Scottish senior men start the season strong, with Joel Carman and Matt Adams picking up the 3rd and 4th national medals by club members within a week.
Coming up this week
- Tuesday 6:15pm: Club session at Newtown Track. Warm up from 6pm.
- Tuesday 7:30pm: Conversation with Lauren Fleshman. Newtown Park.
- Thursday 6pm: Trail Group: Te Ahumairangi. Meet at 6pm at the Botanical Gardens entrance on Glenmore St.
- WEEKLY FOCUS EVENT: Saturday 8am: Waitangi Parkrun 3rd Birthday, Waitangi Park. More details below.
- Saturday 8am: Other Parkruns Lower Hutt, Porirua, Trentham, Kapiti, Ōtaki River and Greytown.
- Saturday 2pm: Athletics Wellington Senior Open Track & Field Meeting # 6, Newtown Park.
- Saturday 2pm: The walkers will be walking from the clubrooms.
- Sunday Morning Club Long Run: 8:30am outside Freyberg Pool. Multiple pace groups. More info here.
Results
3 Peaks Mountain Race (NZ Short Course Trail Champs)
Joel Carman was 2nd, and Matt Adams was 3rd at the 56km 3 Peaks + One Mountain Race in Dunedin, which served as the NZ Short Course Trail Championships. The championship race featured four iconic peaks of Ōtepoti’s hills and over 2600m of
climbing.
This year’s race sat within the selection window for athletes aiming for the World Trail and Mountain Running Championships in Cape Town, South Africa, in October 2027. The final selection policy is expected by September 2026.
Adelaide Classic
James Preston ran his third fastest time ever over 800m and the leading time by a NZer this year – 1:45.07.
Centennial Cup
Stu Beresford was the only runner to beat his handicap time and so won the 12th edition of the Centennial Cup in a time of 24:37. Behind him were Andrew Wells in 2nd, 4 seconds off his handicap in 20:04, and Dave Hosking, 31 seconds off his handicap in 19:46.
Beth Garland was the fastest on the day with 17:33, followed by James Richardson 17:51 and Alasdair Saunders 17:59.
NZ Masters Track and Field Championships
Daphne Jones was 2nd W80 in the 1500m Race Walk in 12.35.22, 2nd in the 3000m Race Walk in 25:33.41 and 2nd in the 5000m Race Walk in 44:56.65. Andrew Kerr was 2nd M50 in the 1500m 4:49.51, 4th in the 400m in 1:05.70, and 6th in the 200m 30.68.
Tararua Mountain Race
- Maddy Watson was 1st (and 2nd overall) in the Field Dash (13km) in 1:54:23.
- Ehsan Lorestani won the Kime Climb (24km) in 2:51:46.
- Alex Kay finished the Southern Crossing (37km) in 7:50:45.
Apologies if I missed any other names in the results
Athletics Wellington Senior Open Track & Field Meeting # 5
Liz Bentley was 5th in the 100m in 18.11 and 2nd in the 400m in a PB of 1:26.85. Hiro Tanimoto was 3rd in the 1500m in 4:18.85, 2nd in the 3000m in 9:50.74 and 4th in the 400m in 1:01.68.
Parkruns
Check out the Scottish results.
Notices
Nau mai
Welcome to new club member Chris Wilson.
Farewell to Nathan Healey
Nathan Healey, a distinguished New Zealand athlete, passed away on 6 March 2026 from severe brain injuries sustained in a bike accident. Born on 19 March 1949 in Gisborne, Nathan and his twin brother Howard were well known for their vibrant personalities, long hair, and unmistakable presence on and off the track. Together, they joined Scottish as teenagers and quickly became admired figures in the athletics community.
Despite their free‑spirited nature, the Healey twins were deeply committed athletes, training under former Arthur Lydiard protégé Bill Baillie and embracing the demanding principles of Lydiard’s system. Both specialised in the 3000m steeplechase and represented New Zealand at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, where they captivated spectators as the only twins on the national team. Nathan finished 10th in the steeplechase in 8:52.2, with Howard close behind in 11th. They also competed at the 1973 World Cross Country Championships in Belgium, contributing to New Zealand’s bronze‑medal team performance. Nathan went on to win national steeplechase titles in 1971, 1972, and 1975, while Howard claimed the title in 1974.
