Season’s greetings everyone. This is the last weekly news for the year. I’ll take a break until an as-yet-undecided time in January next year. In the meantime, the best way to stay in touch with the club is probably through the Facebook group.

Options this week

  • Thursday 8.00am, Christmas Eve Epic Runs. Both epic runs depart from Tawa Train Station. Contact Kath Littler and Andrew Wharton for details.
  • Saturday, 8.00am, Lower Hutt 5km Parkrun, Porirua 5km Parkrun, Kapiti Coast 5km Parkrun.

Results

Auckland Night of Fives

Niam Macdonald ran 14:40.26

Results

Night of Miles

Nicole Mitchell’s 5:16.81 for 2nd place in the A Race lifts her into the top 14 NZ times this year.

The entire women’s B race was comprised of Scottish athletes. Emily Solsberg ran a strong last lap to claim that race from Lucy Fauth. Thee were powerful runs from Michele Allison (her 5th W65 New Zealand record of the summer), Marketa Langova and Lindsay Young in that race too.

On a day many people struggled with the gale winds, Ben Bielski ran an impressive 25 seconds under his seed time for 2nd place in the Men’s C Race. Nico Vessiot and Alistair Collow also scorched their seed times.

Malcolm Hodge ran bravely at the front of Men’s A race and was just denied the win in the last few strides down the home straight. Sean Lake won the Mile Walk by over a minute. Michael Wray notes that Bob Stephens would have a NZ age group mile record too if he had got an official time in the All Comers Mile Race.

Honest Ten

Walter Sommerville won in 36.35

Rotorua Suffer double half ironman

Numerous club members snuck off to a different city and a different sport over the weekend.

Double Half Ironman (i.e. two half Ironman races on two days!): Anna Guy 5:33:25 1st W50 and 5:47:47 1st W50. Rachael Cunningham 5:26:59 3rd W40 and 5:35:03. Ben Twyman 5:03:11 and 4:52:39. Valentino Luna-Hernandez 4:48:18 2nd M40 and 4:57:14 2nd M40. Dave Oliver 4:51:27 and 5:03:38.

Half Ironman: Luke Ferguson 5:17:14, Tanya Lavington 5:38:55 1st W50, Mike Cousins 4:56:08 3rd M40, Peter Kelly 4:41:21 1st M40, Greg Williams 6:53:41, Paul Rodway 6:37:31 1st M60, Gerard Gordon 5:05:11.Dani Trewoon was scuppered by a bike crash after starting brilliantly.

Quarter Ironman: James Turner 2:35:08, Daryl Bloomfield 4:18:26.

Pro Race: Lucas Duross finished in 04:07:04 for 9th in his first race as a pro and he broke the previous course record!

Results

Waterfront 5k

Waterfront 5km PBs to Malcolm Hodge, Geoff Ferry, Alistair Richardson, Ben Bielski, Nicholas Vessiot, Fiona Hayvice and Spike Hayvice.

Results

Coming up

Waterfront 5km Series, Tuesdays

The Wellington Scottish Waterfront 5km resumes on on 5 January 2021 and continues until 30 March 2021. Please offer to help with registration and marshalling once in a while.

The Ian Priest Memorial Hutt River Trail Events – 9 Jan

Run or walk an off-road Ultra Marathon, Marathon, Half Marathon or 10km, following the course of the Hutt River. Or, run or walk a 60Km Ultra Marathon, starting at Cross Creek in the Wairarapa, crossing the historic Rimutaka Incline rail trail, and joining the Marathon course at Kaitoke

Enter online

Jumbo Holdsworth and Hooper Loop Trail Races – 30 Jan

The Jumbo Holdsworth Trail Race and Hooper Loop are trail mountain runs in the Tararua Forest Park. The Jumbo Holdsworth follows the Jumbo-Mt Holdsworth Circuit or the Holdsworth-Jumbo Circuit – you choose which direction to go. The Hooper Loop keeps mainly within the bush and encompasses graded tracks with a reasonably steep hill climb during the middle section of the race. It suits the novice through to the elite.

Details and entry

XTERRA Wellington Festival – 13 Feb

XTERRA Wellington Festival follows the rugged coastal Kapiti landscape.

Details and entry

Round the Bays half marathon, 10km and 6.5km – 21 Feb

The Brendan Foot Supersite Wellington Round the Bays winds its way around Wellington’s stunning inner city harbour. There are several event options available for participants: the 6.5km Fun Run/Walk, 6.5km Active families, Pak N’ Save Buggy Walk, Bluebridge 10km and the Half Marathon. All start at Frank Kitts Park and follow the shoreline for various distances before returning to the finish line festival at Kilbirnie Park.

Details and entry

Notices

Wellington Speed Golf Champs, Saturday 16 Jan, Miramar Golf Club

Volunteers wanted: Wellington Speed Golf is looking for runners run alongside speedgolf players recording their score for each hole. We are after around 20 people who would be keen for around about an hour of running on the day. Runners don’t have to be fast as there will be the opportunity to run from green to green and there will be periods where the golfer is stopped to take a shot. Coffee vouchers will be provided to runners to say thanks.

For further information and details please contact the organiser: speedgolfwgtn@gmail.com

The event will be the first Speed Golf competition to be held in the region. While still in its infancy, speed golf has now a number of centres actively involved in promoting golf at pace including Auckland, Wellington, Taupo and Taranaki. The event will cater to all abilities with an 18 hole Championship round, 9 hole social round and a warm up pairs event. The NZ and world #1 male speed golfer is confirmed for this event. The event will be played over Saturday afternoon with an after-function at the Miramar Golf Club (18 holes generally completed in between 40 and 90 min).

Speed golf appeals to both golfers who do a bit of running and runners who do a bit of golfing. Currently at Miramar there are up to 7 speed golfers taking to the course on a weekend morning. The range of abilities include those on a handicap of around 6 to those without a handicap. In terms of running ability anything from a 5km time of 20 min to 40 min. Golf at pace is the aim with some fun thrown in.

Keep in touch with the club