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North Island Cross Country Champs
Spa Park, Taupo
7 July, 2001
HAWKES BAY JUNIORS BRING HOME THE MEDALS
A large team of Hawkes Bay athletes competed at the North Island Cross Country Champs in Taupo on Saturday, and it was the Junior athletes who lead the way, bringing home 1 gold, 2 silvers and 1 bronze medal.
Napier Harriers' Brendan Speakman got the bay off to a fabulous start in the first race on the card, the under 9 boys and girls. Racing over 1km, Speakman ran hard right from the gun to be leading after the climb up the big hill, but was run down by a Papakura runner on the following flat section. Speakman chased hard over the final 300m, finishing a very determined second.
Five minutes later and the bay contingent were once again on their feet, this time cheering on Hastings Harriers' Ben Barry in the under 12's 2km race. Barry led from the gun and ran with such command that there was never any doubt as to who was going to take home the gold. Leading the field by up to 50 meters at the 1km mark, Barry was able to cruise home to a very comfortable 12 second victory. It wasn't all plain sailing however for Barry's club-mate, David Morton who was forced to battle tooth and nail all the way to the line for a very gutsy third place. Having battled for the entire race with an athlete from Pakuranga, it all came down to the dip on the line where Morton was given the nod by fractions of an inch as the Pakuranga boy was left sprawled on the grass. Napier's Eric Speakman also produced a top ten finish in this event, coming home in 7th.
The under 14 girls race produced the final medal for the bay contingent as Napier's Laura Smidt raced over 3km to claim the silver medal. The event was combined with the under 16 girls event making it difficult to determine who was racing against whom. Smidt finished strongly, crossing the line in a very commendable 7th overall. There was then a nervous wait for Smidt while the placings for the separate grades were determined, but in the end she had done enough for second place, just 7 seconds ahead of third.
The glamour Senior Men's 9km race was predictably won by Johnathon Wyatt who took 15 seconds off his own course record in winning in 26:48 from North Harbours Alan Bunce who, despite pushing Wyatt early on ended by trailing the Would Mountain Running Champion by 36 seconds. Defending champion Richard Potts was unable to defend his title as he succumbed to the ills off winter, but Mathew Holder continued his recent good form by running in a strong 4th place finish.
Other top ten placings were recorded by Kane Green, (7th in the under 16boys 4km event), Annika Edmondson, (6th in the Womens under 18 3km event), Neville Smith, (6th in the Men under 20 6km), Jo Cavanagh, (8th in the Veteran Women's 35-44 5km event), and Eric Phimister (7th in the Veteran Men 50+ 6km event).
