Race #60

Race #8 in the Stroke & Stride Series doubles as the 1997 New Zealand Swimrun Championships and is over a 750 metre swim and 5 kilometre run

A top field toed the start line for the final race in this season’s Stroke & Stride Series.  A lot was riding on this race for those competitors contesting the Series Grand Prix as this race carried double points.  Further adding interest was that this event was also the 1997 New Zealand Swimrun Championships.

The women’s field were lead around the 750 metre swim course by Nikki Tanner and Nicola Wills representing the Parnell Swim Club.  Current Series leader Debbie Tanner was handily placed after the swim and took the lead in the first kilometres of the five kilometre run.  Next to run up the beach to set off in pursuit of the leaders were Naomi Calder, Nicola de Lautour, Beverley Chesham, Roxane Benney, Heidi Alexander, Suzanne Clark and Sue Attwood.

Heidi Alexander was picked as the most likely to do some damage during the run and this proved to be the case.  The fastest run of the day gave Heidi the lead with one kilometre to go and she capped a tremendous return to the sport with victory in the National Championships.  Debbie Tanner’s second place was good enough to secure her the Stroke & Stride Series Championship.  Beverley Chesham had her best race of the season finishing in third ahead of Suzanne Clark and Nicola de Lautour.

The men’s race pitted last season’s Stroke & Stride Series champion Brent Foster up against last season’s New Zealand Swimrun Champion Paul Amey.  Brent Foster’s superb swimming ability again saw him open up a lead during the swim leg but would it be enough?  Robbie Baff and Dean Foster also had great swims and were next into the transition.  They were followed in by Bryan Rhodes, Nathan Richmond and Paul Amey.  Paul Amey ran hard and caught Brent Foster by the turnaround, he then surged and gained an advantage which he carried through to the finish to claim his second New Zealand Swimrun title the only person to ever win this title more than once.  Brent Foster didn’t have the leg speed to go with Paul Amey on this occasion but he was still triumphant finishing this race in second and taking out the Series title for an unprecedented fifth year in succession.  Nathan Richmond’s third place saw him head home Paul Duffy and William Smith.

AGE GROUP RESULTS

OVERALL

Heidi Alexander 31.56                     Paul Amey 26.16

Debbie Tanner 32.14                        Brent Foster 26.42

Beverley Chesham 32.23                 Nathan Richmond 27.11

Suzanne Clark 32.40                        Paul Duffy 27.43

Nicola de Lautour 32.49                  William Smith 28.07

UNDER 17

Monique Gilbertson 38.57              Will Green 29.16

Anna Longdill 43.17                        Sam Walker 29.28

Anna Elvery 44.39                            David Bowden 32.06

17 – 20

Lizzie Coles 33.29                            Vaughan Skiffington 30.30

Nikki Tanner 37.08                           Ian Horsburgh 30.31

Sarah Dearlove 37.25                      Steven Nicholls 31.34

20 – 24

Chantal Walker 43.16                      Bryan Rhodes 29.05

Debbie Harding 43.30                     Paul Angland 31.11

Raelene Homewood 47.13             Craig Watson 34.52

25 – 29

Roxane Benney 33.20                     Malcolm McGregor 28.13

Miranda Stacey 33.42                     Dean Foster 28.27

Marianne Duston 33.48                  Craig Tullock 29.43

30 – 34

Sue Attwood 33.40                           Rodney Gordon 28.21

Tanya Lee-Parker 36.43                 Walter Th0rburn 28.51

Rhyl Kerrison 36.50                        Glen Tasker 30.32

35 – 39

Linda van Uden 36.51                      Stuart Blake 29.44

Trish Wood 44.00                             Geoff Prebble 30.10

Julie Oullet 45_28                             Jonathon Counsell 30.24

40 – 44

Margie Peat 35.07                             Rick Faulding 30.38

Maggie Ward 39.11                           Kevin Chesham 30.51

Liz Hardley 41.32                               Dave Chambers 32.00

45 – 49

Lorene Smith 35.21                           Trevor Mouldey 32.34

Bev Dickie 45.23                                John Smart 32.52

Judith Cheesman 45.55                   Robin Elvery 34.54

50-54

Clayton Jeffery 34.57                        Tiare Lund 41.09

Neville Corbett 35.11

Murray Glen 36.26

55 – 59

Alex Shaw 36.31                                 Jacky Tasker 42.41

Ken Kelsey 39.09                               Glenis King 49.24

Michael Meekings 39.28

60 PLUS

Keith Pearce 35.27

Peter Morley 45.03

Craig Everard 62.46