75-80 age group, recorded a time of 57m 10s on a course set in the Granite Regional Park outside Sacramento. The next event for Napier's Tobin is a 5000m track race.
Havelock North W75 grade competitor Dawn Cumming is the other Bay athlete among 7000 from 80 countries at the championships, which continue until July 17. She has yet to start her programme.
Gisborne's Ron Robertson won the men's 70-75 8km cross-country title in 32m 10s. He finished one minute ahead of Peter Lessing of Germany and Peter Sandery of Australia.
Robertson holds other age group titles gained at previous WMA championships but this was the first time he has raced in this age group internationally.