A Great Start to the 2023 season for the W!

At the Waterfront Half, which doubled as the Auckland Half Marathon Champs, Malcolm Hicks was victorious in 1:06, with Michael Hale second in the M40 category in 1:20 and Liz Coats collecting a PB with a 1:47.

Three of our Masters Men went down to the Christchurch Marathon and each came back with a PB. Congrats to Tim Hitchcock, Nic Warren and Michael Hale who had times of 2:39, 2:40 and 2:50 respectively.

Wesley went on to a good showing with 4 teams competing on a wet day at the Southland Centennial relays.

Then Malcolm Hicks ran the fastest time in over two decades taking the win at Rotorua Marathon, and the NZ Masters title in 2:21:49

A spirited field of young and old took part in our own Beehive Mile event, with Brent Kelly and Heidi Hale taking the male and female titles. Full results here on the website.

And just this last weekend our juniors ran well on a tough course at the Oratia relays, enjoying the sun and the muddy trails.

Wesley Xc champs - Saturday 10th July 2021

Thanks for all those that came along to the inaugural Wesley XC Champs!

The weather came to the party for everyone to challenge themselves on a tough course. Congratulations to Owairaka for winning the teams challenge and well done to all who took part - see you next year!

Results can be viewed here

The 2021 season is here!

Welcome back runners!

2021 is already showing us to take nothing for granted (and to be grateful you chose a sport that developed your endurance!) We hope you are well and looking forward to a season of great running. 

We think that club running is a great option for these COVID-disrupted times and our Winter season officially begins in April. As you will see from the attached Calendar there are plenty of events on offer. Along with the season highlights like the Takahe to Akaroa road relays in Christchurch (Oct 2), National Road Champs (Mystery Creek Sep 5), there are some cracker Wesley events to look forward to in our own backyard: including the classic Beehive and Honeypot Miles, our own cross country event and a handicap road race.

Membership

Memberships will open in April, check out www.wesley.org.nz for the link. 

We have kept our fees the same as  2020:

Seniors & Masters -  $130

Tertiary Students - $115

Under 20 & 18 - $100

Under 15, 13, 11 and 9 -  $85

Upcoming Events

The first event will be the Southland Centennial Relays on Saturday afternoon, April 17 at Sacred Heart College. It is a teams race (2k each for juniors in teams of 4, 3k for seniors) so we will be looking to have heaps of runners to fill the teams. Email secretary@wesley.org.nz to register your interest. See attached event info.

The second event is our own Wesley Beehive Mile on Saturday May 1, 2pm in Cornwall Park.

Keep active and we will see you soon!

Puhoi Punisher 2019

Wesley athletes were in great form at the Puhoi Punisher:

Tim Hitchcock 2nd, Nic Warren 3rd, Michael Hale 4th, Ben Green 7th... and special congrats to young George Howcroft who raced the senior 10k event (his first ever) with his dad Jeremy. A bright future awaits that tough young fella. More pics, results and report here

Wesley Ninjas take on Southland Centennial Relays

A fabulous sunny day and a new course at Sacred Heart School fields for the traditional season opener of the Southland Centennial Relays run on grass.

Wesley Juniors entered 1 team comprising the Rowbotham and Howcroft families.

The course has a lot of switchbacks but this does mean that it’s spectator friendly and certainly Junior Manager (and proud Dad) David Rowbotham ran hither and thither to offer encouragement at regular points on the course.

A lap of 2 km is just about right for the kids – long enough to be a decent run, but short enough not to shock the system too much before winter.

Particular mention must go to Tom Howcroft who turned up and raced on his birthday!

We would certainly recommend this event to others for next year.

Mustard Men Punching Above Weight Internationally

Wesley has continued its proud history of producing high quality results over the past few weeks.

Malcolm “most attractive club member 2014,15,16 & 18” Hicks debuted over the Marathon distance at the 2018 Berlin Marathon. Notching up an hugely impressive, and unofficial club record, time of 2.16.28. A mere 14 minutes down on the super human-GOAT hybrid of Kipchoge’s new WR . To say Malcs’ run is anything less than impressive is an insult.

