Harriers hit the hills

Wanganui Harrier Club's children and walkers races during recent cross country. The club is hosting the Athletics Manawatu-Wanganui championships today at Bason Reserve. Photo: Tanysha-Rochelle Jones.

Wanganui Harrier Club will be the hosts this afternoon for the Athletics Manawatu-Wanganui championships this afternoon at the Bason Reserve.

The championships are the key selection races for runners to be considered to represent Manawatu/Wanganui at the 2017 New Zealand championships in Auckland on July 30.

As well as the locals, clubs from Palmerston North and Feilding will be attending.

At the reserve there will be a 1km course which is undulating, and a 2km course which begins and finishes on the flat, with a steady uphill climb leading to a flat section, followed by a down hill run and undulating section.

There will be 14 walking and running categories of various age groups, starting from 12.30pm, with the fastest races being the junior, senior and masters men, starting at 1.50pm.

Prizegiving will be held around 3.10pm or after the last finisher, either at the ground or in the Harriers clubrooms on Parsons St if the weather is bad.

As part of preparations, the Wanganui club held their own cross country on June 25 at the reserve.

Running in wet conditions, the course proved demanding as most participants had to climb the hill between 2-5 times, depending on their age group.

New club member Jason Dawes took out the 10km senior men's race in 42m 28s, with Gareth Jones not far behind, while club stalwart Neil Mayo came in third overall to win the veteran men's race, with Jimmy Hildreth second.

Nelda Hazelhurst, back in form, had a well deserved veteran women's win, keeping runnerup Paula Conder and Di Matthews behind her for the entire race.

Elly Arnst had a strong run to win the 8km senior women's run, ahead of Kim Whyte.
Georgina Bryant, Ben Conder, Brittany Matthews, Thomas Conder and Liam Jones came back from the National Interschool Cross Country to win their various age groups.

Damien Wood won the men's walking trophy for the fifth consecutive year, ahead of Peter Monrad and Robin Howard.

Margaret Stratford did well in very slippery conditions to win the women's 8km walk.

The children's races were won by the Jones boys - Elliott and Oliver - along with Aiden Billing.