Athletics New Zealand – News – Hicks and Van Dalen win NZ Cross Country titles

The two Aucklanders both won with decisive moves in the last quarter of their 12km and 8km races respectively.

Van Dalen was tracked by Cantabrian Rachel Kingsford in the women's race before putting on the pressure to win by 20s, with Nicole Mitchell from Wellington in third place.

The men's race had a large leading group running together until late in the race when Hicks turned the screw in the uphill section of the fifth of six laps to gain a break that he held to the end, although teammate Matt Baxter tried desparately to close the gap, but finished six seconds adrift, with Canterbury's Oska Inkster-Baynes filling third.

junior titles went to Marcus Karamanolis and Rosa Flanagan, while Samuel Mackay-Wright and Kelsey Forman were winners in the Youth grades.

Masters titles were won to Jonny McKee, Glen Ferguson and Mel Aitken.

Results
New Zealand Cross Country Championships
Halswell Quarry, Christchurch
Men
Senior 12km: Malcolm Hicks (Akld) 37m 20s 1, Matt Baxter (Akld) 37m 26s 2, Oska Inkster-Baynes (Cant) 37m 52s 3, Jono Jackson (Akld) 37m 55s 4, Craig Lautenslager (Tasman) 38m 19s 5, Callan Moody (Cant) 38m 30s 6. Teams: Canterbury 1.
Masters 8km: 35-39; Jonny McKee (Akld) 24m 58s 1, Andrew Wharton (Wgtn) 27m 12s 2, Neale McLanachan (Otago) 27m 37s 3. 40-44; Chris Mardon (Cant) 26m 54s 1, David Fitch (Cant) 27m 31s 2, Joshua Campbell (Wgtn) 27m 39s 3. 45-49; Kerry Faass (Cant) 27m 55s 1, Michael Wray (Wgtn) 27m 57s 2, Jason Baillie (Cant) 28m 5s 3. 50-54; Glen Ferguson (Otago) 27m 49s 1, John Crane (WaikBoP) 28m 11s 2, Ken Walker (Akld) 28m 57s 3. 55-59; Alastair Prangnell (Akld) 28m 33s 1, Paul Sharp (Wgtn) 30m 14s 2, Don Greig (Cant) 30m 23s 3. 60-64; Graeme Lear (Wgtn) 30m 19s 1, Graham Macky (Akld) 30m 23s 2, Mark Trotman (Akld) 31m 20s 3. 65-69; Barry Dewar (Nelson) 32m 23s 1, Trevor Ogilvie (WaikBoP) 33m 9s 2, Greg Harney (N/Brigtn) 34m 53s 3. 70-74; Michael Bond (Univ) 35m 37s 1, Jim Kettlewell (Hatea) 36m 16s 2, Evan MacIntosh (Sthld) 41m 35s 3. 75-79; John Wood (HV) 39m 8s 1, John Caughley (P/Hills) 47m 57s 2, John Eastmond (P/Hills) 48m 28s 3.
Junior 8km: Marcus Karamanolis (Wgtn) 25m 23s 1, Harry Ewing (WaikBoP) 25m 23s 2, Jeff Lautenslager (Tasman) 25m 39s 3. Teams: Canterbury 1, Wellington 2, Auckland 3.
Youth 6km: Samuel Mackay-Wright (Tasman) 19m 1s 1, Oliver Chignell (Otago) 19m 4s 2, Jared Lautenslager (Tasman) 19m 7s 3. Teams: Canterbury 1, Wellington 2, Tasman 3.
B15 3km: Dylan McCullough (Pak) 11m 55s 1, Benjamin Wall (Feilding) 12m 6s 2, Ayrton Shadbolt (P/Hills) 12m 8s 3.
B13 2km: Zane Powell (Pak) 6m 49s 1, William Taylor (Chch) 6m 58s 2, Jake Jackways (Phoenix) 7m 7s 3.

Women
Senior 8km: Lucy van Dalen (Akld) 27m 59s 1, Rachel Kingsford (Cant) 28m 19s 2, Nicole Mitchell (Wgtn) 29m 47s 3, Ashleigh Williams (Akld) 30m 16s 4, Angela Whyte (Cant) 30m 28s 5, Mel Aitken (Otago) 30m 35s 6. Teams: Auckland 1, Otago 2.
Masters 6km: 35-39; Mel Aitken (Otago) 22m 36s 1, Natasha Mitchell (Cant) 24m 53s 2, Ruth Love-Smith (Cant) 25m 15s 3. 40-44; Shireen Crumpton (Otago) 23m 26s 1, Paula Canning (Nelson) 23m 28s 2, Renae Creser (Wgtn) 24m 14s 3. 45-49; Maggie Chorley (Cant) 23m 31s 1, Gabrielle O’Rourke (Wgtn) 23m 41s 2, Karen Muller (Cant) 23m 46s 3. 50-54; Victoria Humphries (Wgtn) 23m 40s 1, Robyn Perkins (Cant) 24m 36s 2, Jane Pairman (Cant) 25m 42s 3. 55-59; Deborah Telfer (Sthld) 26m 21s 1, Bernadette Jago (P/Hills) 28m 26s 2, Dalise Sanderson (Otago) 29m 6s 3. 60-64; Liz Hardley (Akld) 29m 11s 1, Sue Meltzer (Akld) 29m 17s 2. 65-69; Margaret Flanagan (N/Brigtn) 28m 23 1, Shirley Rolston (P/Hills) 37m 58s 2.
Junior 6km: Rosa Flanagan (Cant) 20m 6s 1, Gabrielle Gray (Cant) 21m 0s 2, Deborah Paine (WaikBoP) 22m 10s 3. Teams: Canterbury 1, Waikato Bay of Plenty 2.
Youth 4km: Kelsey Forman (Wgtn) 14m 16s 1, Harriet Bush (Cant) 14m 29s 2, Katherine Badham (Akld) 14m 31s 3. Teams: Canterbury 1, Auckland 2, Wellington 3.
G15 3km: Hannah O’Connor (Egmont) 10m 30s 1, Liliana Braun (P/Hills) 10m 32s 2, Charli Miller (Ham) 10m 41s 3.
G13 2km: Rosa Blake (Phoenix) 7m 13s 1, Neve Moulai (Papn TocH) 7m 23s 2, Leila Dunlop (P/Hills) 7m 34s 3.

Full Results