Slater hits 4m goal in taking 7.5km race

Competing over the same course as the senior runners,  Athletic Whangarei's junior Ryan Slater grabbed the opportunity to run the fastest time, heading off the best from both the Whangarei and Hatea clubs in Saturday's cross-country race.
The race was a handicap event over a 2.5km circuit at Tikipunga Sports Field, in which the under-14  grades ran the 2.5km race, the U17 and women's grades ran 5km and the U20 and senior men ran 7.5km.

 Slater's victory was achieved in the absence of top runners Ian Calder and Mike Gowing, who were preparing to compete in the New Zealand Half Marathon Championships, at Huntly, on Sunday. Even before the times for the run had been calculated, Slater felt pleased with his performance.
"I wanted to get under four-minute kilometres and I did that," he said.
Slater outran Northland's marathon champion Richard Blogg, recording 28 minutes 51 seconds, compared with Blogg's 29:57 and was well clear of third-placed Mark Turner  and fourth-placed Chris Seeley.

 Ady Ngawati outclassed the field in the senior women's 5km race, running a fast 19:31, ahead of Tina Maher  and the improving Pamela Latter. Ngawati was well satisfied with her form, leading up the Arthur Lydiard Legend's Marathon.
"I enjoyed the run and I actually felt I had more endurance this week," she said.
"I'm still in the foundation phase [building for the Legend's marathon] so I'll start putting some track and speed work in - in July and August - and I will do the Auckland marathon too."
Imogen Hull, who is just 12,  competed up a grade in the women's U17  race, recording 21:42 for fastest time and, quite remarkably, taking the second fastest women's time overall.

 In the men's U17 grade over 5km, Ethan Carter showed good form, with a time of 19:03, well clear  Travis Connelly and third-placed Harry Linford.
On the 2.5km course, Tayla Going was the fastest girl in 10:04, with  12-year-old Megan de Clerk  second  and Amanda Still  third.

 In the boys' 2.5km race, James Edwards ran a fast 9:16, well clear of second-placed Cam Shelley  and third-placed Jack Dempster.

 Handicap winners - first to the finishing line - were:
Seniors: Men, Colin Smith (Hatea); women: Jenny Ferris (Whangarei). U20: Men, Slater (Whangarei). U17: Men, Carter (Whangarei); women, Hull (Whangarei). U14: Boys, Shelley (Whangarei); girls, Lakiesha Cummings (Hatea).