Distance Running - 2011

A summary of previous races was Xterra Waiuku - sandy and fast, Xterra Woodhill - wet and wild, Xterra Whitford - muddy and steep in the extreme. The final race of the Auckland Xterra Trail Series was held in the Hunua Forest. We had our biggest number of team entrants yet, although we were missing Aimee Cooper due to injury. Conditions were perfect and the course was fast, winding along some scenic single track thought the forest.

Once again, Matthew Battley won the event, making it six from si-x an Xterra record and maximum points. All the team did extraordinarily well with MAGS students taking out the top five places in the junior grade and five out of the top ten overall. Aimee won the junior grade in her event and was placed third overall, even though she missed the last race and Molly Swanson was placed second. Again many thanks to the parents who supported or ran with us, including the Battleys, the Swansons, the Brooks and especially James' mum, Shona for an outstanding BBQ after the last race. Thanks all.

With the series well underway, numbers are increasing and competition is getting tougher. Shakespear Regional Park provided a beautiful backdrop for Race #2 of the series. The weather was stunning, but the preceding few days of rain had made the 7km course muddy and treacherous. The run weaves through native bush and farm-land, and some of the steepest hills we have encountered yet, with almost 200m of vertical climb. It was a hard race and the students were tired and sore afterwards. Matthew Battley has extended his lead by winning the overall short course event for a second time, scoring maximum points. Aimee Cooper also won her mid-course junior event for the second time and is placed 2nd overall in the series. It is outstanding to see so many of our students in the top ten,especially juniors, in an open race.

I also wish to acknowledge all the parents who come to support their children, especially the Battleys and Swansons who are also racing.

The final results were:

Matthew Battley 1st
Aimee Cooper 1st ( 2nd overall)
Molly Swanson 2nd (4th overall)
James Stacey 6th (6th overall)
Joshkun Johnson 12th (8th overall)
Oli Brooks 13th (49th overall after one race)
Andrew Battley 19th (11th overall)
Jarred Wilson 26th (78th overall after one race)

 

Mount Albert Grammar School was well represented at this year's event which was held at Saint Kentigern College on 31st May. We had 17 students on the day, including full senior boys and senior girls 6-person teams. The course was typically muddy, but the weather was ideal for running. All students had outstanding results, including some of the emerging junior members of the team.

The senior boys team was placed 3rd in both the 3-person and 6-person team, which now places them in the company of traditional distance powerhouses Auckland Grammar and Westlake Boys. Five members of the team are Year 12, so results are looking extremely promising for 2012. The senior girls team was placed 4th in the 6-person team. Due to a computer issue, Flynn Letford's time wasn't recorded, but he was unofficially placed 45th. This would have put the junior boys 3-person team in 5th place overall.

Results
Senior Boys Aaron McLelland 10th Matthew Vercoe-Curtis 14th     Matthew Battley 15th Joachim Noble 24th Nick Bailey 34th Kieran Woods 52nd	Senior Girls Molly Swanson 15th     Rachel Head 30th Hayley Becht 32nd Mandy Enright 38th Kate Russell 42nd Nina Ives 44th	Junior Boys James Stacey 40th Flynn Letford 45th (unofficial) David Kim 59th	Junior Girls Elizabeth Lyon 23rd

 

A large number of the Distance Squad have entered the Xterra Trail Series runs in 2011. The first race of the season was held at a rather muddy Riverhead forest on Sunday May 22nd. The distance was 6.3 km and included some extremely long uphills and technical, twisty descents. MAGS was extremely well-represented and all students were placed in the top 10. Matthew Battley won the junior boys event and also the short course race overall, an outstanding effort considering they are racing against adults. Aimee Cooper entered the mid-course series and she was placed 1st in junior girls and 6th overall in her 12.4 km event.


The final results were:

Matthew Battley 1st     
Aimee Cooper 1st        (6th overall)
Molly Swanson 2nd       (4th overall)
Joshkun Johnson 4th     (8th overall)
James Stacey 5th        (11th overall)
Andrew Battley 9th      (22nd overall)
Cadeyrn Alsweiler 10th      (23rd overall)

Race 2 is on June 12th at Shakespear Regional Park. All welcome.

 Congratulations to all who ran and especially the following placegetters.

   

 
Junior Winner Flynn Letford (left)

 

Molly with her winner's cup

The inaugural Auckland Cup Secondary Schools' Cross Country was held At the Auckland Cup Race Day on Wednesday 9 March. More than 200 secondary school students from the wider Auckland region competed in the event.

This race saw contestants complete a course including the famous Ellerslie home straight, with front-runners finishing to the roar of the Auckland Cup Day crowd.

All fields were well represented and the competition was very tough.

Results

Congratulations to Molly Swanson on her excellent achievement and to the rest of the team on their fine performances.

Name	Group	Place
Molly Swanson	Senior Girls	1st
Kate Russell	Senior Girls	5th
Matthew Battley	Senior Boys	7th
Kieren Woods	Intermediate Boys	8th
Milan Bonkovich	Junior Boys	15th
Flynn Letford	Junior Boys	18th
Oliver Mackinnon	Junior Boys	20th
Andrew Battley	Junior Boys	28th