They reckon big girls don't cry but national steeples champion Kate McIlroy would have shed buckets of tears had she seen the techniques used by some of the competitors in a cross-country event organised by Ruamahanga Ramblers at Gladstone on Saturday. The course included four steeples on each of the 870mlaps which challenged the skills of the handicapper as well as the runners. Teams combined some of the faster runners with those of lesser pace and also walkers and it was a combination including two of the younger athletes, Lucy Britland and Alex Magaw, who took the honours. That duo completed a lap each with the other four being completed by Paul Furkert and they had more than a minute to spare from their nearest rivals. Results: Alex Magaw, Lucy Britland and Paul Furkert 24.28, Greg Lang and Ali Lang 25.35, John Sage and Norm Wilton 25.36, Matthew Furkert and Ray Wallis 26.13, Ester Lang, Hannah Lang and Steve Britland 28.46, Aden Furkert, Lyn McLennan and Chris Megaw 28.47. That was the last Saturday event for the harriers and the Ramblers will now meet on Tuesday evenings for the Child Cancer twilight 5km road series, the first event starting tonight from St David Church in High street, Carterton at 6pm.
