North Island Cross Country Champs

 July 5. Spa Park, Taupo.
 Full results here.
 Valleys results below.

VALLEYS THIRD OVERALL AT TAUPO

Valleys athletes returned from the North Island cross country championships in Taupo at the weekend (5 July) with four medals and as the third-placed club overall.

Jonathan Wyatt romped away with the senior men's race in his final competitive outing before heading to Europe for the mountain running circuit there. Wyatt led from the gun and was in a class of his own over the three laps of the demanding 3km circuit at Taupo's Spa Park. His winning time of 27min 31sec was exactly a minute clear of second-placed Jason Cameron of North Harbour Bays.

The other Valleys medals came in junior grades.

New member Hannah Elise took the silver medal in the under 12 girls 2km race, running 8:21 to finish five seconds clear of her clubmate Laura Robertson, who claimed the bronze medal.

And Cameron Murdoch continued his good form with a bronze medal in the under 10 boys race. He covered the 1km circuit in 3:52.

Melanie Cleland, one of the favourites in the under 15 girls race, was forced to withdraw on the second lap when she appeared well placed for a medal.

The medals and overall performances by Valleys athletes saw the club place third in the club cup competition.

Valleys scored 2515 points to be ranked behind only Pakuranga (3204) and Wellington Harriers (2812).

Other notable results came through Anna Robertson in the masters women's 35 and over race, Abdulahi Gulad in the under 20 men's race, and Tim Robertson in the under 10 boys.

Anna Robertson was sixth in her race, clocking 20:15 over the 5km course, while Tim Robertson placed eighth in the 1km under 10 race in 4:11.

Gulad, who had earlier been selected in the Wellington centre team for the championships, placed 7th in the highly competitive under 20 grade with a time of 20:25 over the 6km course.