In this week’s newsletter:
First Up
Zoe Hobbs Breaks 11 Seconds
Honest 10 Turns 100
National Road Relays Update
Olivia McTaggart Shatters Pole Vault PB
Upcoming Events
First Up
We’re looking forward to a big event on Sunday, the special 100th edition of the Honest 10K. So far, eight teams of 10 have signed up for the relay. Along with those who show up on the day, there should be lots of runners and walkers, so make sure you get there in plenty of time to find a park if you are driving.
There will be some spot prizes on offer. Shoe Clinic has kindly donated some water bottles and discount vouchers, Garage Project has donated some beer, and Mediterranean Foods a voucher.
So if you haven’t already signed up to help out or run, do come along on Sunday, if you can make it, to run, walk, or cheer from the sidelines. Registration begins at 8 a.m. for an 8:30 a.m. sharp start, and so far the weather is looking good.
The club has put together the calendar of events for the year, and It is published in full below so you can look at upcoming competitions and start making plans. Please note that some events are still to be confirmed and others might be subject to change (or to us getting the dates wrong!)
We had another great group of 11 who ran the Makara Loop on Sunday, and we were most thankful once again for the support of Mark Te Punga who handed out drinks and gels along the way. There were a couple more WHAC runners who were in an early group as well, making for an excellent turnout.
A reminder that it’s the final Thursday Throwdown trail run next week (23rd of March) at Te Whiti Riser.
For future newsletter items or suggestions, please email Nick Perry: nickgbperry@gmail.com
Zoe Hobbs Breaks 11 Seconds
Sprinter Zoe Hobbs has officially become the first New Zealand woman to run under 11 seconds for the 100 metres.
Hobbs created history at the Sydney Track Classic by running 10.97 to scalp one tenth of a second from her Oceania women’s 100m record with an exhilarating performance.
Just eight days ago, the 25-year-old Taranaki-raised and Auckland-based sprinter lit up the New Zealand Track & Field Championships in Wellington by trimming 0.01 from her Oceania record, running 11.07 in the heats before following up with an illegal wind assisted 10.89 in the final.
Full story from RNZ is here
Honest 10 Turns 100
From Paul Hewitson
The 100th Honest 10k will be run on March 19th and to help celebrate we are including a team’s competition at a discounted entry fee.
Register your team of 10 online with a team name and entrants. $5 per registered runner with a maximum of five senior men. The combined time will be calculated with prizes for the winning team. Note this is open only to registered club runners.
Participants can enter both online or on the day. We will also have some spot prizes.
We will donate 50% of the proceeds to Wellington Free Ambulance
Remember it’s a fast and accurate course with pacers, photos and refreshments!
Teams can email a spreadsheet of their runners to: Honest10@whac.org.nz
Runners prepaying can use the code “H10 team name” eg “H10 Scottish” or pay on the day.
For more information, click here
National Road Relays Update
From Ian Thomas, General Manager Athletics Canterbury
Following the 2022 National Road Relay (NRR), Athletics Canterbury commissioned an independent review to look at the causes of the very late venue change and a further independent feasibility study to determine the best option to pursue for the NRR in 2023.
Both these have been completed and recommendations made in the review are being actioned as part of the work on the 2023 event. On the basis of both the review and the feasibility study it has been agreed that for the immediate future pursuing a course from the Sign of the Takahe to Akaora is not viable. The team had considered a number of variations along the original route. Instead the team, in working with an independent traffic management planner, have identified a completely new road course for 2023 which will be launched shortly once we have confirmed details with the local Council.
Olivia McTaggart Shatters Pole Vault PB
From Athletics New Zealand
Olivia McTaggart produced the competition of her life today to win the Auckland Championships with a 6cm PB and World Championship entry standard mark of 4.71m at AUT Millennium.
In yet another competition which demonstrated the strength in depth of New Zealand pole vaulting, former Olympic bronze medallist Eliza McCartney picked up silver by matching her season’s best of 4.61m and Imogen Ayris, the Commonwealth bronze medallist, added 1cm to her PB to clear 4.51m and claim third.
