RowangLive2: 2021 NZ Secondary Schools XC Champs A & P Showgrounds Hawera Sat 19-20 Jun

Team Results (go the https://nzssaa.org.nz/ for the zip files)

Relay Results (These are missing some results as chips in batons failed to read - see the NZSSAA site for details https://nzssaa.org.nz/) They should have used Daryl.

They came they saw and they got wet and very muddy. As you may have guessed the conditions at the race venue – the A & P Showgrounds in Hawera was less than ideal. Competitors, officials, photographers and spectator experienced rain most of the time. It wasn’t a downpour but steady enough to make you wet. It was pretty uncomfortable and I think my camera suffered not to mention the photos.

The kids on the other hand had to contend with a heavy track and rain which pretty much turned to yukky mud everywhere.

Even though the inclement weather was forecast it was surprising how many tried to cover the course without spikes. There were more than a few running in flats or just in bare feet.

This had some slip-sliding away onto their backsides in some of the extra slippery parts of the course.

Will Anthony told me later that he was only using 9mm spikes and fell over in a gnarly bit (I think 12mm would have been the minimum with a preference for 15mm).

If you are trying to visualise the conditions then think of the boggy Grenada North Park site (who can forget that place) except in Hawera there was a liberal sprinkling of cow poo mixed up with the gooey mud which made the course sticky in spots. Do you want fries with that?

The race results speak for themselves as do the live streams for each race. The live streams did not include the year 9 races which were the first 2 on the programme.

Below is the race report included in Murray McKinnon’s Athletics NZ weekly roundup of results.

“HAWERA
47th New Zealand Secondary Schools Cross Country Championships, A & P Showgrounds – 19/20 June 2021

Christian De Vaal ran the race of his life to outshine Will Anthony through the gloomy and muddy conditions for the senior boys title. Anthony went straight to the front and built up a good lead over the first half. But heading into the third lap, De Vaal worked his way up to the shoulder of Anthony and going into the final 2km broke clear to hold on for a six second victory in 19:51.

Anthony, the national junior 5000m champion, repeated his second placing from the last championships held in Timaru in 2019. Henry Beliveau was third in 20:10.

Hannah Gapes paved the way through the mud, leading throughout in the senior girls 4km. The national junior women’s 5000m champion was a clear winner in 15:40. Bella Earl, the 2019 year nine winner, was second in 16:38 holding out Chloe Browne, national junior women’s 3000m champion, by three seconds.

Angus Sevier won the junior boys and Ava Sutherland the junior girls. Year nine winners were Caleb Wagener and Boh Ritchie.

A total of 748 runners from 130 schools took part.

Results:
Senior Boys 6km: Christian De Vaal (Macleans C) 19:51 1, Will Anthony (Scots C) 19:54 2, Henry Beliveau (Wellington C) 20:06 3.

Senior Girls 4km: Hannah Gapes (John Paul C) 15:40 1, Bella Earl (Whangarei Girls’ HS) 16:38 2, Chloe Browne (St Cuthbert’s C) 16:41 3.

Junior Boys 4km: Angus Sevier (Cashmere High S) 14:51 1, Elliott Pugh (Bethlehem C) 14:54 2, Daniel Prescott (St Thomas of Cant) 15:04 3.

Junior Girls 3km: Ava Sutherland (Wellington Girls’ C) 11:26 1, Amy McHardy (Wellington Girls’ C) 11:28 2, Louise Brabyn (Whanganui Collegiate) 11:35 3.

Year 9 Boys 3km: Caleb Wagener (Auckland Grammar) 10:11 1, George Wyllie (Tauranga Boys’ C) 10:23 2, Ben Oxford (Macleans College) 10:34 3.

Year 9 Girls 3km: Boh Ritchie (St Peter’s School) 11:09 1, Mia Cain-Townley (Waimea College 11:21 2, Sophie Dunnett-Welch (Napier Girls HS) 11:22 3.

Para Boys 2km: Jasper Moss T38 (Christ’s College) 10:11, Josh Taylor T20 (Wairarapa C) 10:15, Toby Ireland T11 Yr9 (Hutt Valley HS) 12:36.

5 x 2km Relay Boys: Senior: Wellington 31:58 1, Counties Manukau 32:12 2, Canterbury 32:25 3. Junior: Wellington 34:33 1, Canterbury 35:01 2, North Harbour 35:25 3. Year 9 Waikato Bay of Plenty 36:16 1, Wellington 36:58 2, Waikato Bay of Plenty B 37:22 3.

5 x 2km Relay Girls: Senior: Auckland 36:36 1, Southland 38:03 2, Waikato Bay of Plenty 38:06 3. Junior: Wellington 37:50 1, Waikato Bay of Plenty 38:40 2, Taranaki 38:57 3. Year 9: Waikato Bay of Plenty 38:55 1, Canterbury 39:13 2, East Coast North Island 39:39”.

I have posted a small selection of photos below, mainly runners from local Wellington schools. I doubt that I got everyone. Note also that the images will be soft as the dullish conditions meant the ISO had to be set high. The rain also had an effect as it got on all of the glass despite my best efforts to keep it at bay. And that would include my spectacles.

Year 9 Girls Photos