Jackson and Nagel win NZ Cross Country titles

Jono Jackson finally won the Men's New Zealand Cross Country title after years of trying and a string of minor placings.

Running with home-town advantage on a heavy track at the Auckland Domain, Jackson (Auckland) was always near the lead in the 10km race but had to work very hard over the closing part of the race to reel in Daniel Balchin who had eked out a 20 metres lead with 500m to run.

Third in the race for the NZ title was Balchin's Canterbury team-mate Oska Inkster-Baynes.

Jackson said his recent training sessions on the course paid off, although the conditions were not as muddy as he had expected.

The race was won by Australian Nicholas Wightman who takes the Oceania Cross Country title.

Laura Nagel won her first New Zealand senior title, taking out the Senior Women's 10km race at the championships from international steeplechaser Rosa Flanagan.

Nagel, representing Hawkes Bay Gisborne ran shoulder to shoulder with Flanagan (Canterbury) before moving ahead at the 7km mark. She went on to win by a margin of 20 seconds with a further 32 seconds to the third placegetter Karinna Fyfe from Australia. Nicole Mitchell from Waikato BoP took the NZ championship bronze medal.

Cameron Avery (Canterbury) won the Under 20 Men's race with a strong finish to get away from teammate Matt Prest and Waikato BoP's Harry Ewing.

Hannah Miller made a decisive move half way through the second lap to get a gap on the field in the Under 20 women's race. In her final race in New Zealand before heading off to the USA on a scholarship, the Southlander found the heavy conditions to her liking.

Jacob Priddey (Waikato BoP) won the Under 18 Men's race after a torrid battle with Tasman's Kalani Sheridan and Trent Dodds from Auckland. Priddey, 12th in 2015 ran in a big bunch through the first two laps before forging ahead with the other medallists and took the title with his strength over the final 500m.

Hannah O'Connor (Taranaki) added yet another national title to her impressive collection, winning the Under 18 Women's race from Tessa Webb (Manawatu Wanganui) and Liliana Braun (Canterbury).

Finlay Seeds (Trentham United Harriers) and Charli Miller (Hamilton City Hawks) were clear winners in the Under 15 Boy's and Girl's Championships.

Masters race winners were Greg Darbyshire (Auckland) and Sally Gibbs (Waikato BoP).

Results

Men.-

Senior 10km: Nicholas Wightman (Aust) 33m 00s 1, Jono Jackson (Akld) 33m 5s 2, Daniel Balchin (Cant) 33m 12s 3, Oska Inkster-Baynes (Cant) 33m 42s 4. Teams: Auckland 1, Canterbury 2, Wellington 3.

Masters 8km: Greg Darbyshire (Akld) 28m 16s 1, Dan Nixon (Wgtn) 28m 46s 2, Liam Scopes (Akld) 28m 55s 3. Teams: 35-49; Auckland 1, Wellington 2, Waikato Bay of Plenty 3. 50-64; Auckland 1, Waikato Bay of Plenty 2, Wellington 3.

Masters 6km: Tony McManus (Cant) 23m 50s 1, Barry Dewar (Tas) 25m 51s 2, Ian Carter (Tas) 26m 6s 3.

U/20 8km: Cameron Avery (Cant) 26m 51s 1, Matt Prest (Cant) 27m 9s 2, Harry Ewing (WaikBoP) 27m 13s 3. Teams: Canterbury 1, Auckland 2, Tasman 3.

U/18 6km: Isaiah Priddey (WaikBoP) 20m 25s 1, Kalani Sheridan (Tas) 20m 31s 2, Trent Dodds (Akld) 20m 38s 3. Teams: Auckland 1, Wellington 2, Waikato Bay of Plenty 3.

U/15 3km: Finn Seeds (Trent) 10m 29s 1, Liam Back (Wait) 10m 43s 2, MacCallum Rowe (Egmont) 10m 57s 3.

U/13 2km: Mathijs Wetzels (Ham) 6m 58s 1, Jack Julian (Olym) 7m 13s 2, Sam Berry (Pt Chev) 7m 17s 3.

U/11 2km: Oscar Monro (Pak) 7m 38s 1, Elliott Pugh (Tga) 7m 43s 2, Finlay Smith (Pak) 7m 44s 3.

Women.-

Senior 10km: Laura Nagel (HBG) 38m 8s 1, Rosa Flanagan (Cant) 38m 28s 2, Karina Fyfe (Aust) 39m 2s 3, Nicole Mitchell (WaikBoP) 39m 21s 4. Teams: Auckland 1, Wellington 2, Canterbury 3.

Masters 6km: Sally Gibbs (WaikBoP) 23m 51s 1, Mel Aitken (Otago) 25m 7s 2, Anna McRae (Akld) 25m 17s 3. Teams: Waikato Bay of Plenty 1, Canterbury 2, Wellington 3.

U/20 6km: Hannah Miller (Sthld) 23m 49s 1, Grace Wood (Akld) 23m 57s 2, Jess Kikstra (Wgtn) 24m 9s 3. Teams: Auckland 1.

U/18 4km: Hannah OConnor (Tar) 14m 48s 1, Tessa Webb (Manwtu) 15m 26s 2, Liliana Braun (Cant) 15m 38s 3. Teams: Canterbury 1, Auckland 2, Manawatu Wanganui 3.

U/15 3km: Charli Miller (Ham) 10m 54s 1, Briana Irving (Gisb) 11m 8s 2, Samantha Corbett (Ham) 11m 38s 3.

U/13 2km: Abigail Edwards (GE) 7m 47s 1, Rebecca Jenkins (Oly) 7m 53s 2, Olivia Hala (Tga) 7m 54s 3.

U/11 2km: Millie Jenkins (Olym) 8m 10s 1, Eryn Westlake (NHB) 8m 22s 2, Rylee Mardon (Ham) 8m 29s 3.

- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Athletics New Zealand