Featuring Kyle Malone
Next weekend, Scottish member Kyle Malone will line up in Central Otago for the Northburn 100, chasing a win and sub-24-hour time (which would be a new course record). We caught up with Kyle to find out a few more details about this incredible but daunting event, and how he came to be lining up.
What is Northburn 100?
Northburn is a 100 mile running event where according to the race director (Terry Davis) “Suffering is the prize, and everyone’s a winner.” It’s just outside of Cromwell and has about 9000m (higher than Mt Everest!!) of ascent over high-country 4wd tracks, sheep trails and some untracked boggy sections.
What attracts you to it?
I’ve approached running from the adventure side of things, mostly choosing races and events that take me into tough and remote areas. I think Northburn is potentially one of the hardest running events in the country due to all the climbing. I also think I do better relatively in those tough and long events where you start missing sleep too.
What is your goal?
Last year I withdrew with about 40km to go, so the main priority is just to get around the course. I was in a decent spot within the field but I was still exhausted from the Spectacle 100 a few months prior and hadn’t been able to get the training that I would have liked in. This summer has been very different and I feel a lot better about where my fitness is.
What is your sporting / running background?
I was a committed rower through high school and university, before getting into running in 2018. Because I’d never had the weekends or holidays free to go tramping or adventuring in the backcountry, I just started running through the local mountains whenever I could to make up for that lost time. In 2019 I became the 4th person to complete the 3 main traverses of the Tararua range, and in 2022 I was the 2nd to complete the traverse of the range while summitting all of the 1500m peaks on the way.
What other plans do you have in 2026?
In July I’ll be lining up for the Last Annual Vol State road race in Tennessee, USA – an unsupported 508km road race across the state. And in December I’ll be once again toeing the line in the Spectacle 100 mile in Nelson. It’s a race I’ve done twice now finishing 1st and 3rd, so it would be great to keep that run of podium finishes at such a tough event going. Outside of these, I’m looking forward to showing up to a bunch of club and inter-club events. I’m especially excited to see what a new venue brings to the Vosseler Shield in May.
Report on Scottish AGM
The Scottish AGM took place last Monday and elected officers for the coming year. Alan Stevens was reappointed as club patron. Simon Keller was elected president after serving as interim president. Floor Kaars Sijpesteijn was reelected treasurer, and Chester Holt‑Quick was elected as vice president. No nominations were received for secretary. Nine members — Anna Fifield, Isla Turner‑Holmes, Danielle Stevens, James Turner, Lennox Crowe, Matt Adams, Emma Bassett, Kyle Malone and Stephen Day — were confirmed for the management committee.
In his report, President Simon Keller highlighted a year of achievement and transition for Wellington Scottish. He acknowledged the passing of club members and recognised the longstanding contributions of several others. He celebrated strong competitive performances. He outlined major developments for the club: the imminent sale of the clubhouse, a new constitution, rejuvenating the supporters’ trust, launching a new calendar, and bringing on new volunteers. The club has a stable membership but needs more young members to strengthen its identity. Our strong financial positions create opportunities, including exploring paid positions, boosting support for young athletes and establishing a new scholarship programme.
Season opening clothing sale
To celebrate the opening of our 2026 season, our range of Scottish-branded clothing is available at discounted prices. Order in time to collect at the Centennial Cup, or by the end of March. Email Simon at stkeller30@gmail.com. The discounted prices and available sizes are below.
- Women’s classic short-sleeve technical t-shirt, available in M, L, 2XL, $40
- Women’s “unleash your inner lion” short-sleeve technical, XS, M, L, XL, $40
- Women’s long-sleeve technical, M, L, $50
- Crop top, all sizes XS-XL, $85
- Puffer vest, L, $50
- Unisex white cotton short-sleeve, S, L, XL, $35
- Caps, $40
- Men’s classic short-sleeve technical, S, M, L, XL, $40
- Men’s “unleash” short-sleeve technical, XS, M, L, XL, $40
- Men’s long-sleeve technical, XS S, M, L, $50
- Rampant lion socks, all sizes, $15.
