Wanganui racers dominate Cup meeting

Some of Wanganui's speed skaters' toughest opposition were each other at the annual Laurie Hastie Cup meeting in the Manawatu last weekend.

Held by the Manawatu Showgrounds Skating Club over two days, the action turned out to be intense between Georgia Reynolds and Monique Cleeve.

Reynolds, 12, was competing at her first event as a Junior Girl and during the indoor section she split the first two races with the Oceania Cadet champion Cleeve, taking race one with a brilliant come-from-behind effort.

It set up a decider that was not without a little controversy.

"Reynolds again passed her way to the front of the field, only to have Cleeve dive past in the corner to take the win," said Wanganui club spokesman Ken Smith.

"However Cleeve was then relegated to second after her pass was ruled illegal handing the win and overall indoor title to Reynolds. Cleeve took her relegation in good humour but it was noticeable she made sure no one got near her in Sunday's races to easily take the road trophy, with Reynolds second."

The other standout Wanganui performance of the weekend was Eden Smith, completely destroying the Junior Boys field in a clean sweep of the indoor races and the road events.

"Smith was in a class of his own and also picked up a good fifth place against the Senior Men in the 3000m indoor open event," said Ken Smith.

Wanganui's CJ Dillon won all the Juvenile Girls races, with newly promoted New Zealand Primary Girls champion Caitlin Fergusson finishing second overall after a battle with Manawatu's Ocean Wooley.

Wanganui's Renee Teers would have entered the Juvenile Girls section, however she suffered a concussion after a heavy fall at practice during that week.

Rick Dillon came a clear second overall in the Juvenile Boys class.

In the Intermediate/Senior women's events it was Jessica van Bentum who displayed the benefits of her training easily winning all three indoors races.

A "sleep deprived" Rebecca Smith struggled around the track for third overall. The outdoor women's races were made more interesting by the presence of NZ Senior Champion Steff Challis, who took a close win in the 1500m from van Bentum and Smith. "However Challis fell in the wet conditions in the 5km points, allowing van Bentum and a finally fully awake Smith to run away for an easy one-two finish, with van Bentum again taking the overall win," said Ken Smith.