Ariki runners Callan Moody (left) and Dougal Thorburn are
neck and neck as they crest the hill on the final lap of
the senior men's race of the Otago cross-country
championships at Waikouaiti Racecourse on Saturday. Photo
by Gerard O'Brien.
Dougal Thorburn turned on the pace and broke the field up
early to set up a thrilling victory in the Otago cross-country
championships at Waikouaiti on Saturday.
Thorburn's torrid pace over the first 2km circuit of the 12km
course eased the threats posed by most of his main rivals in
a field that contained many of Otago's top middle and long
distance runners.
Maintaining control through his strong front-running tactic,
the size of his lead until the midway stage of the race
fluctuated, as those being dragged along in his wake
struggled for momentum.
Only Callan Moody, a past junior champion on the course and a
runner-up three years ago to Ariki clubmate Matt Lambert,
managed the early pace by Thorburn with any success, arriving
on Thorburn's shoulder at the halfway stage.
Little separated the pair as they each put in surges in an
attempt to break the other.
These tactics served to increase the lead over last year's
runner-up, Bevan Stevens (Caversham), and Peter Meffan
(Caversham), who was running the race of his life in an
attempt to claim the bronze medal.
Thorburn and Moody continued to dominate up front, until
Thorburn caught his second wind and snatched a tentative 2sec
lead entering the final 2km. He took to the hill section for
the sixth and final time as if it were his first, stretching
his lead out to 8sec over Moody, with Stevens and Meffan
still battling for bronze 30sec further back.
Moody's confidence grew when he noticed Thorburn glancing
back over the final 1500m and the race virtually turned into
a sprint from both runners. Thorburn crossed the finish line
in 39min 55sec with Moody 5sec back in second.
"That was a race," an ecstatic Thorburn said.
"Nice to do a sub-40 as well."
Thorburn knew his approach to the race was a gamble that
could have been his undoing.
"I knew I had to do it to break the race up and get the jump
on the speed boys. I thought I was toast when Callan came up
on me. But in the end it helped and meant I could grab the
race when I wanted it."
Stevens claimed third in a dramatic dive for the line in
40min 38sec. There was consolation for Stevens as he headed a
Caversham quartet that consisted Meffan, Daniel Balchin and
Tony Payne, to win the interclub teams trophy.
A late decision to defend her title paid off for Rachel
Kingsford (Hill City) as the young cross-country
international dominated the open women's field to win in
30min 31sec on the 8000m course, with Kirsty Morris (Leith)
second in 31min 48sec and Emily Soisberg (Wellington
Scottish) third in 32min 44sec.
Little has been seen of Kingsford this season due to heavy
university commitments and despite appearances for Hill City
in the Lovelock and Ponydale relay events, any further
competition this year will depend on her studies.
The junior titles were keenly contested with Anthony Trainor
(Ariki) winning the junior men's title and Shauna Pali (Hill
City) the junior women's.
Sian English (Ariki) and Sam Bremner (Hill City) proved they
are senior champions in waiting when they each recorded
impressive victories in the under-16 grade.
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