Hicksy

Sticking with Marathon news, Tony Payne ran his 324th Marathon (aprox) at the 2018 Asian Games. Representing his mother’s home country of Thailand he ran a fantastic race in hot and humid conditions to claim 8th in a time of 2.24.52. In the process he became a minor local TV celebrity. Big ups TPAYNE!

T Payne

Moving to the sport for people who can’t decide what they actually enjoy, Triathlon. Confused runner, Aniel Smith, represented NZ at the 2018 age group tri champs over in the gold coast. Notching in an impressive performance, that included a 32.55 10km PB. He had the 5th fastest run split of the race, 7th fastest kiwi over the line and was 47th overall. Big effort Aniel!

Aniel Smith

UP THE MUSTARD

AKL Grand Prix Overall Results 2018

The Auckland winter grand prix series has come to a close and some Wesley members have made their way up to the top of the overall series rankings. With five placings in the top 10 across 3 age groups the club has delivered some quality results. Congratulations to the following

MM35
1st - Adam Gallagher with 497 points
3rd - Michael Hale with 483 points
Making it a mustard sandwich on the masters mens podium!

MM45
7th Jonathan Drake with 455 points

Full series results available via Athletics Auckland here
 

AKL GP6 - Road Race Champs

A trip out south was on order to Bruce Pulman Park for the 2018 Athletics Auckland Road Race Championships. As always we had a mustard contingent out doing the club proud!

Results

Men U18 (6km)
10th Pasindu Mudannayaka (King Paz) - 24.30
12th Euan McDougall - 28.25

Senior Men (10km)
11th Nathan McDougall - 43.14

MM35 (10km)
3rd Adam Gallagher - 34.47
6th Michael Hale - 36.55

MM50 (10km)
7th Jonathan Drake - 44.50

AKL XC GP4 - Long Bay

Wesley had a high quality showing out at the Athletics Auckland Grand Prix 4 XC race held at Long Bay. With a total of 18 mustard singlets roaring around the shortest courses of the series it was certainly a good outing. Operator Adam Gallagher continued his fine form in the 2018 XC series claiming his 4568th win in the MM35 age group. Catrin Dawson showed some fine form in a narrow finish to claim second in the WU18 age group. Grace (sister of Declan, Finn & Conal) Wilson also took a podium spot with 3rd in the WU20 age group. Congrats to our three podium finishers and to all that got out and raced and supported!

Full club results:
GU9
16th Cate Wheeler - 11.57
20th Isabelle Rowbotham - 14.52

Women U18 (2km)
2nd Catrin Dawson - 7.25
6th Jemma Cherguit - 7.34
17th Zaria Ireland - 8.38

Boys U11
10th Joshua Rowbotham - 8.55
24th George Howcroft - 10.13

Boys U13
36th Sam Wheeler - 10.48

Boys U15
15th Pasindu Mudannayaka - 7:44

Women U20 (4km)
3rd Grace Wilson - 18.14

Men U18 (4km)
3rd Sam Heyes - 14.03

Senior Men
13th Aniel Smith - 14.26
16th Jack Robinson - 15.50
19th Sam Robinson - 18.11

MM35
1st Adam Gallagher - 13.53
7th Michael Hale - 15.46

MM45
14th Brett Wallwork 18.02
15th Jonathan Drake 19.33

Photos by Scott Wilson here

Photo / Scott Wilson

AKL XC GP3 - Teams Race

There can never be enough cross country events at Barry Curtis park, when the 2018 XC calendar was released, the Mustard contingent delighted in being able to return to the challenging and scenic grounds of Barry Curtis Park. Being the teams event (where each clubs runners places are added together to create a points total) Wesley were out working hard as usual in the Mustard singlet.

