Athletes secure cash windfall

LEGGIN' IT: Palmerston North's Scott Birch may have been fastest across the line in the 400m dash, but the winner-take-all purse went to Southland's Liam Turner on handicap.

ALEC McNab is one Scotsman happy to have paid performance incentives to athletes at the Cooks Classic in Whanganui on Tuesday night.

McNab, a national athletics treasure, said bonuses were on offer in several races at Cooks Gardens, including the Men's Mile for those breaking the four minute barrier.

"Nick Willis received extra for breaking four minutes over and above winning the race - I'm one Scotsman who didn't mind paying for high performance, though," McNab said yesterday.

"We probably paid out more than we could afford, really. But it is an important meeting helping these top guys prepare for bigger events. Hamish Carson and Eric Speckman also received bonuses for breaking four minutes when running second and third respectively.

"I guess we were a bit lucky in a way because Craig Huffer from Australia (4.00.12) and Julian Matthews from Nelson (4.00.86) went tantalisingly close to breaking the four minute mark as well."

Bonuses were also up for grabs in the 200m for any runner breaking 21.50 seconds, a barrier Joseph Millar from Tauranga broke when he clocked 21.39s.

McNab said the handicap javelin event was a winner-take-all purse that surprisingly didn't go to the favourites Stuart Farquhar or his training partner Ben Langton-Burrell.

"Farquhar didn't reach his 80-metre bonus mark with his best a 76.54m, while Langton-Burrell threw 80.55m with his handicap in play," Mcnab said.

"I based the handicaps on the 83m Farquhar threw last year, so some of the lesser lights had significant distances added to their throws when the handicap was applied. A little girl from Southland, Emma Ryan, burgled the winner-take-all purse of $500. There was only a metre separating the top four throwers on handicap.

"In the 400m dash Scott Birch (Palmerston North) was fastest across the line, but Liam Turner from Southland got the cash in handicap. He got $400, so it was a Southland quinella in the handicap 400m. Both Turner and Ryan are Young Classic athletes so they now have extra tour funds for the Classic series."

McNab said Willis appeared very happy with his performances as he headed to the Capital Classic in Wellington this weekend where he will run the 3000m.

While he is best known as a 1500m specialist, Willis was keen to cover all bases.

"Willis is very good with the younger athletes and invited a group to run around Virginia Lake this morning. A large group of about 15 turned up and I think they feel honoured he takes the time. He was also very appreciative of the pace set by Brad Mathas in last night's mile. Mathas ran just under 2 minutes for the first 800m.

"It was a good even pace that set Willis and the others up to quicken the pace later in the race - it wasn't a stop-start pace," McNab said.