| Floodwaters on Colin Kirkpatrick's Patutahi farm saw the Hawke's Bay-Gisborne Centre cross-country championships hastily relocated to the Poverty Bay A. & P. showgrounds. Days of heavy rain in Gisborne were replaced by sunshine on Saturday afternoon, but surface water and mud made for challenging conditions.
The large contingent from the Napier Harrier club produced the most placegetters but disappointingly could only muster two titles, while the Hastings club won five and Gisborne four. With Ashley Aitken, Laura Smidt and Katie Harris choosing not to compete, plus the unavailability of Danelle Bryant because of injury, saw the surrendering of several probable titles. Sadly a sudden onset of the dreaded stomach bug possibly cost Eric Speakman a royal opportunity of winning his race.
Hastings Harrier Neville Smith displayed great stamina and ultimately dismissed the challenges of his clubmates Richard Potts and Josh Barber, to claim the senior men's title. Hastings runner Iain Murray claimed the masters men's title, just outlasting the fast finishing Graeme Lear and Napier's Mark Speakman.
Daniel Wallis and Steven Smith scored impressive wins in grades dominated by the Napier club. Gisborne's Kupa Simpson received some consolation for his North Island Championship disqualification, by winning his race ahead of Brendan Speakman while David Morton was dominant in winning the two lap contest ahead of Cameron Poole-Smith.
Illustrating the poor state of women's running in the district, Gisborne's Karen File, a veteran chose to run in the senior grade, and won the women's title unopposed.
Christine Carleton made it a double for the host club, by taking out the masters women's crown from Napier's Marilyn Brown. The Hastings Harrier club dominated the girl's age groups. Sarah Morton won a good tussle over Sasha Murray, while Laura Mohi was victorious over clubmates Olivia Luxton and Kate Morrison.
Report courtesy Trevor Fulton
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