In this week’s newsletter:
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First Up
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Wellington Cross Country Champs Results
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Will’s Triple WUU2K For Cancer
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Club AGM And Board Vacancies
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Entries Open For NZ Road Champs
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World Champs Results
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Otago Cross Country Results
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Team Chosen For NZ XC Champs
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Wellington XC Champs Junior Results
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Road Season Awaits
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Upcoming Junior Events
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Volunteers Needed For Children’s Asthma Study
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Needle Relay Volunteers Needed
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Upcoming Events
First Up
What great runs by Sarah Drought and Nathan Tse on Sunday to take out the Senior Women’s and Senior Men’s titles at the Wellington Cross Country Champs. In the end, each of their wins over the 10k distance was comfortable with Sarah (37:49) winning by 28 seconds and Nathan (32:32) by 49 seconds.
There was some good depth as well, with Esther George (38:17) finishing second to Sarah in the SW race and Ryan McAlister (34:15) finishing third in the SM.
Hopefully the organisers will rethink how the winner of the SM race gets to take home a huge shield while the winning SW doesn’t get anything beyond the standard medal. But we got a picture of both Sarah and Nathan holding the shield as equally deserving winners!
Hats off to a monumental effort by Will Bell over the weekend to complete the first-ever triple WUU2K to raise money to fight cancer. That’s 126km of running with 5800m of elevation. Wow. There’s a link below to his blog for a detailed account which is well worth reading.
Congratulations also to Magnus Monahan, who was third in 21km event at WUU2K, finishing in 2:12:56.
If you are interested in getting more involved in the club, there are some opportunities to take on a leadership role. The board is looking for a new secretary, a marketing manager, and a track-and-field manager.
WHAC’s Quentin Rew said he was disappointed in his World Champs result in Eugene, Oregon, but wants to make amends at the upcoming Commonwealth Games. He is an amazing athlete no matter what. More on that below.
For future newsletter items or suggestions, please email Nick Perry: nickgbperry@gmail.com
Sarah Drought and Nathan Tse at the Wellington XC Champs. Photo: Nick Perry
Wellington Cross Country Champs Results
Congratulations to everybody who ran. Those who finished in the top three in their age groups included:
Poppy Healy 1st GU16 4k (15:42), Lulu Davies 2nd WU18 5k (21:03), Saskia Cosgrove Drayton 1st WU20 6k (23:30), Sarah Drought 1st SW 10k (37:49), Esther George 2nd SW (38:17), Nat Hardaker 3rd MW35 10k (45:07), Vickie Humphries 2nd MW50 5k (22:18).
Xavier James 2nd BU14 2k (6:58), Nathan Tse 1st SM 10k (32:32), Ryan McAlister 3rd SM (34:15), Nick Perry 3rd MM50 10k (39:10), Brian Hayes 2nd MM70 5k (24:44)
Winning Teams: Open Women: Sarah Drought, Esther George, Andrea Peat, Nat Hardaker. Masters Men 60-69: Dave Heatley, Paul May, Peter Wood, Peter Corbett.
More on Nathan’s and Sarah’s wins on the Athletics Wellington site here
Will’s Triple WUU2K For Cancer
From Will Bell
On Friday night at 9pm, I set off to run all three WUU2K distances back-to-back (21K, 42K and 63K) as a fundraiser for the Cancer Society. It was an ambitious goal, especially as I tried to tie in with the start of the 63K event as my third leg.
It was an emotional rollercoaster with plenty of highs & lows. But I’m happy to say that after 20 and a half magical hours, I crossed the finish line to complete the first known “Triple WUU2K”. It was a deeply humbling experience and I’m so grateful for the chance to go on this adventure. It ended up being 126km with 5800m of elevation.
I’m blown away by the support we’ve received for Will’s Ks for Cancer with over $2000 raised for the Cancer Society (and counting). If you’d like donate please go to: https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/wills-ks-for-cancer
If you’d like to read more about the adventure, you can check out my blog over at: https://willirun.wordpress.com/2022/07/19/triple-wuu2k/.
Club AGM And Board Vacancies
From Melissa Black
The club’s Annual General Meeting for 2022 will be held at the clubrooms at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, 22 August. The AGM is open to all WHAC members and affiliates and includes the presentation of the Annual Report, Financial reports, election of the Board of Directors for the next year, nominations for Life Members and Honorary Members. It is also a chance to have your say or express your thoughts on aspects of the club.
Every year, those who are wanting to stand on the WHAC Board of Directors submit a nomination at the AGM. There are 15 members on the WHAC Board of Directors, encompassing a variety of roles. While there are sections leaders (i.e. Track and Field Manager, Harrier Manager, Children’s Manager etc), there are spaces on the Board for members who do not have a specific role and want to hone their governance skills. The Board has a couple of current members stepping down this year, so there is availability for new members.
Through being a member on the Board, you are able to contribute to the workings of the club, including, but not limited to: Event development and promotion, Club development and strategic plan, Membership and recruitment, Club finances, and Funding opportunities and applications.
