James Weber runs his Southland team to first place in the Senior Mixed Relay. Photo / Denise Piper
James Weber runs his Southland team to first place in the Senior Mixed Relay. Photo / Denise Piper
Hospitality, support and a bit of mud has earned Whangārei plenty of praise for its hosting of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Cross Country Championships this weekend.
Nearly 700 students from across the country took part in the event, the first time Whangārei has hosted the championships.
Competitors included worldrecord holder Sam Ruthe from Tauranga, the youngest person to break the four-minute mile.
But the grass at Barge Park – which quickly turned muddy thanks to record rain in Northland – proved a challenge for Ruthe, who finished second in the Senior Boys 6000m race behind Auckland’s Caleb Wagner. Joe Martin from Wellington came third.
However, on Sunday, Ruthe’s Waikato-Bay of Plenty team took first spot in the Senior Boys Relay, followed by teams from Wellington and Taranaki.
There were a total of 10 individual competitions held on Saturday, including para athletes, and 11 relay competitions on Sunday, with results available online.
One competitor, 15-year-old Bair Waldrom from Wellington’s St Patrick’s College Silverstream, said the number of good runners meant the event was particularly challenging this year.
But he said it was a great atmosphere for a national competition, including good commentary throughout the event that could be heard over most of the park.
Waldrom said it was a good course, despite it getting muddy at the bottom of the course, known as the duck’s pond.
“One of the other challenges was lots of mud – sometimes it doesn’t end too well.”
Northland’s Tommy Earl (left) passes the baton to a barefooted Nicky Wellwood in the Senior Mixed Relay, as a Wellington runner (in yellow) awaits her turn. Photo / Denise Piper
Another competitor, 18-year-old Kieran Lawson from St Peter’s Cambridge, also said it was a tough course but a good atmosphere.
While he admitted the mud made the run more challenging, he said it also made it fun.
“It’s the main difference between track and cross country is that extra excitement,” Lawson said.
“There was a bit of carnage but heaps of excitement and giggles too.”
Lawson said he was blown away by the supportive atmosphere at the event, including plenty of people cheering him on – even if they didn’t know him.
Nigel Stewart from Athletics Whangārei says people were rating the course among New Zealand's best. Photo / Denise Piper
Chief organiser Nigel Stewart, from Athletics Whangārei, said the feedback he received had been nothing but positive.
“I’ve asked dozens and dozens of people on a scale of one to 10 and the lowest was a seven, with lots of eights and nines.
“Lots of people are saying the course is up there with the best in New Zealand.”
The mud helped create a challenge, which the good runners used to their advantage, he said.
Stewart said the course was designed for the atmosphere, so spectators got multiple chances to see the runners without having to move too far.
Sport Northland helped with the commentary and about 50 volunteers helped run the event, he said.
Impressively, some of those volunteers have already put up their hands to help in future events, Stewart said.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
