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Wellington Harrier Athletic Club

2 months ago

Wellington Harrier Athletic Club
Interesting talk from Letha, and a plug for whac. ...

Desert Island Tracks with Letha Whitham

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Letha Whitham of Blaydon Harriers tells Simon about the benefits of being in a club, running while pregnant, and shares a piece of music that resonates with ...

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NOTICES

    • The iconic Vosseler Shield race on Mount Victoria; often described as New Zealand’s toughest cross country race – 22nd May 2021.   Info, Course, results, teams, individual, points.   

                                                    

      • Harrier Opening Day 10 AprilIf you are in Wellington that day, please make the effort to attend the club on Saturday afternoon. We are organising various running activities on other days throughout the week between Easter and 11 April, a bit like university orientation week. Details will be in upcoming newsletters.
      • Please refer to the Calendar tab for current information regarding WHAC races and events, interclub races, and national championships.

        WELCOME

        Welcome to the home of Wellington Harrier Athletic Club, Wellington’s oldest and most prestigious harrier club.

        Founded in 1903, Wellington Harriers is in its 119th year of competition. Everyone is welcome to join WHAC. We cater for all levels, ages and events for those wanting to improve fitness through to regional and national competition. We host a number of club runs, interclub and social events throughout the year.

        During the winter, training is based from our clubrooms nestled in the heart of Wellington, on Mt Victoria. In the summer months we train and compete at Newtown Park’s all-weather Track and Field facility.

        For up to date news, photos and results check out our facebook page.

        Welcome aboard!

 

Calendar

2021 Winter Calendar

(as at 25th May 2021)

February 21 Round the Bays Wellington
March 7 Hutt valley 5k/10k/Fun Run McEwan Park
20 Unofficial Club runs / walks Clubrooms
21(Sun) Honest 10 Freyberg
27 5000m Champs Newtown
April 2 Easter April 2nd- 5th
3 Club runs/walks Clubrooms
9-Jan NZSSA North Island Champs Hamilton
10 Opening Day Clubrooms
10 Wellington Mountain Running Champs Wainuiomata
11(Sun) Christchurch Marathon (NZ Marathon Champs) Christchurch
School Holidays April 16th-May 3rd
17 Club runs/walks Clubrooms
17 NZ Mountain Running Champs Coronet Peak
18(Sun) Honest 10 Freyberg
24 Donaldson Memorial Relay Clubrooms
May 1 Shaw Baton Relays Battle Hill
8 Rotorua Marathon (NZ Masters Champs) Rotorua
8 University Cross Country Relays Mackays Crossing
15  Club runs /walks Clubrooms
15 Hawkes Bay marathon Hastings
16 Honest 10k Freyberg
22 Vosseler Shield (inter club) Clubrooms
23(Sun) Masters classic Relay Trentham
29 Club runs/walks Clubrooms
June 5 Club runs/walks Clubrooms
12 Dorne Cup (inter-club) Trentham
19 NZSS XC & Relay Champs Hawera
19 Trinity Run Scottish Scottish
Clubrooms
20 Honest 10k Freyberg
26 Club runs/walks Clubrooms
27 Wellington Marathon, half, 10k & 5k  (inc Wellington Half Marathon Champs) Skysport Stadium
July 3 North Island XC champs Taupo
3 Club runs/walks Clubrooms
 School Holidays July 9th-26th
10 Club runs / walks Clubrooms
17 Wellington Urban Ultra Mt Kaukau
18(Sun) Wellington Cross Country Champs(interclub) Harcourt Park
18 Honest 10k Freyberg
24 Resnick Cup Road Race Clubrooms
25 Masters Road Race Johnsonville
31 Press/Palmer cups Clubrooms
August 7 New Zealand Cross Country Champs Otago
14 Needle Relay (interclub) Evans Bay
15 Honest 10k Freyberg
16 AGM (provisional) Clubrooms
21 Wellington Road Running  Champs(interclub)  Wianuiomata
28 Trinity Run Olympic Alex Moore
September 4 Henderson Relay (U14) Clubrooms
5 New Zealand Road Championships Hamilton
11 Old Boys Memorial Race Clubrooms
12 Hutt Marathon, Half, 10k, 5k Petone
18 Trinity run WHAC Cubrooms
19(Sun) New Zealand Half Marathon Champs Cambridge
19 Honest 10k Freyberg
25 Club runs/walks Clubrooms
School holidays  – October 1st -18th
October 2 NZ Road Road Relays Christchurch
9 Club runs/walks Clubrooms
10 Masterton Marathon, Half, 10k, 5k (Inc Wellington Marathon Champs) Masterton
16 Bernie Potenski Memorial Handicap Titahi Bay
17 Honest 10k Freyberg
23 Harrier Section annual meeting & Prize giving followed by afternoon tea (bring a plate) Clubrooms
November 21 Honest 10k Freyberg
December 19 Honest 10k Freyberg

Click here for venues and maps

The Vosseler Shield

The Vosseler Shield is arguably one of New Zealand’s toughest interclub races on the winter calender. Held annually on Mt. Victoria, the event features over four hundred athletes from various clubs across the lower North Island. The shield was named after Frederick Vosseler, a prominent Wellington businessman who helped found the Wellington Harrier club in 1903. In 1923 he presented the Vosseler Shield to his old running club for the annual cross-country fixture. In its early days the Vosseler Shield race started from Lyall Bay and went around the hills above Moa Point. It became a Mt Victoria event in the 1950s, when Wellington Harriers relocated to Alexandra Road.

History

Wellington Harrier Athletic Club is one of the oldest harrier and sporting clubs in New Zealand. Founded in 1903, the first pack run set off from the Basin Reserve on the afternoon of Saturday 4 April, with a second and main opening run on the afternoon of Saturday 18 April. In the early years most of the club’s activities revolved around a weekly pack run held each Saturday. The location of the start varied week to week between various church halls and private homes around the district, a practice that still continues today from our clubrooms located on Mt. Victoria in the heart of Wellington.

The first Wellington Harriers Cross Country Championship was held in 1905. The race was held over five miles at the local Island Bay Racecourse with eleven starters. Wellington Harriers first came to prominence at the 1909 NZAAA National Cross Country held in Timaru finishing second in the club race behind Caversham. Since then Wellington Harriers has become widely recognised both Nationally and Locally as being one of New Zealand’s most successful harrier clubs. In 1984, Wellington Harriers Senior Men secured their first off two National Road Relay titles during the decade. A decade which included a host of National medals and New Zealand Representative’s such as the house hold names of Froude, McCallum and Drake.

Caption: A young Dallas McCallum

The 1990’s saw the rise of Wellington Harrier’s as a stable for producing some of New Zealand’s best female athletes. In particluar Barbara Moore (Bronze 1990 CWG 10,000m), Hare, O’Rourke and Humphries leading the charge. On the 22nd March 1997 it was unanimously agreed that Wellington Harriers would merge with the local Wellington Track and Field Club (WTFC) to form Wellington Harrier Athletic Club (WHAC). Since the formation of WHAC the club’s involvement in he track and field scene has continued to grow, to the point where we may now be considered the premier track and field club in the region, among the top T&F clubs in the country. WHAC has also developed a strong Children’s athletic’s programme which usually sees over 100 children at club days.

      

In 2003, WHAC celebrated 100 years of running and is proud to be one of New Zealand’s longest standing Harrier and Athletic Clubs. The club continues to grow with over four hundred members from children through to masters.

Life Members