BU11 (2km)
27th George Howcroft - 10.07

Senior Men (8km)
10th Jack Robinson - 29.55
13th Aniel Smith - 30.56
19th Sam Robinson - 34.30

MM35 (8km)
1st Adam Gallagher - 29.10
4th Michael Hale - 33.02
7th Tom Shanks - 35.45

MM45 (8km)
13th Jonathan Drake - 40.32

Teams Placings
Senior Men - 4th - 256 Points

AKL XC GP2 - Pakuranga

Many on Strava (join our strava club) call this one the snail XC, for the course looks like a snail (naturally). The Pakuranga Grand Prix XC race attracted some quality talent to Lloyd Elsmore Park. Wesley ran away with some solid results.

U18 Men (6km)
2nd Sam Heys - 22.00

Senior Men (10km)
7th Tom Hunt - 36.00
14th Jack Robinson - 36.54
19th James Spence - 38.12
22nd Sam Robinson - 44.13

MM35 (8km)
1st Adam Gallagher - 29.59
4th Michael Hale - 32.37

MM45
13th Jonathan Drake - 41.32

AKL XC GP1 - Pukekohe

The Auckland cross country season got into full swing on Saturday (12/05/18) with the first of the grand prix cross country series taking place out at Pukekohe. The club had a strong contingent of entries with 9 mustard men toeing the line down south. 

Senior Men (8km)
15th Jack Robinson - 30:22
16th Tom Hunt - 30:34
17th Aniel Smith - 31:13
18th James Spence - 31:15
23rd Sam Robinson - 36:24

MM35 (8km)
3rd Michael Hale - 33:15

MM45 (8km)
2nd Ronald King - 31.24
9th Brett Wallwork - 39.18
11th Jonathan Drake - 43.03

Waterfront Half & Rotorua Marathon Results

Some of the club members were out testing themselves on the roads recently.

Michael Hale placed second in the Athletics Auckland Half Marathon champs in the MM35 category with a time of 1.21.54. The event was held in conjunction with the Waterfront Half Marathon.

Adam Gallagher took on the Rotorua Marathon in his marathon debut as a born again runner. Clocking a lap of the lake in 2.56.36 for 20th overall. 

Beehive Mile 2018

It was a wet and miserable day out in Cornwall park for the annual running of the Beehive Mile. Taking our hardy club members from one end of the park to the other in what only can be described as a drag race for glory. For the first time in our clubs history a woman has taken the Beehive Mile victory. Young talent, Grace Wilson, claimed crowning glory in the 2018 edition of the race. In a post race interview Wilson noted that she couldn't wait to "get lit" (whatever that means) later at her 18th birthday celebrations. 

Congratulations to all that ran, we look forward to seeing you throughout the rest of the season. 

Results:
1st       Grace Wilson               5.52    Closest to estimated (5.50)
2nd     King Paz                       6.00
3rd      Jonathan Drake            6.20
4th      Joshua Rowbotham      7.12
5th      David Rowbotham       7.13
6th      Sam Wheeler                8.03
7th      Kate Wheeler               8.05
8th      Jonathan Wheeler        8.10
9th      Beth Wheeler              10.09
10th    Charlotte                     10.32
11th    Damian Wheeler         10.33
12th    Isabelle Rowbotham    11.28

Southland Cenntenial Relays - Results

Hosted out at the new venue of Sacred Heart College, the 2018 edition of the Southland Cenntenial relays featured three Wesley teams in action. A rapid Junior Team, The underrated senior A team and always impressive grammar glamour team. 

The rapid Junior team, consisting of Joshua Rowbotham, Cate Wheeler, Brooklyn Buck, and Isabelle Rowbottom came storming home 1m23s faster than their estimated time. Well done team. 
The underrated senior A team held together impressively (with the assistance of Will Harris doubling up on distance) to close home for 4th. Completing 10 laps of the course in 51.28, 1m.2s faster than their estimated time. The team was Adam Gallagher, Will Harris, Tom Hunt, & Aniel Smith (of world masters games fame).
The affectionately nicknamed "grammar glamour", consisting of runners from Auckland Grammar School, were our third team out on course for the day. Cody Dalton, Wynton Richards, Tama Hoare, Pasindu Mudannayaka, and Sam Heyes ran a strong race to come home in 8th overall in 56.42.

Congrats to all the teams that were out there.