Also, Simon is checking if there is interest in buying a Scottish hoodie? If there’s some interest, we can put in a new order. We expect they’ll be $80-110, depend on exactly what we order (and what happens to global supply chains in the meantime). We’d need to sell about 20 to make the order worthwhile. Contact Simon if keen.
We want your running photos
Thanks to everyone who’s sent their photos. If you’re willing to have your running pics shared on our public-facing Facebook and Instagram pages, please send photos to us or upload them to this folder.
Scottish apparel for sale
We are selling club singlets and Early racing singlets that club member John Plimmer manufactures locally. Crop tops, socks, puffer vests, rampant lion caps, technical “Wellington Scottish” short-sleeves, technical “Unleash your inner lion” short-sleeves, long-sleeves and white cotton short-sleeve t-shirts – all in a range of sizes.
Check our clothing for sale on our website
Coming up
21 March: Waitangi Parkrun 3rd birthday
This Saturday is the fourth of our weekly focus events for 2026 and the second at Waitangi Parkrun. It’s a major milestone event for Waitangi Parkrun too. It’s their 3rd birthday, and they expect to have their 50,000th finisher next weekend, too. We estimate that if you cross the line about 109th, then this may be you! Join us at 8am for the start of the Parkrun. You can
- run/walk the Parkrun
- do your own tempo or workout on Oriental Bay
- go for a trail run around Mt Victoria, or
- jog/walk along the waterfront.
Or you can be a park run volunteer:
Wellington Scottish will again partner with Waitangi Parkrun to provide pacers this Saturday. Following that, we’re planning to provide pacers at 9 May / 20 June / 25 July.
Sign up on the Stack Duty Roster if you’d like to pace one of the listed times, or message Chris Howard if you’d like to pace something else. It is very easy to pace. Consider using it as a friendly warm-up to your Saturday session and hanging with your Scottish clubmates over a coffee at Raglan Roast afterwards. You’ll also get volunteer credit from Parkrun.
Other Waitangi Parkrun volunteer opportunities
12 April: NZ Half Marathon Championships, Christchurch
The 2026 New Zealand Half-Marathon Championships will be held in conjunction with the Christchurch Marathon.
12 April: Porirua Grand Traverse
The Porirua Grand Traverse on 12 April 2026 is a vibrant festival of fitness with an event for everyone. With a 65km Multisport and 53km Duathlon, plus the stand-alone 10km Fun Run, 21km Mountain Run, MTB and 12km paddle events – there’s a place for you on the start line.
18 April: New Zealand and Wellington Mountain Running Champs
APRIL FOCUS EVENT
The NZ Mountain Running Championships are in Johnsonville, Wellington, set along the iconic Skyline Track over Mt Kaukau. This classic up‑and‑down course sends runners out and back along the western hills, starting and finishing at the northern end of the trail before tracing the ridge line south toward Mt Kaukau and beyond.
22 April: Night XC
A new midweek event from Athletics Wellington.
Details to come
25-26 April: Faultline Ultra
This is an epic journey that weaves through the best trails from Kāpiti, the Hutt River Trail, Belmont, Porirua, Karori and Wellington City. Distances include: the 100 Miler, 103km, 53km, 25km, 11km and 6km.
2 May: Shaw Baton Relays
The Shaw Baton Relays are just around the corner, and we want to see a sea of Wellington Scottish teams out on the start line. This iconic cross‑country relay is fast, fun, and full of that club spirit we’re known for. It has a short, varied terrain lap that suits runners of all speeds and experience levels. It’s a great way to kick off the relay season. Let’s show everyone why Scottish brings the biggest cheer squad, the best participation, and the strongest wāhine and tāne on the course.
Details to come
Keep in touch:
- If there is anything you would like added to the Scottish Newsletter, or if your results have been missed, please email us.
- If you want to contact anyone about anything, your first port of call is our club captains, Meg and Joel and our club president, Simon.
- Public Facebook page and join the Scottish member Facebook group here.
- Website
Notes about results and upcoming events
- If you want your event added to this newsletter, contact us by Sunday evening.
- We’ll publish an event or a result and what makes it special if we’re told about it. So let us know what you, your friends, family members and teammates are up to. It is especially important for coaches to let us know when your athletes are attempting and achieving their goals.
- If you don’t want your name published in the newsletter or on the website, please let us know so we can omit you from the results.