This week
- Tuesday 6.00 pm, interval session with Andy, Alice and Rowan outside Freyberg Pool. This week’s session is 1km reps at 10km pace.
- Friday 12.27 pm, Kupe Run, a chatty pre-weekend run from the Kupe statue on the waterfront.
- Saturday 8.30 am, speed sessions at Karori Park. Contact our club captains, Emma and Bert, or check Facebook for details.
- Saturday 2.00 pm, Friendly club pack runs, Mt Cook Clubrooms, Salisbury Terrace.
- Sunday long pack runs — usually, these leave at 8.30 am from outside Freyberg Pool and some alternative locations around Wellington. Contact our club captains, Emma and Bert, or check Facebook for details.
- Sunday 9.00am, Xterra Awesome Akatarawa, Whareroa Farm, Kāpiti
Results
Dorne Cup
Palmerston North sent a gang to take down our Seamus Kane, but he repelled all challengers to remain undefeated this season. Diego Montes made his debut for the club, and James Parsons made a welcome return to the yellow singlet. Peter Stevens edged the Kāpiti Stevens and the cousin Stevens to take the M50 title. Mel Brandon, Genevieve Coffey, Ayesha Shafi and Floor Kaars Sijpesteijn won the women’s teams title and had Leah Holden and Ruby Muir just a few seconds back in support. Joe Martin was 2nd in the U18s.
- Results
- Mandy, Peter and Liam Jones’ videos: 4km, 6km, 8km. There was a whole film crew for the event.
- Rowan’s photos
- Sharon’s photos 6km vol 1, 6km vol 2, kids vol 1, kids vol 2, 8km vol 1, 8km vol 2, 8km vol 3, 8km vol 4.
World Mountain Running Championships
Niam Macdonald was in 110th place after the flat first 900 metres of the 7.1km/1020m vertical elevation course in Stubaitai, Austria. However, once the climbing began, he picked up 40 places to finish 70th. He was the 2nd NZer home, helped the NZ team to 21st place and, significantly, beat all 3 Aussies. I initially thought this was the same course in Fulpes that I raced in 2014, but it is slightly further down the valley from Innsbruck and much steeper!
In the Classic Mountain Race, Niam was the second Kiwi across the line in 73rd (1:07:34)rd (1:07:34) in the Classic Mountain Race. Again he started cautiously (109th place after 1 mile) before working his way through the field on the two uphill climbs.
SK 1500s
A result I missed a few weeks ago: Kyle Malone received the Patupaiarehe Award for his achievement last December in submitting every peak in the Tararua Range above 1500m in height in a single north-south traverse trip (34 hours and 4 seconds).
Taranaki Open Walks
Helen Willis won the handicap race completing 10km in 1:15:21. Daphne Jones finished in 1:26:54 and had the highest age grade percentage, at 79%.
Three Peaks No 2
Great weather for the 25 who took part — the shortest route seemed to be 19km with around 750m of ascent. Dion Gamperle, Matt Mintrom and Andy Ford were the fastest male Scottish runners around the Tour de Brooklyn and Karori of the Wind Turbine, Wrights Hill and Johnston Hill — just breaking 2 hours with a shared time of 1.59. Trica Sloan was the fastest woman in 2.28.
Mt Difficulty Ascent
Ali Wilson won the 44km Mt Difficulty Ascent in 5:41:49.6, nearly 13 minutes ahead of her nearest competitor.
Millers Farm Handicap Race, Southland
Oliver McLean was 3rd on handicap in this Southland Harriers race held on Hannah Miller’s family farm. He completed the 7.3km in 29.29.
XVIII Meeting, Iberoamericano, Huelva
Hamish Carson ran 13:56.58 in the 5000m for 11th place.
Notices
Nau mai
Welcome to new club member Mairi Hilton.
Farewell Michael Browne
Much loved club member Michael Browne passed away on 9 June 2023, aged 92. You can read an obituary for him on our website.
Club records
We are compiling a list of all-time records by Scottish club members. Read the article here and see the list of records here. Let us know if you can add or correct any details.
Supporting a blind runner
Archilles Wellington has just contacted us asking if anyone in our club could help guide a 15-year-old blind runner based in Lower Hutt. His father has guided him in the past, but he is now looking for someone who can guide him for a weekly or fortnightly run of 3-5km in LH at 5.30pm or 6pm on Tue or Wed evenings, or maybe at weekends, and cross country races when they happen. Is this something you can help with? If so, please get in touch with David at Archilles – achilleswellington@gmail.com, and he will then put you in contact with the runner’s dad. Or message me, and I’ll pass on your details to David. Achilles can provide guidance and training on how to guide the visually impaired if desired.
Half marathon pacer
Athletics Wellington is still looking for someone to pace 1.30 for the Wellington half marathon next month. If you are interested in doing this, please get in touch with Tamsin at community@athleticswellington.org.nz.
Childcare query during Gazley Volkswagen Wellington Half Marathon
We’ve been contacted by Australian Masters runner Michael Jackson from Queensland (Toowong Harriers, Qld Masters). He and his wife are visiting Wellington to run the Gazley Volkswagen Wellington Half Marathon at the end of June. Their 12-year-old son is also visiting but not running. Michael is asking if other running parents have their kids doing something or hanging out somewhere during the races. If so, he’d like to know what, as he’s trying to work out what he’ll do. If you can help, Michael’s email is mikejjack@gmail.com.
Coming up
Wellington Marathon, 25 June
This event includes the NZ and Wellington half-marathon champs. The Wellington Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km fun run and Kids’ Magic Mile are based at Sky Stadium. All races consist of flat, out-and-back courses. The marathon and half marathon routes are scenic tours of the Capital’s harbour bays, passing iconic landmarks on the way. Walkers are welcome. Almost 5000 runners and walkers participate in this annual event.
Make sure you put down “Wellington Scottish Athletics Club” as your team name to be part of our half marathon and 10 km teams. There are about 31 people registered for the Scottish teams so far.
Galashiels Trophy and Novice Cup, 8 July
This popular 4.9km race is run over various terrain, including footpaths/roads and an uphill bush track. It starts on Muritai Road, Eastbourne.
WUU2K, 15 July
WUU2K is Wellington’s premier trail ultra marathon. This iconic event takes runners on a journey around Wellington’s best trails and scenery. Options include a 21km half marathon, a 43km marathon, and a 62km ultramarathon.
Wellington Cross Country Champs, 16 July
The course will be based on a 2km lap of Harcourt Park in Upper Hutt, the same as used last year. The lap has a mixture of flat and undulating cross-country running and is suitable for spikes. Note the shorter race distances and earlier race times compared to last year.
NZ Cross Country Champs and Cross Country Relays, 29-30 July
Let us know if you want to join us for a trip to Taupō for the NZ Cross Country Champs. The cross-country championships bring together the best distance runners in NZ — and they are also an excellent opportunity for a club weekend away with runners of all speeds and ambitions.
The likely cost of the weekend is about $100 for accommodation, $85 for transport (for those who need it) and $60 for a shared meal on Saturday night. The club has kindly offered to pay race entry fees.
Spa Park, with its rolling hills, geothermal scenery, hot pools and fast-draining volcanic soil, is one of the best cross-country courses in NZ. And Taupō is an excellent venue for a club weekend away.
Details and register your interest
Keep in touch
- If you want to contact anyone about anything, then your first ports of call are our club captains, Emma and Bert, our coaching coordinators, Jaime and Nico Vessiot, and our club president Lindsay Young.
- Public Facebook page. And join the Scottish member Facebook group here.
- Website
- Email results and news