Athletics: Moon beats 70-year-old record for most titles

By MURRAY McKINNON

World mountain running champion and New Zealand sportswoman of the year Melissa Moon surpassed the great Bill Savidan in winning the most national cross-country titles after a close battle with Kimberley Smith at Hagley Park, Christchurch.

Moon, from the Wellington Scottish Club, had to dig deep to stave off a last-minute challenge from the up-and-coming 20-year-old Smith from Counties Manukau on Saturday.

Moon, 32, used her tactical experience to break clear of Smith on the final lap and held on to win her seventh women's title, recording 28m 29s for the 8000m.

Smith was just one second back, with Shireen Crumpton, of Otago, finishing third in 29m 26s.

Moon had shared the record with Savidan, who recorded six cross-country wins in the late 1920s and early 30s.

"It is just as well that I went when I did, that was unbelievably close," Moon said. "I couldn't leave it to a sprint finish, as Kimberley has a good track finish."

"I dearly wanted to get the seventh title and have a bit of history there."

Moon left yesterday for Europe and a number of warm-up races before defending her world mountain title in Austria next month.

"In just a week's time I will be racing 14km straight up the Matterhorn in Switzerland."

Phil Costley, just back after his disappointing run in the Commonwealth Games marathon, quickly regained his form to win his second senior men's cross-country crown.

Costley and North Harbour Bays' Robbie Johnston battled out the first half of the race before Costley eased into the lead and went on to win the 12,000m race in 37m 36s.

Costley thought there would be those who believed he did not do himself justice at the Games.

"But I did. I'm a runner who puts my head down and goes for it. It was the hottest day Manchester has had all year and I became dehydrated. There was a small hill at 34km and it felt like climbing the side of Mt Everest."

He said it had been a hard time and he has decided to pull out of the New Zealand team to the world mountain running championships.

Dale Warrander, from the Bays Club, overhauled Johnston for second in 37m 55s, with Johnston coming in third in 38m 3s.

Johnston, who had earlier won the Canterbury title race on Hagley Park, said he was going for first or nothing.

"After Phil went into the lead I lost a bit of interest; getting second or third was immaterial," he said.

"I was surprised that Phil ran so well when he didn't do so well in the marathon."

David Dickinson, of North Harbour Bays, won the veteran men's title, while Auckland City Club runners Julia Scopes, in the under-20 women, and Shaun Krawitz in the under-18 men, won their respective titles.

Twelve-year-old Melissa Murrihy, from Taumarunui, was a popular winner of the under-18 women's 4000m.

Her time was 15m 18s.