Final Scores for first 3 clubs:
43.5
Victoria University
32.5 Olympic
30.0 Kiwi
Events:
2k walk (not
sure if this was part of the Melrose)
4x400m Relay
4 x 100m
Relay
4 x 800
Relay
Mixed Medley
relay (2 male and 2 females per team)
High Jump
Shot Put
Long Jump
(not held)
Victoria University Athletics pulled off an unexpected coup
today by winning the Melrose Shield.
This was a popular win for a club that is experiencing a long awaited
resurgence because many of us remember that it was a force to be reckoned with in the 70's and 80's.
The club has been slowly building
up its presence over the last couple of years and this year had a good winter campaign resulting
in a third place in the C grade at the Takahe to Akaroa Relay last weekend.
The club's strength has been augmented with the acquisition of Will Critchlow, Eric Speakman,
and now it would seem Jonathan Justice, the fastest finisher on the planet. Not sure what the cost of Jono's transfer was but measured in beer it would have been substantial.
According to Dan Hunt Victoria University athletics has
ambitions to continue to build and challenge whenever it can, especially when counting
team numbers are small enough to give it a chance, such as the Shaw Baton. Other clubs have been warned.
Dan Hunt Interview
The Melrose is
essentially a club track and field competition based primarily around relay
racing. This encourages participation which is at the heat of the event, so to
win this thing clubs need to turn out. Despite what Sir Peter Jack from Kiwi might hope for there are no points for posing in a deck chair.
What was also noticeable today and perhaps might have been a
clever intention of the original trophy donor was that those who participated
would not necessarily describe themselves as track and field athletes. This automatically introduces an element of
fun as new things are tried. And they did well.
Observations
Wellington Harriers were not present (apart from one or two)
because it was holding its annual prize giving
On the officiating
side the event was run on the smell of an oily rag with Jim McIlroy, John
Turner and Dawn Melrose running the on field show with Marshall Clark as the
starter. Invisible in the control box were Peter Baillie
and Ed Hutchinson with Karen McIlroy doing the computer work in HQ.
Kiwi athletics dominated the shot put and high jump which were
the only field events held. A last
minute attempt (orchestrated by Sir Peter Jack from his deckchair) to include a
long jump competition failed. Good try lads but it wasn't going to work with the prizegiving 10 minutes away.
4x400m Relay Photos
4x100m Relay Photos
4x800m Relay Photos
Mixed Medley Relay Photos
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