Athletics: Dunroy shakes nerves to become high achiever

Ailsa Rollison heads down Mt Cargill during the Three Peaks mountain race in Dunedin yesterday. Rollison and team-mate Victoria Stott won the open women's team title and were second overall. Photo by Craig Baxter. Photo by Craig Baxter.

Dunroy (43), who shifted to Dunedin from the United Kingdom with his wife, Helen, in June last year, has an impressive background in cycling and multisport racing but was apprehensive about entering the race and being a stranger to local competitors.

Even as late as Saturday he was still unsure whether he should compete or not and was finally encouraged by his wife to front up.

Both have an impressive list of sporting achievements.

Helen (nee Gilroy), originally from Christchurch, was a New Zealand mountain bike representative, while Norman's list of achievements includes being a member of Eco Challenge and Southern Traverse teams with endurance identity Randolph Fiennes.

Norman Dunroy has also excelled as a road cyclist.

He was a member of the Great Britain team and contested stage races in Europe, including Britain's Milk Race, and Australia.

"I've done more exploring than anything else, really," Dunroy said, referring to his move to Dunedin.

"I love the place and it's been fun just running around and getting to know my way about. I didn't know what to expect once I'd entered this."

Dunroy finally committed to the race late on Saturday and he was a last-minute entry yesterday morning.

Whatever nerves he had quickly left him as he got involved in the leading group in the early stages of the course.

Only halfway up the Pineapple Track did he make a break from the pack.

"From then on, really, it was just a matter of keeping an eye out back over my shoulder."

For somebody relatively unfamiliar with the course over the three Dunedin summits of Flagstaff, Swampy and Mt Cargill, Dunroy had little difficulty negotiating the 30km course.

He finished in 2hr 5min 50sec, well clear of second-placed Tom Hunt (2hr 10min 12sec) and Chris Sole (2hr 16min 14sec).

A closer battle took place for the women's title, with Sue Cuthbert mastering the long downhill stage from Mt Cargill to cross the finish line in 2hr 31min 18sec, with Louisa Andrew second in 2hr 33min 4sec and Kim Herbert-Losier third in 2hr 34min 42sec.

The event celebrated its 26th year.

Dunedin identity John Scoones was contesting his 24th race and finished mid field in 3hr 7min 59sec.