Tasman Masters Athletics

43rd NZ Masters Athletics Track & Field Championships

Nelson – 3-5 March 2017

Tasman Masters Athletics is hosting these national championships for the first time in Nelson at the Saxton Field all-weather track. There will be a full range of track races (60m to 10,000m), jumps, throws and a couple of judged walking events (3000m track walk & 10k road walk). Unfortunately, we do not have a pole vault facility.

The champs provide a great opportunity for current and past Tasman masters members and other master’s athletes over the age of 30 to have a go. No upper age limit! Large attractive medals are up for grabs in all events for the first three in each 5 year age group.

To take part you need to be a current member of Tasman Masters Athletics / NZ Masters Athletics (NZMA) or another master’s centre affiliated with NZMA or a club that is affiliated with Athletics NZ, such as Athletics Nelson.

Entries are now open. The links to the programme and entry forms (on-line or postal) are here:

Programme  –  Online Entry Form  –  Postal Entry Form

Please contact Derek Shaw on how to join Tasman Masters Athletics / NZMA, enter the champs or for any further information – nikau@ts.co.nz, ph 03 5487537, 027 5487537.

Entries close on 6 February 2017. So don’t delay, enter today!

As we are a small centre officials and helpers are needed for a range of jobs during the champs – experience not essential. Please fill in the officials registration form or contact Derek Shaw if you can officiate or help out in any way.

Steve Low

Steve Low
(photo by John Campbell)

Joeline Jones

Joeline Jones
(photo by John Campbell)

Tim Cross

Tim Cross
(photo by John Campbell)

Tasman Masters News

World Masters Athletics Champs

Four Tasman masters ventured across the Tasman to Perth to see how they fared against some of the world’s best masters. While most took the opportunity to enjoy some of the visitor attractions in between events, Robbie Barnes (M50) decided to concentrate on one event and flew in for the final day’s marathon. His approach seemed to work very well as he finished third in his age group in 2:54:28 to take home a well earned bronze medal. Barry Dewar had his eye on a similar coloured medal in the M65 age group in the marathon but unfortunately faded in the second half to finish in 5th place (3:42:45). In his warm up race over 5000m on the track he recorded a creditable time of 20:38.

Steve Low (M60) in his specialist 400m event was third in his heat and his time of 1:05.77 was fast enough to advance to the top 16 in the semi-finals. Unfortunately he didn’t manage to qualify for the final. Ian Carter (M65) was a comfortable 2nd in his 800m heat in a time of 2:42.46 to automatically qualify for the final. In the final he lead into the last bend before being passed by the eventual winner and was in a tight battle for the other two medals when he suddenly took a tumble 10m from the finish line – eventually finishing a disappointed 8th in 2:33.34. Despite a sore shoulder from his tumble he was 5th in his 1500m heat in 5:12.61 and qualified for the final in which he finished 9th in 5:11.98. In his 2km steeplechase he finished a creditable 5th in 8:15.14. In the 4 x 100m relays, Ian was persuaded to join three kiwi sprinters – Trevor Guptill, Anthony Deleiros and Alan Dougall – in a 65+ team who came away with bronze medals.

Former Nelson race walker Nyle Sutherland (W45), now resident on the Gold Coast, rejoined Tasman Masters so she could compete in NZ colours. She had a very successful champs with a bronze medal in the 10km road walk (58:00), silver in the 20km road walk (1:59:44) and a team gold in the W45+ 20km event with former fellow Nelsonian Sue Hoskin and Jacqueline Wilson who finished 3 minutes ahead of Australian rivals.

Four Tasman members ventured down to Timaru and had a successful and enjoyable weekend. Tim Cross in a solo effort broke the M55 SI championship record by 2.36s held by fellow Tasman master Murray Hart in the 3km steeplechase with a time of 12:46.04. He comfortably won his age group in the 5000m with a time of 19:24.75 to claim his second SI title.

Derek Shaw

Derek Shaw
(photo by John Campbell)

Nyle Sunderland

Nyle Sunderland
(photo by Sharon Wray)

Nige Burgess

Nige Burgess
(photo by John Campbell)

South Island Masters T&F Champs

In her first SI champs, Joeline Jones (W35) displayed fine early season form in her sprints PBs over 60m (8.56s) and 100m (13.68s). In the 400m race she was first women overall with a time of 66.05s. However, in her 60m and 100m races she came up against the superior speed of Southland’s Tracey Excell and had to settle for second place. In their last race over 200m, Excell unfortunately pulled a hamstring after 30m which enabled Jones to claim her second SI title in a time of 28.85.

In his specialist 400m event, Steve Low (M60) was hoping to add to his current championship record in the M55 200m. However, the breezy conditions made achieving records difficult and he had to settle for SI titles in both the 200m (29.07s) and 400m (66.01s). Derek Shaw (M60) managed three SI titles in his three events – the 3000m (11:57.31), 1500m (5:38.37) and the 5000m (21:01.07).

North Island Masters T&F Champs

Tasman race walker Peter Hague (M65) headed to Palmerston North and claimed NI titles in both the 3000m (18:09) and 5000m (31:57.7) race walks despite rather unpleasant wet and windy conditions for the latter event.