Welcome to the blog of Christchurch Avon Athletic Club. This contains the latest news for the club. The Junior blogs can be viewed at the links below ..... CLUB RUNS: Mondays- 4.45 pm from the clubrooms on Greers Rd .... Weds- 5.45pm from the Harewood Tavern clocktower .... Saturdays- racing or club run ....Sundays- Sign of the Takahe 8.30 am. Blog is written by Mike V .Send photos /stories /comments to miximac@ihug.co.nz .... COMMENTS panel at the end of each post if you want to agree ,disagree or add information ... Club always accepting new runners .

Monday, 13 August 2012

August 6 Update


Upcoming events and a general news issue.

Anyone wanting to be in the team(s) going down to Timaru on Aug 25 please email me now , or before 7 pm Wed 15 th.

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 The entry list for this Saturday’s Canterbury Road Champs is now available on the link below.

http://www.zeus-sport.com/ATHLETICS/CANTERBURY/article.aspx?ID=3649&Mode=1

 !! Runners invited to convene at Flat White Cafe and Bar in the town centre after the races !!

A lot of CHCH Avon runners have entered for the Canterbury Road Champs this Saturday (18 th Aug ). Remember that our Club Road titles will be fought out here too -calendar congestion, national and representative races, and school holidays have all contributed to this unusual occurrence (club historians say this hasn't happened at least back to 1994 ) .

For those in Grade 15+ that are interested in representing Canterbury at the NZ Road Champs (Wellington, 1 September), nomination forms must be completed and returned.  See the Athletics Canterbury website for forms and details.
Race Start Times


Open Walk 10km, 16/19 5km  11.45am
Men 15/16              6km          12:55pm                 Boys 9/10           2km           2:20pm
Men 17/18/19         8km          12:55pm                 Girls 9/10            2km           2:20pm
Women 17/18/19    5km          1:30pm                   Boys 11/12         3km           2:35pm
Women 15/16         5km          1:30pm                   Girls 11/12          3km           2:35pm
Masters Women     5km          1:30pm                   Girls 13/14          3km           2:35pm
Boys 13/14             4km          2:00pm                   Senior Women    10km        2:50pm
Boys 8 & Under      2km          2:20 pm                  Masters Men       10km        2:50pm
Girls 8 & Under       2km          2:20pm                   Senior Men          10km        2:50pm

All races finish in the same place, but there are different start lines for the different distances.  Full details, maps etc can be found here -http://www.athletics.org.nz/CANTERBURY/Article.aspx?ID=3649
You wear your registration number and age patch (grade 14 and under) for this race and collect a timing chip from the club tent before your race.

Canterbury Medals will be awarded on the day to the first three placegetters in the grades shown above; the two masters grades 35-49 and 50+ and also to the Men 22 and Women 22 grades within the Senior Races.
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Some inspiring sights from the Olympics .The furious sprint finish in the Womens triathlon was emotional to watch. Seeing the brave way Andrea Hewitt faced up to the cameras afterwards was admirable. Likewise the interview with Kimberley Smith was 'lump in the throat 'stuff after her marathon . And yet another drugs allegation, for the pan -handed Chinese 16 year old who claimed "I would never take banned drugs ", which sounds like a plea of innocence - but doesn't rule out having taken drugs that aren't banned.
  What about Phelps' claim about chloro- incontinence . Well, if that's the example he sets the world's schoolchildren,  the osmotic clarifiers at Jellie are going to be working overtime .        
    And what about Valerie  describing her omission from the entry list as "the kind of s*** you don't need to deal with ". Some claim this was unbecoming , but it was a fair enough expression of how it affected her( imho). Stop press :  She just got elevated to GOLD , so some people will be breathing easier  .

The biggest London crowd at Hyde park to watch the mens triathlon where Bevan Docherty did quite well considering how long he's been in the sport. The standout performance was the winner's final 10 km run which was close to 29 minutes . Some triathlon runs are only nominally "10 km "  so maybe the Olympic course was short . Hamish Carter has run a NZ 5000m Champs in 14.45 approx , so top triathletes are certainly capable of those speeds. Alistair Brownlee is said to not believe in rest days, and has an altitude tent in his bedroom.

Olympic gold medals are actually gold plated silver and only have about 6 grams of gold on them .They are worth about $ 600 in metal value ,  but any that come on to the market (needy   atletes sometimes sell them) can cost up to $10,000 .
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Bad luck for Jane and Lorna Pairman who had to miss the Cross Country Champs due to stomach ailments. Jane was in great form  . She ran the W50 Canty Champs 6000m in 25.12   and the National race was won in 26.12 - even given the muddy track Jane would have been close to that .

As in 2011 our 2012 Greta Valley team folded at the last hour. It's hard to believe that we couldn't easily get six people to make a team . It's such a neat little event .Never mind .
Results of the relay are out now and 18 teams took part in what must have been very lucky weather before the deluge .Sad to report that Nick 's fine Junior Men lap 5 record was toppled by Ben Musson . NBOL's Dave Mac Donald also clipped some time off the Lap 2 Vet
Mens record  . Greta Results

Tannock Blair  showed his middle distance strength in the recent 1 km challenge where he ran a 3.03 on a tough course .

Leon Blanchett is hauling in the laurels this year - he has just been given Life Membership of Athletics NZ. Well deserved Leon .

