Athletics: Bays Cougars easy winners on road

Bays Cougars made no race of the national road relay championships between Motueka and Nelson.

The Auckland club team came to Nelson on Saturday expecting a matchrace with last year's winners, Wellington Scottish, but the challenge never eventuated.

Bays Cougars led all the way to win the 55.87km race in 2h 49m 43s, 4m 01s ahead of Wellington Scottish.

Bays Cougars' first runner, Robbie Johnston, raced clear of the pack in the opening 8.57km lap to give his team a 72s lead over Counties Manukau.

The former Olympian handed over to Allan Bunce, who really applied the blowtorch to complete his 10.19km lap in 30m 08s, only 3s outside the lap record set by Dick Quax in 1979.

The win was especially satisfying for Rodger, who performed poorly in last year's championship to effectively forfeit the title to Wellington Scottish.

"I was really anxious about getting through this year. I've done a lot of racing but it's a bit different when you don't want to let your team-mates down," Rodger said.

Wellington Harriers were equally impressive in winning the senior women's race in 3h 26m 45s.

Vickie Humphries, Gabriel O'Rourke, Lee Berg, Carline MacDonald, Judith May, Michelle Hopkins and Sally Ward were too good for second-placed Counties Manukau, and Pegasus Athletic, who were third.

The race was evenly poised after two laps when mountain-running specialist Berg scorched up Moutere Hill in a lap record of 25m 08s to give her team a winning break.

"We're really excited. We didn't expect to win," O'Rourke said. "Lee and Carline gave us a lead on the hill and all we had to do was stay there."

- NZPA