The gut-buster hill had quite a few walking up during the Anderson Rally.
The gut-buster hill had quite a few walking up during the Anderson Rally.
By Dave Murdoch
Nearly 200 harriers took part in the Anderson Rally, the fourth since its revival at the A&P Showgrounds.
The programme attracted competitors of all ages from under-eights to over-60s. It is the biggest turnout since the race resumed.
The iconic harrier rally started in 1934 when theDannevirke Harriers Club was formed, the field growing rapidly to more than 100 in the pre-war years as harriers from throughout the region flocked to the annual event.
Dad (Cam) and son (Cooper) De La Harpe finish the Under-8 1km race.
It resumed after World War II and the Anderson Rally became one of the top events in New Zealand harrier circles, attracting at its peak in the 1970s fields of up to 700. Over those years 11 Olympians and a further 20 NZ Internationals competed plus numerous cross-country and track champions.
Annie Creagh of Napier had the fitness to sprint the last of her 7.5km to win the Open Women ‘s event.
Unfortunately, interest in harriers dwindled and Dannevirke no longer had enough to support a harrier club so local cross-country runners had to join neighbours to train and compete.
Race Organiser Terry Walker and his two protégés, daughter Stephanie and son Cameron (both place-getters).
Terry Walker at pretty good pace starting on his third 2.5km leg.
But in 2019 local man Terry Walker persuaded his Feilding Moa Harrier Club and Napier Harriers to once again participate in the event after a layoff of 42 years. It paused during Covid but picked up again so that in 2023 nearly 150 competitors took part in the revived Anderson Harrier Rally in Dannevirke.
In 2024 on June 28 this year (Matariki Day), the nearly 200 runners comprised very strong teams from Feilding Moa, Napier Harriers, Hastings Harriers and a smattering of runners from Palmerston North AHC, Wairarapa Track and Field, four from Dannevirke Athletics more from Bush and some walkers from Manawatu Striders.
The course dropped down to the lagoon with nice reflections if you had time to notice.
The under-14 and under-16 boys and girls take off on their 2.5km loop.
The course – based at the Dannevirke A&P Showgrounds - has a range of contours from flat stretches to rolling hills with some traditional cross-country features such as steeples and jumps a few unique to this course.
Competitors rated this course as one of the best they had run on and one called it a “real cross-country challenge” while others are considering attending the Anderson Rally next year again in preference to the North Island Championships which clashes.
Dave Murdoch is a part-time photojournalist based in Dannevirke. For the past 11 years he has covered any community story telling good news about the district.
