Valleys United

Welcome to the 2003 season. I hope you have had a good break over the summer months and are rearing to go for the Harrier season.

Lots of great results over the summer. Valleys United won the third division at the National Teams final in Hamilton - well done to all who attended.

There were also a number of star performances. Nick Kalavati with some outstanding races and publicity to boot. Nick Willis joining a honourable list of Sub 4 minute milers and also being selected for the World Cross Country Championships. To cap the track season off, Neil Sampson, Adam Dayesh, David Stacey and Tim Hawkes won the Men's 20 4 x 400m relay at the NZ Track Champs.

Syllabus
As always the syllabus is packed with events. We are spoilt this year with three national events in our backyard - NZ Road Champs, NZ Mountain Running Champs and the combined NZ Secondary School and Short Course Champs. NZ Cross Country Champs heads to Tauranga, the annual trip to Taupo for the North Island Cross Country Champs and the National Road Relays returning to Feilding.

Upper Hutt ½ Marathon
Thank you to everyone who helped marshal on the day. A big thankyou to all the people who worked behind the scenes - collecting equipment, checking and rechecking the course and running around doing numerous other odd jobs. The event is a key fundraiser for our club, and all the money we raise through the event is ploughed back into the club to subsidise travel for junior athletes who go to Taupo for the North Island Cross Country Champs.

New Zealand Secondary Cross Country Championships (NZSSXC)
Valleys United in conjunction with St Patricks Silverstream are hosting the NZSSXC. The course is based on a 2k loop on Trentham Memorial Park. This is a huge event that attracts around 1500 secondary school students.

News From Nick Willis

Dear Valleys,

I thought that I would thank you guys for your support over the years and for the help with my trip to Switzerland. I didn't race to my full ability, but the difference at this level is huge if you have a slight off day. Its is definitely an experience that I will cherish for the rest of my running career. It was great to be a part of such a successful New Zealand team. Just being able to joke about the kiwi things such as the Warriors and the Hurricanes was a welcome relief from the American way that has been forced upon me lately. That Bekele from Ethiopia is the most amazing runner I have ever seen. Effortless demolition of the Kenyan challengers and only 20 years old.

I now plan to open my outdoor track season on the 25th of April (my 20th birthday) at the Penn Relays. This is a massive occasion with over 60,000 spectators each day. We will be running the Distance medley and the 4 x 800.

By the looks of things, I will be making my way back home in December for a few weeks over xmas, I am really looking forward to catching up with everybody again. (I might even get to see Royce Wilkie up in Tauranga over the new years break)

Good luck for the up coming Cross Country Season,

Nick

Valleys AGM
The AGM will be held Wednesday 25 June 2003 at the HVH Club Rooms at Petone Rec. It will be an evening AGM (time to be advised), followed by a few drinks and nibbles.