04-05-2025
Clubs share titles, demonstrating depth of talent
Otago's rising runners get under way in the Lovelock Relays at the University Oval on Saturday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAWBIN
The depth of Otago's middle-distance talent was demonstrated at the Lovelock Relays on Saturday.
Nearly every local club picked up a title across the 11 races at the 88th edition of the event at the University Oval.
Hill City-University, who organised the 1500m relay event, edged Leith to win the senior men's race.
Matt Bolter, Harry Witt — who had the fastest time of 4min 13sec — Alex Witt, Giles Witt, Ruie Hyslo and Jake Owen finished the six-person relay in 26min 32sec to snatch the win.
Stephen Johnson, Graham Fisher, James Davies, Jude Deaker, Finbar Chesney and Nathan Hill were not far off the pace for Leith with 27min 23sec.
Leith made a clean sweep of the top three spots in the senior women's race.
The club lived up to the hype of being pre-race favourites, after a long era of dominance from Hill City, amid a huge downpour.
Stephanie Wilson, Caitlin O'Donnell, Claudia Sole and Alice Cuthbert finished the four-person relay in 21min 29sec, ahead of club-mates Jessica Bray, Izzy Macdonald, Martha Vickers and Laura Bungard with 22min 34sec.
Caversham Panthers runner Becky de la Harpe was the only woman to go under the five-minute mark and produced the fastest time of 4min 57sec in her team's fourth-place finish.
Studholme won back-to-back titles in the residential college mixed relay race.
The race, which was introduced two years ago, has become a popular edition to the historic relays and strengthened the relationship between athletics and the University of Otago.
Studholme runners Tamihana Toni, Eve Tonascia, Sophie Whiteman and Lyon Rogers won in 23min 25sec.
Hill City held off a strong contest from Ariki in the masters men's over 35 race.
Oliver O'Sullivan, Mark Geddes, Jeff Leckie and Neil Broom finished in 20min 24sec, 10sec ahead of Ariki's Hamish Dobson, Xaviour Walker, Eddie Smith and Aaron Poter.
Hill City also won the women's over 35 edition, with Aly Craigie, Georgy Pakeho, Lia Bezett and Taryn McLean finishing in 22.16sec, nearly one minute ahead of Leith.
Caversham won the under-18 mixed event and Hill City won the under-16, under-14 and under-12 mixed races.
Ariki won the men's over 50 race and the mixed social race.
