Waiwhakareke Relay 2017 Results

Report by Dave Southwick

An august bunch of Hawks fanatics found themselves at Lake Waiwhakarehe,  Rotokauri  on Saturday to run the Kevin Knowles inspired course.  Arriving in heavy rain and a cold southerly, they were not wimps, sitting by the warm fire, complaining about the weather.

Those were with an eye on history would have noted the long steep hills driven through, once a part of our Sweeney Cup course, or that we were a stone’s throw from our superb Gilchrist Rosebowl course of the 80s on the McLachlan farm.  Or even that we had run on this property 40 years ago when we called it the Galloway Ranch, long before it became an HCC property planted all over.

The day took the form of a two person relay with each person running two non-consecutive laps of either 2000, or 4000 metres. The course, shortened a little from the advertised distance, was on stony paths plus some cross country and mud to boot. Thankfully the rain abated, though the cool wind remained.

Winner takes all: Peter Horan and Mike Harris were the first team home.
Events like this really are gems on the Hawks calendar. Kick yourself if you missed it. Thanks to Kevin Knowles as organiser.

Results……..Team and time.
Peter Horan / Mike Harris                    42:38
Gemma Horan / Chris Keith                 44:22
Toshimi Farrell / Kevin Knowles          44:37
David Southwick / Grace Ritchie          45:05
Gordon Speirs / Marc Scott                    45:07
Lucy Farrell / Dawn Tuffery                  45:18
Vaughan Swale / Ross Barnett               45:44
Terry Hannet / Sunil Ritchie                  48:15
Helen Hall-King / Colin King                49:57
Gilbert Macdonald / Maureen Leonard  50:18

Great effort from all runners and very close finish times.