Skaters hit town - at speed

KEEN COMPETITION: The leading senior women's contenders for the nationals over the next six days are Daina Gibbs, left, Dahna Penty, Whanganui's Rebecca Smith, Nicole Begg and Whanganui's Melissa White.PHOTO/SUPPLIED

IT WILL be all wheels to the pavement and hard wood this week as Whanganui hosts the speed skating road, track and marathon national championships, starting this morning at Kowhai Park.

The various nationals will be held through to Sunday.

Today the road championships will be at Kowhai, beginning at 9am, then on Thursday the action moves into Jubilee Stadium for the track nationals, starting at 1.30pm.

A highlight of the week will be the running of the marathon championships around the Cemetery Circuit course on Sunday, starting from 8.30am.

Ken Smith of Wanganui Speed Skating Club said a new innovation at the marathon would be the recreational race, which is open to the general public to have a go.

For those interested visit the Facebook page 'Skate the Cemetery Circuit'.

Smith said Whanganui skaters should feature amongst the medal hopefuls with Rivercity Tour winner Andrew Jones looking to take on Timaru speedster Dale Christoffersen and Christchurch's Mark McDonald in the senior men's competition.

Ollie Jones, the 2014 junior world silver medallist and reigning NZ senior men's champion, will be skating despite suffering a shin injury at the recent world championships in Taiwan, yet will still be the man to beat.

"The senior women's grade should be a classy event with Timaru's Nicole Begg continuing to reign supreme after more than a decade at the top," said Smith.

"However, visiting Chinese international Jessica Wong is rumoured to be a top-level competitor and should provide her with some tough competition. Whanganui's Rebecca Smith and Manawatu's Daina Gibbs have both spent a portion of 2015 training in Germany as part of the Arma Wheels team and will be hoping to put pressure on Begg and Wong."

Whanganui's Melissa White should also feature, especially at the indoor track, with Valley Inlines' Georgia Hurley and Timaru's Dahna Penty.

"Eden Smith should be a contender in the intermediate men if he can shake a persistent knee injury and Renee Teers will resume her battle from the Rivercity Tour with Timaru's Jazmyn McAuley and Ella Benson for dominance in the junior girls," said Smith.

Local Caitlin Ferguson will be battling for a title in the largest field at the championships in the juvenile girls, while Drew Brennan and Chase Morpeth will be red-hot favourites in the juvenile boys, with Whanganui team-mates Trent James and Sean Sullivan being potential dark horses.

"Watch for Josh Valentine to dominate the primary boys grade as a defending champion and Kiera Brennan should be a strong prospect for the primary girls title," said Smith.

Masters women's supremo Krystine Davies, second in the 50-60 group at the 2014 world marathon championships, makes her return after a long absence and should be able to reclaim her national titles.