Cambridge XC Relays 2013 Results
The first open cross country event of the WBOP season on the Cambridge Green Belt attracted a pleasing 49 teams and Hawks had 51athletes taking part which was an excellent club effort. As always Cambridge turned on a well run event on a challenging course with 12 obstacles that included water jumps, hay bales and hurdles to keep everyone on their toes. For some the challenge was too much and hurdling ability fell short. Old style courses of the past over farmland often included seven wire fences and Kerry Williams who won five nationals on the trot in the seventies cleared such obstacles without a touch. Clearing obstacles efficiently seems to be a lost skill by the number of falls on Saturday.
Race honours were dominated by Hawks taking out top spot in senior men, masters men, mixed, U15, U18 while Cambridge won masters women and Tauranga senior women.
In the U12 2000 Charli Millers showed her class with a quick run of 9.24 beating all guys and gals. A super effort Charli.
First year senior Tim Stewart gave the SM team a flying start and took out fastest time with a 9.39
clocking. Ben Ruthe has the course record in 9.08 set in 2006.Tim’s lead was extended after strong laps from Corey Whiting 10.04 and Jai Davies Campbell 9.48 and Garit Read 10.20 was able to cruise though to give Hawks its first win of the day.
In the Masters Men Kerry Suter ran a quick first lap 9.59 for Cambridge but through very consistent lapping just 3 seconds separated Kent Hodgson 10.56, John Crane 10.57 and Andrew Wark 10.59 the Hawks MM team scored a 2minute victory over Lake City.
The Tauranga SW team finished fast with a classy run from Laurie Pugh 11.33 to relegate the Hawks ( missing two top athletes to a Tauranga beer mile) team to second.
The briefly borrowed (I hope) Cambridge masters women team of Bridget Deverell, Katy Dawson and Jenni Hoogeveen proved the winner from Lake City in the Masters Women’s race. Katy Dawson still on marathon recovery ran a quick 11.46 for second equal fastest lap with Olivia Ritchie.
An interesting additional event “the skins lap” occurred towards the end of the relay when five
young Hawks bared their flesh and ran a quick repeat lap with Tim 9.49, Jacob 9.53 and Jai 10.14. Good to see the guys having fun.
All in all a great interclub opening event for the club but I do wonder why Auckland has already had three serious interclub open cross country events. What about a couple of new under distance CC races on our winter programme say one at Kihikihi and another at Minoque Park while still dry. Worth a thought?
All detailed lap times and results available from the attached PDF’s below:
Cambridge Relay 2013 Individual Results
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Photos by Hadley Craig and Mike Harris
