In Memory of Leon Blanchet
Prominent Canterbury and Athletics New Zealand official and administrator Leon Blanchet ONZM of Dunsandel died on Wednesday 24 April 2019 aged 80. Leon was a secondary school teacher, athlete, official and builder of athletic equipment for many secondary school athletes around New Zealand. His starting blocks will be used for many years to come. Following on from competing Leon became an official and was the doyen of Athletics New Zealand Officials and the rules of competition. He has served the sport for over 50 years and was chair of the ANZ Technical Officials Committee and used to produce a regular informative officials column including a quiz. He served on the Board of Athletics New Zealand and was an executive member of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Athletics Association when it was based in Christchurch. He and his wife Priscilla attended numerous New Zealand Secondary School championships and he has been to every New Zealand track and field championships since 1982. He was a former President and a Life Member of the Burnside High School based Avon Club which amalgamated with Christchurch and became Christchurch Avon Club and he was made a Life Member of Athletics Canterbury in 2001. He received an Athletics New Zealand Merit Award in 2002 was President of Athletics New Zealand 2006-07 and was made a Life Member of Athletics New Zealand in August 2012. He was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2012 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to athletics.
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Cross Country Championships
Official Photographer The official photographer for the event is Karyn Geary. You can contact Karyn at karyngeary@gmail.com or on 0276889008 to book in a time for a team photograph between 9am and 10.25am on Saturday morning or after the conclusion of the Senior Boys race. Karyn will also be taking action shots of the athletes and these will be available to view and buy after the event at her website (http://www.kgphotography.co.nz/) |
Australian Cross Country/Assistant Manager/Coach
NZSSAA Cross Country Teams to Australian Cross Country Championships to be held at Kembla Joggers Cross Country Park, Wollongong 24 August 2019. Boys and Girls Teams to take part in the Australian Open and Schools Cross Country Championships to be held at Kembla Joggers Cross Country Park, Wollongong August 24-26 2019 will be selected following the NZSSAA championships in Timaru on June 15. Initially the first 10 finishers in the Senior Boys and Senior Girls races will be offered the opportunity with a further 2-4 being selected to achieve appropriate age group teams. If not all places are taken up there will be an opportunity for other athletes to be considered eg athletes who finished close to the top 10 or runners who for some reason did not perform to the level usually expected of them. Application forms for those applying to be considered for spare team places will be available from the managers at the championships. Assistant Manager/Coach required Expressions of interest for the position of Assistant Manager/Coach for the NZSSAA team to the Australian Open and Schools Cross Country Championships, Kembla Joggers Cross Country Park, Wollongong August 25-27 2019 are called for (Paul Meads and Ange Russek have already been appointed from within Executive as Manager/Coach and Assistant Manager/Coach respectively). Expressions of interest should be emailed to Tony Rogers, NZSSAA Chairman by June 10 2019 using tony@acesports.co.nz. Please provide a brief resume of your experience with secondary school cross country athletes and events. If you have any questions please email Tony Rogers. |
Try out the 2020 NZSSAA Cross Country Course in Hawera
Each year on Queens Birthday weekend the Hawera Harrier Club host an inter club event over their cross country course – the Hughes Memorial. It is well known in the Taranaki, Manawatu and Whanganui regions for the great course, prizes and food. In the past it has just been for ANZ registered members, this year it is opening up to High School members who are not registered with a club. This will be a great opportunity for students to have a run on the 2020 Cross Country Nationals course. |
Accommodation Offer
I have a few spare beds in Timaru for NZSSXC in June. Cost is $200 per head per person and this includes accommodation for Friday and Saturday nights, 2 breakfasts and 2 evening meals. The accommodation is a motel adjacent to the venue. This offer is open to athletes, parents and coaches. I also have transport available to and from Christchurch, provided you arrive in Christchurch before 2pm on the Friday and do not depart Christchurch before 3pm on Sunday at a cost of $50 per head. Please contact Don Dalgliesh, Phone 04 4739-414 or 027 4070988 |
North Island & South Island Results
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In Memory of Peter Callagher
It was with immense sadness that we learnt of the tragic accident of Peter Callagher, formerly an athlete from Athletics Auckland and Howick College. He was one of 2 pilots killed in the plane that crashed in the Kaimanawa’s 2 weeks ago. Among Peter’s many talents and interests, he is remembered as a warm and genuine young man who was a dedicated and talented athlete. During his school years he attended every NISS & NZSS championship, competing in hurdles, high jump and relays, winning gold, silver & bronze medals across all of his events. In 2008 he was a member of the NZSS team to Pacific Games in Australia. The New Zealand Secondary Schools Athletics Association extends our deepest sympathy to Peter’s family and friends.
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North Island Champs
Please note: Field Event Qualifying and number of Trials for finalists in field events (except Pole Vault and High Jump), where entrants are less than 12 the top eight competitors, after three rounds, will receive three more attempts. Where there are 12 or more competitors the top eight, after three rounds, will receive two more attempts and then the top four will receive 1 further attempt. |
North and South Island Champs
The SI champs are in Nelson at Saxton Athletics Track on the 29-31 March and the NI champs in Tauranga at the Tauranga Domain 6-7 April. Para Athletes without a current classification Guidelines and application forms are below for provisional classification for Para Athletes (athletes with a Physical Impairment (PI), Intellectual Impairment (II) or Visual Impairment (VI)) who have not been previously classified to enable them to compete at the North Island/South Island Athletics Championships this year. Final confirmation of an athlete’s classification will occur at the NZSSAA Championships in Wellington in December.
