Saturday Competition
The winter cross country season runs from April to November each year. Athletics Canterbury, via their Cross Country and Road Committee, has a programme of 16 events in a variety of formats (relays, handicaps, individual races) and over a variety of terrain (forest trails, grassed parkland, racetracks, roads, quarries and hills). A Season Programme outlining the event times and locations will be published on the Athletics Canterbury website.
You may enter as many of these races as you wish – there is no compulsion to run them all. Your club subscription covers your race fees for the Club of the Year competition events plus the Takahe to Akaroa road relay.
Club members enter races via the Sumner Running Club website, and we then send the club’s entries on to the race organiser. Notification of upcoming races and an online entry form will be posted at least a week before entries are due. Our deadlines will be slightly earlier than those on the race websites as we have to collate the entries in the right format, organise relay teams when required, and send entries through to the race organisers.
Wearing the Sumner Club uniform and your registration number is compulsory when competing.
Age Grades
In accordance with Athletics New Zealand, grades are determined according to an athlete’s age as at 31 December of that current year. This applies to all runners except Masters’ grades, which are determined by age on the day:
- Two-Year Grades for both males and females up to the age of 19 (eg Under 10=8 and 9 year olds, Under 12=10 and 11 year olds)
- Senior Men and Women – age 20 to 34 years
- Masters Men and Women – age over 35 (age as on race day)
Juniors
Many of our members are families and the juniors are a group who regularly train and compete in cross country races, road races, team relays and athletics.
Our aim is to provide a friendly environment for your children to develop their running potential. We have a philosophy that rests on individual improvement and diversity of experience. While we are keen to encourage those that perform highly, we also have a focus on participation, fun, and individual improvement.
Some of the juniors after a wet, but fun Lionel Fox Relays 2018
Junior Training
Training for the juniors will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4.45-5:30pm from Ferrymead Park. Later in the season as daylight hours demand, training will begin at 4.30pm. All ages 7 years and up are welcome.
Parents are encouraged to accompany the groups on their runs. It’s a great way to improve your own fitness and get a good understanding of the aims of our training.
Senior Training
A group of adults also train at Hansen Park each Tuesday evening for a speed work session (from 5.45pm), and some adults and older juniors participate in longer runs each Sunday from the Sign of the Takahe (at 8:00am) and Taylor’s Mistake (at 9:00am).
The team selectors (see below) can also advise when other training runs occur for those individuals interested. Check the Club Training page for more details.
Coach and Team Co-ordinators
All the following people are volunteers, and your support of them on training nights and Saturdays is appreciated. If you’re interested in joining our friendly and supportive club, the appropriate co-ordinator would love to hear from you.
- Senior/ Masters Women – Annette Campbell, a.campbellfcl@gmail.com
- Senior/ Masters Men – David Fitch, dfitch@rocketmail.com
- Juniors – Ann Wells, 022 376 6180 chris.annwells@xtra.co.nz
“Club of the Year” Winter Points Series
The Winter Points Series commenced in 2009 using ten events on the Canterbury winter calendar to determine the Club of the Year. There has been some variation to the events used over the years but here’s how it works:
- Clubs are ranked at each event based on the four best age grade placings they achieve. This produces a “Club of the Day” winner. eg. At the Hagley Relays, say our best four placings were 1st (Masters Women), 1st (15/16 girls), 2nd (Masters Men) and 3rd (Senior Men) it would give us 7 points and this would then be compared to other clubs results with the lowest score winning.
- The winning club at each event is awarded 20 points, 2nd club 18 points, 3rd club 16 points, then 14, 12, 10, 8 etc.
- The total of these event points show which club is leading at any stage throughout the season, and the total of all events will determine the ‘Club of the Year’.
The current standings will be updated after each counting race.
Sumner Running Club 