Our current Board members and their roles:
John Barrance – President
Melissa Black – Secretary
Gordon Clarke – Buildings and Maintenance
Frank Evett – Finance
Esther George – Grants and Sponsorship
Paul Hewitson – Harriers
Louis Hogan
Vickie Humphries
Jean Kozyniak – Coaching
Todd Krieble – Chairperson
Bertram Manz – Membership and Uniforms
Julie Richards – Children
Nathan Tse – Marketing
Jack Waterworth – Track and Field
Georgina Wedge – Health and Safety
Upcoming Vacancies:
Secretary: Club Secretary has a number of responsibilities within the club which include: minute taking, scheduling board meetings and preparing the agenda, club correspondence, filing and maintenance of key club documentation.
Track and Field Manager: Acts as point of contact for club Track and Field enquiries, communicating with athletes regarding upcoming Track and Field events and entries.
Marketing Manager: The club is looking for a keen individual to help develop this role. Key responsibilities will include: Coordinating social media, developing the club website, developing new marketing ideas to help recruit new members and promote the club.
Entries Open For NZ Road Champs
From Athletics Wellington
Entries for the NZ Road Champs, which Athletics Wellington is hosting at Heretaunga on 4 September, are now open:
https://2022nzroadracechamps.eventdesq.com/
The entry fee for members of Athletics Wellington clubs is reduced to $20. When entering, members are asked to “Enter a Pin Code”. Here are the codes which members need to enter:
U14 = $10 off pin code WGTC1
U16,18, 20 = $20 off pin code WGTC2
U23 = $25 off pin code WGTC3
Seniors + Masters 35-64 = $35 off pin code WGTC4
Masters 65+ = $20 off pin code WGTC5
The discounted entry fee is only available to members of AW clubs.
Please share these pin codes with your grades, as well as encouraging them to enter.
Note that all competitors must enter themselves (by the deadline of 28 August), and those selected for the AW representative team will be reimbursed by AW for their $20 entry fee. The AW representative team will be selected from members that have completed the EOI by 19 August: https://2022wintereoi.eventdesq.com/
World Champs Results
WHAC’s Quentin Rew finished 35th in the 20km race walk in 1hr 29min 19sec in a race won by Japan’s Toshikazu Yamanishi in 1:19:07. On Facebook, Quentin wrote: My first 15 global races (1 at Commonwealth Games, 4 at World Cups, 4 at Olympic Games, and 6 at World Championships) yielded 14 results I’m proud of. Unfortunately the time has finally come that I had a bad race in a major competition. I don’t really know what went wrong, but I’m fit, healthy and injury-free, and I’ll make amends at Commonwealth Games in three weeks time.
Facebook link is here
Meanwhile, Kiwi sprinter Eddie Osei-Nketia smashed his father’s 28-year-old national record in the 100m heats to finish in 10.08. More here
And fellow kiwi sprinter Zoe Hobbs broke her own Oceania women’s 100m record to finish in 11.08 in the 100m heats. More here
Otago Cross Country Results
From Timothy Dawbin
Liam Chesney and Paul Hewitson both raced (very well) in the Otago Cross Country Championships over the weekend. Liam came second in the SM 10km (though was not eligible for an Otago medal as a Wellington-registered athlete). Paul also came second in the MM50-64 8km (though was also not eligible for an Otago medal as a Wellington-registered athlete).
Full results can be found here: https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=283473
Liam Chesney in Otago. Photo from Timothy Dawbin.
Team Chosen For NZ XC Champs
Congratulations to the WHAC athletes chosen to represent Wellington at the National Cross Country Champs on July 30 in Taupo:
SM: Nathan Tse, Ryan McAlister, Liam Chesney
SW: Sarah Drought, Esther George, Andrea Peat, Natasha Rae
WU20: Saskia Cosgrove-Drayton
MU18: Conor Chesney
WU18: Lulu Davies
MM35: Dan Clendon
MM50: Paul Hewitson, Nick Perry
MW50: Vickie Humphries
Full list here
Wellington XC Champs Junior Results
From Geoff Henry
1 km Course Grade Time Place in
Layla Starr G 10 5:26 10
2 km Course
Xavier James B 14 6:58 1
Cameron Starr B 14 7:07 3
Kingsley McGuigan B 12 7:25 5
Xanthe Wong G 14 7:42 6
Daniella Starr G 14 8:06 8
Aditya Panigrahy B 12 8:47 12
Barnaby Valsenti B 12 8:47 13
Road Season Awaits
From Paul Hewitson
As we venture into road season, the significance of club events such as the Resnick Cup (July 23) and the Old Boys Memorial Race (Sept. 10) serve as important markers and tempo runs. They are also an opportunity to catch up with other members at the clubrooms without the need to rush home after an interclub event.
Last year we broke a 14-year record with 37 runners for the 6.6 km handicap Resnick Cup and it would be great to get close to this number again. Hopefully, most families will have returned from a winter break. Looking forward to seeing you at the clubrooms by 2 p.m. on July 23.
