Indoor competition taste of summer

FRONT RUNNER: Christian Conder (green) heads off the challenge of Luke Gemmell in the senior 600m at the Wanganui Collegiate Indoor Interhouse Athletics night. PHOTOS/ROB VAN DORT 160915WCRVDCONDER

SPRING is a wonderful time of year. On many days we are reminded summer is just around the corner with warmth in the sun but, on others, we realise winter is not completely over.

Summer sport is almost upon us but, at the same time, we are wrapping up winter activities. Wanganui Collegiate Indoor Athletics, which involved about 150 competitors in an action-packed 90 minute inter-house programme on Tuesday at Jubilee Stadium, served as a reminder that the Athletics Wanganui Club programme starting on Tuesday, October 6 is only three weeks away.

The tight 100m track and the six-grade team nature of the event guarantees exciting competition. The loud support from the crowded bleachers gives this unique event a special atmosphere. Each grade has six athletes in a team and team members must compete in at least one of the four events (40m, 600m, 4 x 1 100m laps and a 3-lap pursuit similar to cycling).

As expected, cross country runners who have been in action recently, such as Christian Conder, Luke Gemmell and Jane Lennox, shone in the 600m but they also played a significant role in the pursuit. Sprinters had an early-season workout over the 40m with close finishes that tested place judges more accustomed to being able to rely on photo finishes and, as always, the 4 x 1 lap race with all four Houses competing on the tight circuit brought its usual share of drama.

The Inter-House Indoor Trophy was retained by Grey, who had also won the outdoor house match in February.

On Thursday, I was reminded that winter is not yet fully over as the Wanganui Intermediate School's cross country was contested under threatening skies on Wanganui Collegiate's golf course in an event well hosted by St George's. It was good to see some really competitive races and to see considerable sharing of podium finishes between athletes from different schools. In three of the four races, athletes from three different schools took the leading positions. The exception was in the Year 8 girls, when Sarah Stuart and Tayla Brunger took first and third respectively with the promising Sarah Matthews, of St George's, finishing second.

Wanganui Intermediate took both the three- and six-team titles in that grade with St George's achieving the same result in the Year 7 girls as did Huntley in the Year 8 boys.

Honours were shared in the Year 7 boys between Hunterville and Huntley.

Ashleigh Alabaster (Rangiwai School), younger sister of Caitlyn Alabaster who finished 7th at the NZ Schools' Year 9 race for Collegiate, impressed running from the front in the Year 7 girls, heading off the challenges of Jessica Johnstone (St George's) and Paris Munro (Wanganui Intermediate). Riley Zimmerman, from Rutherford, followed George Lambert in the Year 7 boys with Blair Gowen (Westmere School) third.

Zane Brooks, of Hunterville, impressed in the Year 8 boys holding off the strong challenge of St George's captain Ben Conder. Blair Quinn (Huntley) was third.

It was wonderful to see large fields in a well organised championship. I hope our secondary schools accept the challenge of keeping these gifted athletes running even if it is in combination with other sports. Sadly, as mentioned in this column in the past, Wanganui have with the exception of Wanganui Collegiate taken very few athletes on to New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships, where participation from Wanganui lags behind other regions of the country. It is hoped the regional team relays, which will be run in conjunction with next year's Cross Country in Rotorua, will be a catalyst for change.