Athletics
The main talking point when the Ruamahanga Ramblers held a cross-country race at Ashby's Ponatahi farm last Saturday was the "craziness" of Derek Cox.
The previous weekend had seen Cox, along with 1200 others, contest the Crazy Man event in Wellington where he placed second in the over-40 category. If that wasn't energy-sapping enough he preceded his appearance at Ponatahi by running up to Jumbo Hut from the Mount Holdsworth road end in the morning, finding the knee-deep snow experienced in places rather more difficult to negotiate than the conditions struck later in the day.
At the same time, however, the Ponatahi course, set by the wily Ray Wallis, was a cracker. It was mostly firm underfoot but there were some very muddy gateways and some short, steep valleys with swampy mini creeks at the bottom. Testing would be the best way to describe it.
Several Ramblers wore running spikes or football boots and they clearly had the advantage on those with normal running shoes who found the steep up and downs rather more slippery than they would like.
In the muddiest of all the gateways several runners risked their shoes being sucked off their feet and Matthew Furkert was one who lost his battle with the mud. His discarded shoes became a warning beacon to those who followed in his footsteps (excuse the pun). Luckily there were not too many stones or thistles so Furkert was able to complete the course barefooted. Ray Haste was one of the big improvers, finishing third overall in the 6km race and beating home some of his more fancied rivals.
Results, in order of handicap and actual times:
2km: Clifford Rowe-Penny 23.08, 15.08; Blake Price 25.28, 13.48; Amelia Rowe-Penny 26.08, 18.08; Charlotte Anderson 26.08, 18.08; Brooklyn Norman 26.50, 12.20; Kasey Cox 27.20, 12.50; Josh Price 29.16, 17.36; Anthony Rowe-Penny 29.21, 19.31; Johnny Anderson 32.17, 26.17; Madeline Anderson 32.27, 26.27.
4km: Lucas Megaw 34.06, 18.36; Ray Wallis 37.10, 29.40; Chris Van Gerven 38.20, 33.20; Ben Van Gerven 43.30, 26.50; Matthew Furkert 43.47, 22.17; Matthew Sebire 44.00, 25.00; Robyn Weston 49.08, 47.28; Mel Megaw 49.23, 47.43; Irene Price 51.10, 51.10; Alison Morell 52.44, 52.44; Lynne Birkett 55.53, 46.03; Clarissa Price 57.00, 57.00.
6km: Malcolm Macdonald 44.00, 31.00; Lloyd Millar 44.25, 33.55; Michael Rowe-Penny 44.55, 31.25; Ray Haste 45.04, 33.24; Phil Anderson 45.44, 37.04; Stephen Yeats 46.13, 36.53; Roger Jones 46.29, 35.59; Marty Sebire 46.49, 37.29; Paul Furkert 47.10, 34.40; Derek Cox 47.12, 34.42; Rupert Watson 47.16, 37.16; Chris Megaw 48.59, 40.39; Greg Lang 48.59, 40.30; Martin Parker 49/46, 40.26; Judy Rayner 49.55, 49.55; Teresa Reynolds 50.05, 40.02; Lesley Graham 50.59, 40.29; Joshua Vermuelen 52.07, 42.47; Julie Norman 52.40, 42.40; Vanessa Vermuelen 52.50, 50.30; Ali Lang 57.23, 57.23; Claudia Baechie 59.32, 52.32.