'Catch me if you can' plan works a treat

Masterton Intermediate student Stevie Paine admits to knowing little about her opposition in the girls 14yrs race at the national cross country championships at Waikanae on Saturday, but it didn't matter.
Paine, 13, was always intent on adopting her usual "catch me if you can tactics" by taking the lead early in the piece and looking to run her rivals off their feet, and her winning margin of 12secs suggests everything went according to plan.
"I just ran as hard as I could, the hills slowed me down a bit but otherwise it wasn't too bad" was Paine's typically understated response when asked to reflect on a performance which saw her complete the 3kms in 11mins 32secs. It was her second successive win at the national cross country championships and with her being eligible for the same age group in 2009 a hat-trick seems pretty much a formality.
Meanwhile, Hannah Moore made good use of her handicap when she ran out a clear cut winner of the 2.4km race held as part of the Ruamahanga Ramblers event over the Lansdowne recreational trail in Masterton on Saturday. The results of the 5km walk and 8km run were made a little askew through some of the competitors adding an extra 400m to the intended route.
Results
In order of handicap time and actual time:-
2.4km: Hannah Moore 22.52, 20.02; Hannah Lang 24.35, 16.20; Alex Megaw 25.00. 17.45; Matthew Furkert 25.11, 14.31; Nicholas Bailey 25.15, 13.15; Lucy Britland 25.48, 18.43; Esther Lang 29.20, 19.55; Xanthe Furkert 34.30, 31.40; Jack Britland 34.31, 31.04.
5km WALK: Ali Lang 39.20, 37.10; John Ihaka 41.33, 37.23; Tina Bailey 44.44, 39.29; Wendy Wills 51.30, 50.30; Emma Wills 51.30, 50.10.
8km RUN: Ray Wallis 46.20, 45.05; John Sage 47.27, 37.57; Paul Furkert 48.49, 38.08; Steve Britland 49.00, 39.00; Greg Lang 50.04, 41.44; John Cromarty 55.50, 55.30.
Next weekend will be a busy one for the Ramblers with their short course road races being held from Carterton School on Saturday over distances of 2.8k, and 5.6km and then on Sunday a group will contest the Masters road races at Johnsonville, held over 6.4km and 8km. Ali Lang and John Ihaka will be in the walking section with Greg Lang, Steve Britland and Ray Wallis all running, Wallis defending his title in the 65-69yrs veteran men's race.