North Island Champs
South Island Champs |
Results for Track, Field and Road Race Championships
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Porritt Classic Hamilton, February 9 Events for Secondary School Athletes
There are two events for Girls and Boys available, the Dianne Rodger and Dick Quax 1500m races for individuals and teams (3 runners required) and the Nick Willis 1500m relay for four team members (300,400,400,400). Secondary School athletes can either be entered by their school or do their own 1500m entry if they wish, directly to Mhyre Oman by email (the $5 entry fee can be paid by athletes when they report to TIC on the day) or by post to Athletics Waikato Bay of Plenty. If athletes are doing their own entry please indicate the school they belong to and the name of the teacher or sports coordinator in charge if they are going to be part of a team (3 runners from that school). The 1500m events are sponsored by Smiths Sport Shoes and the winners each receive a $50 voucher and the winning 3 person team members each receive a $25 voucher to be redeemed at Smiths Sports Shoes shops in Hamilton or Cambridge. The Nick Willis relays must be entered by the school. |
Australian All Schools Athletics Championships Results
Congratulations to our medal winners and all the NZSSAA team who competed in very trying weather conditions in Cairns. |
Parking access at Champs
Unfortunately due to unplanned contract work on the grounds and the recent rain, access to the overflow on-field parking will only be via Harbour Terrace and NOT off Logan park Drive. There is ample on street parking surrounding the area so we ask that you fill these parks first before parking on the field. On Saturday and Sunday there will also be parking available at the surrounding Otago Polytechnic Blocks. |
Youth Olympic Games Representatives to Highlight Schools Championships
New Zealand’s five representatives at the recent Youth Olympic Games in Argentina are expected to provide the highlights at the New Zealand secondary schools athletic championships to be held at the Caledonian Ground in Dunedin over the weekend. Hannah O’Connor of Sacred Heart Girls’ New Plymouth will contest four events the 1500m, 3000m, 2000m steeplechase and the 4km road race. At the Youth Olympics O’Connor ran a personal best 3000m of 9:25.29. Two years ago O’Connor won three junior titles, the 1500m, 3000m and 4km road, but last year she won just one medal a third in the senior 3000m. Competition for O’Connor will come from Rebecca Baker junior 1500m winner last year, Charli Miller junior 3000m and steeplechase winner in Hastings, Tillie Hollyer, Kirstie Rae, Aimee Ferguson and Liliana Braun, senior 3000m and steeplechase winner last year. Michael Graham is the favourite for the 400m, Liam Back will contest the 800m, steeplechase and road race, Joseph Sinclair is in the 800m and road race, Samuel Tanner and Benjamin Wall are in the 1500m, Tanner also down for the 3000m and Wall the road race and Andres Hernandez the 3000m and road race. Leah Belfield will contest the 100m and 200m. Last year she was third in the 200m. Tayla Brunger, Charlotte Holland and Emma Osborne will battle out the 400m. Lucy Hegan will be all out to add the senior girls 800m title to the junior title she won last year. Alice Ritchie will be defending her 2000m race walk title while Alex Brown will be up against Lucas Martin, Ryan Jones and Bradyn Popow in his defence of the 3000m race walk title. Olly Parkinson 110m hurdles champion last year will line up against Daniel Parkes and will be facing Parkes and Pio in the 300m hurdles. In the field events Jayden Gozdz will feature in the javelin throw, Josh Inger in the high jump, Edward Hsing in the pole vault and Sam Colyer in the long and triple jumps. Colyer won the junior titles last year achieving a record of 13.58m in the triple jump. Tara McNally and Alessandra Macdonald are down to contest the 300m hurdles, Josephine Reeves with a season’s best of 1.80m will defend her high jump title, Imogen Ayris second last year will be looking to go one better in the pole vault, as will Jaidyn Busch who was second in the shot put last year. Kaia Tupu-South should achieve a medal in the shot put and the discus throw. The hammer throw will be a three way contest between Savannah Scheen, Teagan Ashley and Maria Naime. William Stedman T36 of Middleton Grange School will contest the Para/Athlete 100m, 200m, 400m and long jump. At the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro Stedman won the bronze medal in the 400m and 800m. Just over 1300 entries from 210 schools have been received along with teams from the Cook Islands and Niue. The largest field is 101 runners entered in the senior boys 6km road race. Murray McKinnon |
Aspiring Athletes Classic Tour
After a year’s break, the Aspiring Athletes Tour to the Cooks and Capital Classics in January is returning. |
California Track & Field Tour Meeting
Athletes interested in the California Track & Field Tour can meet with Tour director Greg Lautenslager at 12:30pm on Friday and/or Saturday outside the fence at the start/finish line at the Caledonian Ground Track. This season’s tour offers a choice of two travel dates: April 2- April 21 and April 9 – April 28, 2019. Athletes in all disciplines and on all levels are welcomed. They will compete in meets over three weekends in an ideal climate conducive to top performances. For more information, call 027 343-5521 or refer to the website: californiatour.co.nz. |
21 May 2019 8:40pm 
