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Ponydale Relays 2007
The Ariki senior women's A team soon shook off any self doubt in their ability with a commanding victory in the Cross-country Relays at the Dunedin Pony Club grounds on Saturday.
Going into the 4 x 2000m event, the team of Sarah Chisnall, Julie Wilson, Megan Balchin and Sue Cuthbert were nervous about wearing the tag of favourite, given that in the 26-year history of the event, Ariki had not won the event since 1984. They had also won in 1982 and 1983.
Saturday's result ushers in a new era in women's running in Otago, as over the past two decades Hill City and Leith have been the dominant forces in women's running in Otago.
Chisnall, set the standard for other members of the Ariki team to follow, when she opened up a 26sec lead over Hill City's Anna Begg, on the first leg. Wilson extended this lead to just under a minute at the second change, then Balchin extended the lead to 1min 15sec on the third leg. But the title was far from decided with national 800m and 1500m champion Kellie Palmer running the fourth and final leg for Hill City.
Cuthbert's run for Ariki on the fourth and final leg was outstanding, as she maintained the momentum her team mates had set before her. Failing to give recognition to Palmer's credentials, she allowed the national champion to only reduce the deficit by little more than half a minute, as she ran across the finish to present her team with what was a comfortable victory in 34min 11sec.
Hill City for second recorded 34min 54sec, with Otago University third in 36min 44sec.
The excitement had hardly faded, when it was the turn of the Ariki senior men in the 4 x 3000m relay. There was no doubting their tag of favouritism, with the heat on other clubs to either knock them from their perch or at the very least, prevent them from whitewashing the result sheet.
Callan Moody ran a smart 3000m, but when handing the baton over to Otago cross-country champion Luke Hurring, put the pressure on him to lift the momentum with runners from Hill City, Caversham and Otago University hot on his heels.
Straight down to business though, Hurring opened up a 40sec lead, which Nathan Baxter extended to just under a minute, before Matt Lambert completed the task of winning the senior men's trophy and completing a club double in 36min 59sec. Hill City No 1 were second in 37min 54sec, with Otago University No 1 third in 38min 44sec.
Relieved to have completed the victory Lambert commented at the finish “that burnt the lungs a bit.” Ariki finished with three teams in the first five of the senior men's section
Cuthbert, the women's team captain was full of praise for both teams. “This is a great result for the club in its centenary year. We all gave it our hearts today.”
“Fantastic,” was how Chisnall described it. “No praise can be too small for Sue. She has made huge improvements to her running.”
Hurring the men's team captain was full of praise for the course. “This is a really good crossy course. In fact probably the best in the world.”
Page updated by Anne Johnston on 21 December, 2010