The Senior Men's race over 12km at the Manakau Sportsbowl is expected to be a battle between New Zealand's two best marathoners - Dale Warrander (North Harbour Bays) and Phil Costley (Papanui Toc H). Costley and Warrander were the first two home in the NZ Road Champs last year and have both run fine marathons since - Warrander ran 2.13 in Chicago last October and Costley won Rotorua and ran 2.15 in the Gold Coast marathon last month. Both are more than capable over the shorter distances as well - with Costley's win in the Road Champs last year adding to his previous National titles over cross-country and on the track. Warrander is also a previous winner of the National Roads. The battle for third is likely to be between Jeff Spillane from Dunedin and Paul Morrow from North Canterbury.
In the women's race Scottish Harrier Melissa Moon will chase her fifth National Cross title in the last six years. Moon returned to form with a fine win in the North Island Champs at Taupo last month. Hardest for Moon to beat are expected to be Karyn Herdman (Wanganui) and Sarah Christie (Counties). Herdman was a surprise winner of the Dorne Cup in June and is an aggressive front runner who will make the pace solid. Christie just got run down by Moon for second and was the dominant figure in women's distance running on the track over the summer.
In the Under-20 men Jamie Voss (North Harbour Bays) should be hard to beat. Equally, the rejuvenated former Olympian Anne Hare (Wellington Harriers) should win the veteran women's and given her recent strong form may even be tempted to test herself in the senior women's. Christchurch's effervescent Don Greig will be hard to beat in the veteran men's if he makes the journey north.
Cool Running 06.08.00.
