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Once again Napier Harriers fielded seven teams at the Redwoods Forest Relay at Rotorua and returned home with a nice share of the prizes. This year's event run in beautiful conditions, attracted 122 teams.
The laurels this year went to our Junior Women's team which claimed the 4 x 3200 metres Female Youth title. Unbelievably with an average age of only 13, they toppled reigning champions Tauranga GHS by 42 seconds and were only 18 seconds off the race record. In the twenty team contest, Laura Nagel (12.09) and Holly Edmonds (13.40) valiantly chased the Energy City combination to be 23 seconds down at half way. Jessica Middleton (13.12) shot Napier into the lead within the first kilometre as Energy City crumbled, and established an 88 second buffer. Annie Creagh (13.40) had no trouble bringing the team home for a comfortable victory. Unfortunately, Laura Nagel missed out on fastest lap honours by 5 seconds, which I'm sure she will right in the future.
The second junior girls team (again average age of 13) had the misfortune to have a last minute defection but soldiered on. Shayna Heywood (15.49), Georgia Creagh (16.46), Jodi Nagel (17.45) put in sterling efforts, before 'guardian angel' Laura Nagel came to the rescue. She ran 12.59 and said she enjoyed it. Thanks to a great athlete and 'sport'. They eventually finished thirteenth and maybe Laura gained a place or two.
Sadly the Napier Junior Men's team had to reliquish their crown to last year's runner-up Energy City Harriers. Once again with an average age of less than 14, Napier's third placing was meritorious. Given the big challenge of running the opening leg, Charlie Chittenden's (13.03) was 12 seconds quicker than last year. In a tremendous run which saw the Napier team move from eleventh to fourth, Eric Speakman (10.23) went within three seconds of equaling Stefan Smith's individual lap record established only last year. Toa Elphick-Iaveta (12.53) took the team into third place and Brendan Speakman (12.36) was possibly sending a message to the selector that he is back and gunning for a spot higher up the pecking order. Message received.
For the third year in succession Napier were placed in the two person 10km walk which attracted 33 teams. Sheila Smidt (30.32) finished the opening lap in second position. Aleesha Heywood (33.40) carried on the excellent effort and although they were almost 6 minutes quicker than the winning effort (Sheila/Kim Creagh) of 2006, this time they could only salvage third place. The second walking team seemed to have a problem. Rumour has spread that Ann-Marie Earwicker missed the start by two minutes. She will explain, but maybe it was the two port-a-loos for 470 competitors, not to mention the supporters and officials. Anyway Ann-Marie (40.39) made up for lost time to cross in 14th place. Julie Lindsay (our ring-in) did a top notch 39.01 to complete the race in 12th posy. Now if you were to take two minutes off their official time they would have been top 10.
One thing you can say about the Masters Men's team effort - It was consistent. Fourth place after 50 metres and that never changed. Although the gaps got wider. Trevor Fulton (19.06), John Craven (20.03), Stephen Lindsay (20.27), Greg Edmonds (20.51) and Mark Walwyn (20.53) were guilty of being the poor boring specimens, who didn't have the courage to pass or unsportingly stopped others from progressing pass them.
The Composite Team (our licorice allsorts) put in a great effort to finish fifth in a field of 19 teams, which including some tidy combinations. Craig Mathers (19.00) got them off to a splendid start, only 15 seconds off the lead. Ben Fulton (22.46) was given a 'baptism of fire' and they slipped two places to the more fancied selections. I can't remind Mal Lochrie about his 2006 time compared to 2007, because he'll remind me of my massive differential. Anyway Mal ran 24.29 and dropped another place before Ron Middleton (21.05) stopped the carnage with a top effort. Watch out masters team, Ron's steaking a claim! Diane Barclay (27.26) anchored the team adequately to finish 1 hour 1 minute and 10 seconds ahead of the last finisher.
Everyone had a great time, at a great event on a really nice day. Our bodies enjoyed a lovely warm dip at the AC Baths on the homeward journey. Myself, I wasn't that happy with the Police Infringement Notice 10kms south of Rotorua but I'll be back next year. Hope you will join me!
Trevor
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