Athletics and Cycling Masterton runners Malcolm MacDonald and Sally Duffy. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
There were some excellent results for Wairarapa athletes at the Wellington Cross-Country Championships last weekend.
The championships were run at Grenada North Park, which has become the usual venue in Wellington for the event. The course consisted of a 2.5km lap with two steep banks, two small hurdles and other slopes to negotiate.
Despite the sunny overhead weather conditions, the ground conditions were extremely muddy and slippery, even for a course which always has at least two areas of ankle-deep mud to traverse.
The older runners [men and women] had to run two laps, and for the other grades the championship course was four laps.
The best result for Athletics and Cycling Masterton runners was achieved by Malcolm MacDonald, who won the men’s 60+ grade with a time of 23mins 57secs.
MacDonald has been a consistent performer throughout this year’s interclub series and his victory was well deserved.
The other club medalist was Sally Duffy, who took home the bronze in the women’s 35 grade.
Tony Price easily won the non-championship 10km in a time of 44mins 42 secs.
Liam Lamb of Wairarapa Track and Field won the men’s under-18 6km event in 22mins 32secs.
The men’s under-20 race was contested at the same time, and Lamb took fourth place overall when including the older runners.
He has now qualified to represent Wellington at the New Zealand Cross-Country Championships, which will be his next race.
The overall winners of the open men’s and open women’s grades were Isaac Murphy of Wellington Harriers [35mins 8secs for 10 km] and Kara MacDermid of Palmerston North Athletics and Harriers [41mins 5secs for 10 km].
