Some 125 runners and walkers competed in the Vaoga Cup on Friday, celebrating both the centennial and Matariki, providing a great start to the Wanganui Harrier Club Centennial Weekend. The running event was held at Lundon Park where the weather varied - cold and stormy one minute and mild and sunny the next. The in-form Lennox Brotherton was the fastest male and evergreen Sally Gibbs the fastest female.
Saturday saw a bit of nostalgia with a street orienteering event organised by Roger Morrison. Orienteering races were regular events on the calendar when Morrison was club captain before he moved to his present residence in Hawke’s Bay.
The centennial dinner was held on Saturday evening with 90 guests. Speakers included Whanganui MP Carl Bates, who spoke about his family connection to the club through his grandfather, New Zealand Olympian and All-American cross country and track and field athlete Lucy Oliver (nee van Dalen), Roger Morrison (life member)and Karlaine Burnett (patron), Kathryn Park Hopper, Tony Conder and Janice Vipond (life member). Daroll Pointon (life member) also spoke on behalf of John Stephenson. In attendance, along with many runners from the past, was the Harrier Club’s oldest living member, Ray Langmead.
The weekend concluded with brunch attended by 45, almost half of whom had earlier taken part in a run from the club rooms at Victoria Park. A posthumous life membership was bestowed upon former great Kevin Ross, who, among other notable performances, was a member of the world record 4 x 1 mile team. This was accepted by his grandsons. Robyn and Alistair Mackenzie were also awarded life memberships.
As the club moves into its second century, athletes turn to major events ahead.
Twelve have already signed up for the North Island Cross Country at Spa Park in Taupō on the first Saturday in July, and numbers should grow further.
All clubs depend strongly on volunteers and, over 100 years, there will have been countless volunteers who contributed to the success and smooth running of the Wanganui Harrier Club.
From afar, I noted that Wanganui harrier Peter Monrad found time on the busy weekend to act as an official (tail walker) at parkrun at the Whanganui Riverbank on Saturday morning, accompanying harrier stalwart and life member Daroll Pointon, two of the 93 participants on Saturday morning.
It is good to see volunteers and those who make major clubs and organisations being increasingly recognised. Last week, I reported on the New Zealand Secondary Schools Cross Country held at Barge Park in Whangārei.
At the annual prizegiving, the New Zealand Schools Championship Cross Country Team was announced along with the presentation of team medals (individual medals and top 10 diplomas had been awarded after each race).
In addition to the acknowledgement of the organisation, the New Zealand Secondary Schools Association recognised coaches and team managers who made a significant contribution by organising and accompanying large teams to the championships.
Among the recipients was Bill Twiss of Nga Tawa School. Although Nga Tawa did not have the largest team in attendance at Whangārei, with 18 runners, it is worth noting that with a school roll of 181, that represents 10% of Nga Tawa students having travelled north.
Dedication and the hard work of volunteer coaches such as Twiss are vital to our sport and will ensure that clubs such as the Wanganui Harrier Club will flourish into their second century.
