Napier Harrier Club's Eric Speakman displayed the benefits of his US experience when winning the senior men's title at the Hawke's Bay Gisborne Cross Country Championships in Napier on Saturday.
Speakman, who is on his summer holidays from Stoney Brook College in the US, was a comfortable winner of the 12km race in 42m17s. The Park Island-hosted event was one of two he will compete in before returning to the US on August 19.
One of Speakman's college mates from the States, Nick Lemon, also competed and was second in 45m22s. Speakman's club had 57 competitors, Hastings 10 and Gisborne three in the event which doubled as the Napier club's cross country championships.
Keiko Hashiba took out the Napier club's senior women's cross country title over 8km in 39m39s from clubmate Luisa Salis-Soglio. Both competitors were not eligible for the provincial title as they did not register.
Phil McKay of Hastings Harriers easily accounted for the Masters grade 8km title with a time of 31m20s from Gisborne's Derek Solomon in 32m39s. Craig Mathers of Napier was third in 33m13s and also became the Napier club's masters champion.
Nicky Solomon of Gisborne was awarded first place in the women's masters 6km race with a time of 30m32s. Napier's Marilyn Brown was second in 30m49s with Napier's Cheryl Simpson third in 33m45s.
The Napier club champion in the women's masters grade was Annie Kane who did 28m59s, followed by Corrina Alexander in 29m50s. Kane and Alexander were also ineligible for the provincial title as they did not register.
Grace McConnochie from Gisborne Harriers repeated her 2011 victory in the girls' 19 and under 6km race in 25m02s.
Hastings' Anneke Smith was second in 26m40s, with Monica Burnard, also from Hastings, taking out third place in 28m09s.
Annie Creagh captured the Napier club's title in this grade with a time of 29m42s.
There was a close tussle between Napier's Holly Manning and Hastings runner Kim Douglas in the girls' under-16 race over 4km. Manning pulled away over the last few hundred metres to win by four seconds in 16m53s from Douglas, with Napier's Laura Langley third in 18m26s.
Napier's Shamus Christison completed the double in the boys' 16 and under grade race over 6km in 24m42s. Todd Burnard of Hastings was second.
It was a Napier trifecta in the boys' 14 and under 4km race which North Island champion Bradley Christison won in 14m34s. Isaac Dyer was second in 16m02s and Jordan Allan-Wright third in 16m06s.
First year harrier Kaya Shlomi of Napier Harriers took out the provincial and club cross country championship race in the girls' 14 and under grade race over 4km to win in 19m39s from Hastings Harriers Ella McKay in 20m11s and Sinead Darmody in 21m57s.
Napier's Thomas Christison won the boys' 12 and under 2km race in 7m33s. Hastings' Todd Douglas was second in 7m38s, with Napier's Josh Keating third in 8m18s.
Napier's Zara Keighley won her first provincial and club titles by winning the girls' 12 and under 2km race in 9m39s from clubmates Sophie Bassick in 9m48s and Susanna Christison in 10m09s.
Napier's May Downey won the girls' cubs race while clubmate Ryan Jones won the boys' cubs race which was also over 2km.
HBG team for the national cross country championships in Hamilton on August 4 is: Thomas, Bradley and Shamus Christison, Todd Douglas, Todd Burnard, Gace McConnochie, Anneke Smith, Phil McKay, Eric Phimister and Ross McIntyre.