Full story here
Upcoming Events
MARCH
18th New Zealand Mountain Running Champs, Mt Maunganui
19th (Sun) 100th Honest 10K and Relay, Whale Tail sculpture near Freyberg Pool
26th New Zealand Short Course Trail Running Champs, Dunedin
APRIL
1st Club runs/walks, clubrooms
Easter April 7-10
School Holidays April 7th-23rd
15th Club runs/walks, clubrooms
16th (Sun) Honest 10K, Whale Tail sculpture near Freyberg Pool
16th (Sun) Christchurch Marathon, Christchurch
22nd Opening Day/Donaldson Memorial Relay, clubrooms
29th Shaw Baton Relays, Battle Hill
MAY
6th University Cross Country Relays, Mackays Crossing
6th Rotorua Marathon (NZ Masters Champs) &Road Champs 5K, Rotorua
14th (Sun) Palmerston North Full, Half, 10 & 5K, Palmerston North
20th Hawke’s Bay Marathon, Hastings
20th Club runs/walks, clubrooms
21st (Sun) Masters Classic Relay TBC, Trentham
21st (Sun) Honest 10K, Whale Tail sculpture near Freyberg Pool
27th Vosseler Shield (interclub), clubrooms
JUNE
3rd Press/Palmer cups, clubrooms
4th (Sun) Aurora Handicap Marathon, Upper Hutt
10th Dorne Cup (interclub), Trentham
17th Club runs/walks, clubrooms
17-18th NZSS XC & Relay Champs, Palmerston North
18th (Sun) Honest 10K, Whale Tail sculpture near Freyberg Pool
24th Club runs/walks, clubrooms
25th Wellington Marathon, Half, 10K & 5K (inc, NZ & Wellington Half Marathon Champs), Sky Stadium
JULY
1st North Island XC champs, Taupo
1st Club runs/walks, clubrooms
School Holidays July 1st-16th
8th Club runs/walks, clubrooms
15th Wellington Urban Ultra, Mt Kaukau
15th Club runs/walks, clubrooms
16th (Sun) Wellington Cross Country Champs (interclub), Harcourt Park
16th (Sun) Honest 10K, Whale Tail sculpture near Freyberg Pool
22nd Resnick Cup Road Race, clubrooms
23rd (Sun) Masters Road Race TBC, Johnsonville
29th Club runs/walks, clubrooms
29th New Zealand Cross Country Champs, Taupo
AUGUST
5th Club runs/walks, clubrooms
12th Club runs/walks, clubrooms
13th (Sun) Honest 10K, Whale Tail sculpture near Freyberg Pool
19th Wellington Road Running Champs (interclub), Wainuiomata
21st AGM (Provisional), clubrooms
26th Needle Relay (interclub), Evans Bay
SEPTEMBER
2nd Henderson Relay (U14), clubrooms
10th (Sun) New Zealand Road Championships, Palmerston North
16th Old Boys Memorial Race, clubrooms
17th (Sun) Honest 10K, Whale Tail sculpture near Freyberg Pool
17th (Sun) Hutt Marathon Events (Wellington Marathon Champs), Petone
School holidays – September 23- October 8th
23rd Club runs/walks, clubrooms
30th New Zealand Road Relays, Christchurch
OCTOBER
7th Prizegiving followed by afternoon tea TBC, clubrooms
14th Bernie Potenski Memorial Handicap TBC, Titahi Bay
15th (Sun) Honest 10K, Whale Tail sculpture near Freyberg Pool
NOVEMBER
19th (Sun) Honest 10K, Whale Tail sculpture near Freyberg Pool
DECEMBER
17th (Sun) Honest 10K, Whale Tail sculpture near Freyberg Pool
WHAC Board Information
If you have ideas for the club or any questions, please contact a board member or the secretary, Richard Swan (secretary@whac.org.nz). Your board members are: John Barrance, Richard Swan, Frank Evett, Paul Hewitson, Julie Richards, Gordon Clarke, Georgina Wedge, Bertram Manz, Jean Kozyniak, Vickie Humphries, Seth Campbell, Todd Krieble, Ryan McAlister, Nathan Tse and John O’Driscoll.