Athletics: Henshaw ends club's long title gap in tough running

Edwin Henshaw bridged a 62-year gap since a Calliope Club athlete has won the Auckland senior men's cross-country title, with a convincing win at the A&P showgrounds in Pukekohe yesterday.

Henshaw was in control of the 12,000m race from the start, winning in 42m 22s, over a minute ahead of Takapuna's Stephen Lett.

Norm Ambler of Calliope won the Auckland title in 1945 and in 1947.

Henshaw was pleased with the victory achieved on a tough course.

"It was tiring in the mud and wind. We had a tail wind on the uphill and the head wind on the flat and with the mud on top of this it was a true cross-country course," said Henshaw.

The 23-year-old, who won the Auckland and New Zealand titles in 2007 when he ran with the Bays Cougars Club, will compete in the New Zealand championships in Christchurch in two weeks before returning to his base in Tulsa in the United States.

Hannah Lawrence, who has completed her athletic scholarship in the US, won the senior women's title, running the 8000m in 34m 34s. Pakuranga clubmate Lisa Robertson was second, with Robyn Young of Takapuna third. Lawrence spent five years in the US and has only just got back into running after injuries and surgery.

"I returned to running as part of my triathlon training and today's win has got me interested again. I'd like to compete in the nationals," she said.

Lawrence, 31, will also be competing in the world long course triathlon championship in Perth in October.

Alex Parlane and Mike Banks had a great battle in the M19 8000m, with Parlane staging a last-second sprint to pip Banks by a second for the title.

Danielle Trevis won the W19 6000m by a wide margin of over two minutes in 23m 57s. The best of the masters were Paul Angland and Melanie Cossar.