Track attracts big events

Masterton's new all-weather athletics track is a winner even before the rubberised surface is laid.

Hopes the eight-lane facility at the Colin Pugh Sports Bowl, which could be in use by the end of next month, would attract major events on the national athletics calendar have already come to fruition.

Booked in for January next year are the New Zealand Inter-provincial Championships for the 14 and 15-year-old age groups and there is every chance the 2012 North Island Secondary Schools Championships, to be held in March, could be confirmed in the next few weeks.

Both events would not only give the Wairarapa sporting fraternity the opportunity to see many of the country's most promising track and field prospects but would also guarantee the region large numbers of visitors.

"The spinoffs from meets like this will be huge. It's a win-win for everybody," WRATT (Wairarapa Regional All-Weather Track Trust) spokesman Mark Harris said yesterday. "And that's why we are going to be very proactive in chasing the bigger events; the more we can get, the better for the whole community."

Wearing his coaching hat, Harris is excited too at what the new track will do for the sport's progress in the Wairarapa.

Even without the aid of an artificial surface, this province has achieved a series of outstanding results at national age group levels over the past decade and Harris is confident of greater success in the years ahead.

"It will mean our track athletes can do speed work any time of the year rather than rely on the weather to play ball as they do now ... and it will also mean we can be more accurate over the distances they train. Suddenly they'll be on an even playing field with those from other regions when they go to the big meets. That's going to be a massive plus for them."

Harris said shot put, discus, javelin and hammer competitors would be looking forward to having four first-class throwing circles and run-ups to throw from and there would now also be a golden opportunity to expand interest in long jump, high jump, triple jump and pole vault.

"It's probably fair to say the jumps haven't had the profile here because we simply haven't had the facilities for that to happen but there will no excuse now," he said.