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The NZ Cross Champs were held on Aug 4 .
The course was described as "heavy going , "but Canterbury took 2 Golds and a Silver, with a bronze for the U16 Womens team .

Here is a summary from the Junior Newsletter.


"Our CHAV representatives in Hamilton did the club proud.  Matthew Dryden, Sean Eustace and Natalie Dryden were selected to represent Canterbury in the Mens and Womens grades from 16 and up and they wore the Red & Black singlet with pride.  Angus Bailey and Harriet Bush competed in the Boys and Girls 14 races which don't have a provincial team competition so they were able to fly the Blue and Orange CHAV colours.  Unfortunately, Lorna and Jane Pairman succumbed to a tummy bug during the week and were unable to make the trip in the end.

Harriet was our best placed finisher in 5th place.  She ran a very solid race, never far from the leaders in the Girls 14 3km race finishing well up the field.  Harriet will have another year in this grade and will be eyeing bigger prizes next year.
After an outstanding season so far in which he has claimed both the Canterbury and South Island Boys 14 titles as well as a Bronze at the NZ Secondary School X-Country, Angus came unstuck in the mud (or stuck in the mud as the case may be) and after sitting comfortably in a large bunch through the first lap faded a bit on the hilly section to finish in 8th place in the Boys 14 3km race.

Sean was also left slightly rueing the end of his race in the Mens 16 grade who raced over 6km.  After working his way up into 4th place on the final lap, stomach cramps in the finishing straight saw him lose 2 spots to cross the line in 6th place.  It is still a very good result with Sean having another year in this grade to look forward to.

Natalie had a very solid, well paced run throughout her Womens 16 4km race.  She spent much of the race in a close battle with the other Canterbury team members for one of the four counting scores.  In the end Natalie's 22nd placing was only 2 places and 12 seconds away from a team bronze, but her efforts probably pushed the other Canterbury runners into their medal.

Matthew competed in the Mens 19 8km race.  He started strongly running well up the field.  Matthew has 2 more years in this grade and the extra strength and training of the older boys will have been a big advantage in the tough underfoot conditions.  Matthew finished in 23rd place this year and will be keen to move up the field over the next 2 years.



TROPHY RETURN
Hopefully all last year's trophy winners have polished up the silverware ready to return so we can get them to the engravers in time for this year's award ceremony.  We will have a big trophy box at Pegasus on Saturday ready to accept your returns."

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"Hi Canterbury athletes,

I am emailing you to advise you off what is happening regarding sending Canterbury teams to National Cross Country & Road Champs this year.
We are very keen to have the strongest possible team in all grades at Nationals, so please consider going.
The XC & R Committee has a special focus of encouraging the 13 to 23 age group to stay in the sport by being fully involved in it.
Therefore we are especially keen to see this age group going to Nationals, whether you are selected in the Canterbury Team or not.

National Cross Country Championships are in Hamilton on August 4th.
There is a  nomination form and you will also be able to find it on the Canterbury website soon.
We have appointed Mike Riley as Team Manager. Mike will be helped by Assistant Team Managers Leaanne O’Sullivan and Dave King.
You have the option of flying straight into Hamilton or via Auckland on Friday/Sunday as fares in and out of there are much cheaper.
The XC & R Committee will provide minivan transport between Auckland and Hamilton and return for a one off cost of $30 per person.
You must book and pay for your own airline tickets, so buying them now can cost you as little as $69 each way.
Flights into and out of Hamilton currently start at $149 each way.
Please take note of the additional information on the nomination form regarding when you should fly into and out of Auckland.
The XC & R Committee will subsidise flight costs of anybody selected in the Canterbury Team who competes, up to a maximum of $150.
We will also consider subsidies to Grade 23 and down athletes who don’t make the team but would benefit from attending Nationals.
We hope you stay in Hamilton with the team on the Saturday night as a team meal is always organised.
Our Secretary Bernadette Jago is currently exploring accommodation options in Hamilton.

National Road Championships are in Wellington on September 1st, using much the same course as last year.
Pat Boland and Peter King have been appointed Team, Managers for this event.
As above, you need to book and pay for your own flights to and from Wellington.  
The  cheapest flights currently listed are $69 & $79 each way.
We will pay flight subsidies as for National Cross Country.
We will organise and pay for a free minivan to do airport pickups and drop offs.
Accommodation close to the event is currently being booked.

Please note that we do not take or subsidise athletes who are competing in the G14 and G12 individual championships.
Should they wish to attend either Championship, then it is the parents responsibility to organise, take and care for them.
To be eligible to compete in the Grade 16 events, you must be 13 on the 31 of December 2012. (ANZ By-Law C3.2)

If you are not a NZ Citizen or a Permanent Resident of NZ, then there will be issues with you being selected for the Canterbury Team.
Please let us know early if you are in this situation, especially if you are asking us to enter you.

As always, check the ANZ and Athletics Canterbury websites for up to date information.
The Road Champs nomination form will be uploaded soon. http://www.athletics.org.nz/CANTERBURY/Article.aspx?ID=890

Please feel free to email me back to tell me you are keen to go, as we would appreciate having some idea of numbers we need to cater for.
Likewise, please contact me if you need any clarification.

Cheers"
John Gamblin
Chairman
Cross Country & Road Committee

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