Upcoming Junior Events
From Geoff Henry
We know that some of you will be away for the school holidays, but during the holidays and soon after there are some significant club and interclub events. To participate, athletes must be financial members and wear club singlets.
Saturday 23 July: Resnick Cup. This is a road handicap race from the Wind Needle, but we’ll meet at the Clubrooms as usual. This time you’ll do a staggered handicap start and the Under 10’s will also run half the distance (this is a handicapper’s nightmare!)
Saturday 30 July: Club run from the clubrooms. Some of the older athletes will be away at the NZ Cross Country Champs in Taupo.
Saturday 6 August: Club runs from the clubrooms.
Saturday 13 August: The Needle Relay. Our club hosts this on our Cobham and Hataitai waterfront. An interclub teams relay with events for: walkers (at 10:30 a.m) A 5km measured out-and-back course, without watches! Estimate your time and closest to their guess wins! (We call that a “Turkey Trot”) Juniors (aged 10 to 13 on race day) with grades for boys, girls and mixed. 1.6km laps along the Cobham Walkway. Under 20, Senior and masters, Men, Women and Mixed Teams from 1.00 p.m. with three 5km laps going one way (northwards), mixed with two 3 km laps going the other way (eastwards). Oh! And we also need helpers with marshalling on the day! Parents? Supporters? Injured Athletes?
Volunteers Needed For Children’s Asthma Study
From Melissa Black
The Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (MRINZ) is running this study to find out which of the following two inhalers/puffers is better at preventing asthma attacks in children with “mild” asthma:
More information: https://trials.mrinz.ac.nz/surveys/?s=XFL7DL98HD
Our study website: https://www.mrinz.ac.nz/currently-recruiting/care-study
Email: care@mrinz.ac.nz
Telephone: 027 327 1191 / +64 4 805 0201
Needle Relay Volunteers Needed
From Georgina Wedge
WHAC is hosting the interclub Needle Relay on Saturday 13th August. It is based from the Wind Needle at the corner of Cobham Drive and Evans Bay Parade. Marshals are required at various key points around Evans Bay Parade and on the footpath alongside Cobham Drive. Sector marshals will lead each team of marshals.
RELAY 1 at 12 p.m. is the Children’s Relay (ages 10-13 on race day). Please note: Parents of children running in this event are expected to do the marshalling for this race – thank you. There will be a race briefing for marshals at the Wind Needle prior to the Children’s Relay, which will be completed before 1.00pm. You are welcome to volunteer to marshal for both of the relays. 😊
REAY 2 at 1 p.m. is the main Needle Relay (ages 14 and over on race day). There will be a second race briefing for marshals at the Wind Needle prior to the main Needle Relay, which should be completed around 3 p.m.
If you can support the club and volunteer to marshal, please email Georgina Wedge: georgina@andersondesign.co.nz
Upcoming Events
JULY
23rd Resnick Cup Road Race, clubrooms
24th (Sun) Masters Road Race, Johnsonville
30th Club runs/walks, clubrooms
30th New Zealand Cross Country Champs, Taupo
31st (Sun) New Zealand XC Champs relays, Taupo
AUGUST
6th Club runs/walks, clubrooms
13th Needle Relay (interclub), Evans Bay
15th AGM (provisional), clubrooms
20th NZ Mountain Running Champs, Queenstown
20th Wellington Road Running Champs (interclub), Wainuiomata
21tst (Sun) Honest 10K, Freyberg
27th Henderson Relay (U14), clubrooms
SEPTEMBER
3rd Club runs/walks, clubrooms
4th (Sun) New Zealand Road Championships NZCIS, Upper Hutt
10th Old Boys Memorial Race, clubrooms
17th Club runs/walks, clubrooms
17th Rotorua Marathon (NZ Masters Champs), Rotorua
18th (Sun) Honest 10K, Freyberg
18th (Sun) Hutt Marathon Events (Wellington Marathon Champs TBC), Petone
24th Club runs/walks, clubrooms
OCTOBER
School holidays October 1st -16th
1st NZ Road Road Relays, Christchurch
8th Club runs/walks, clubrooms
9th (Sun) Masterton Marathon, Half, 10k, 5k, Masterton
15th Bernie Potenski Memorial Handicap, Titahi Bay
16th (Sun) New Zealand Half Marathon Champs, Cambridge
16th (Sun) Honest 10K, Freyberg
16th (Sun) NZ Trail Running Champs, Christchurch
23 (Sun) Harrier Section annual meeting & Prize giving followed by afternoon tea (bring a plate) TBC, clubrooms
NOVEMBER
20th Honest 10K, Freyberg
DECEMBER
18th Honest 10K, Freyberg
WHAC Board Information
If you have ideas for the club or any questions, please contact a board member or the secretary, Melissa Black (secretary@whac.org.nz). Your board members are: John Barrance, Melissa Black, Gordon Clarke, Esther George, Paul Hewitson, Vickie Humphries, Jean Kozyniak, Bertram Manz, Julie Richards, Nathan Tse, Jack Waterworth, Georgina Wedge, Frank Evett, Louis Hogan and Todd Krieble.