ATHLETICS
Graeme Butcher won the second race in the ACM Masterton Harriers’ summer series on November 4 that started from the Greytown Scout Hall.
Although Corey Miller and Anthony Rowe-Penny led out strongly in A grade [8km], Butcher used his strength and experience to close the gap on the first into the wind stretch and thereafter pulled away to win the grade convincingly. Butcher’s time was 32 minutes, 55 seconds.
Tony Price also showed his experience in finishing second in 33:46 with Corey Miller third in 33:53.
Butcher also took maximum handicap points, and leads overall. Andrew Davenport was second in the handicap and is second overall, while Price was third in the handicap and Miller and Anthony Rowe-Penny are equal third overall.
After missing the first race, Ray Haste returned to win B grade in 39:35. Lesley Graham was second, with Chris Lewis third. Lewis took the handicap from Haste with Norm Chu third. Lewis is also ahead overall from Graham with Robyn Green and Richard Hawkes level in third.
The closest fought race was in C grade where John Jerling and David Farlow set the early pace, before Jerling dropped away and Greg Baillie challenged for the lead.
Farlow squeezed home at the finish in 42:59, just two seconds ahead of Baillie. Jerling was third but took maximum points from Farlow and Baillie. Overall, Jerling and Farlow are level with Chris Wilson third.
Chris Cogdale was a clear winner of D grade coming home in 49:06, well ahead of Claudia Baechle and Rachael Lewis.
Lisa Tonkin was the handicap winner from Baechle and Lewis. Baechle leads overall with Cogdale and Tonkin joint second.
In the new walkers/joggers E grade [6.5km], victory went to Annie Jerling in 33:49. Teresa Reynolds was second Lee-Ann Angove third. Reynolds leads on handicap from Jerling with Annie Hawkes third. Overall, Reynolds and Jerling are tied for first place with Lloyd Miller third.
There was another very tight finish in the walkers’ race with Tim Bird [41:22, 6.5km] edging out Kasey Cox by just one second.
Amazingly, just a second also separated third and fourth with Ingrid Bird [43:10] beating Alison Nagel. John Ihaka took maximum points in this grade, followed by Nagel and Don McLachlan.
Overall, Nagel leads from Ingrid Bird with Ihaka third.
Clifford Rowe-Penny was the fastest junior, completing 4km in 20:36 sec. Brooke Miller was second and Henry Johnston third. Brooke Miller took the handicap from Rowe-Penny and Johnston and there is a tie between Brooke Miller and Rowe-Penny with Charlie Matthews third.
A new winner emerged in the midget race with Hunter Johnston claiming first place in 5:46 for 2km, just beating Lachie Duffy by two seconds. Brooke Duffy was third. Sam Gawith won the handicap from Brooke Duffy and Lachie Duffy but overall Lachie Duffy leads form joint seconds, Brooke Duffy and Sam Gawith.
The next race in the series in on November 18 at Taueru.
