PAPO success at the 2014 New Zealand Championships

In spite of the 2014 New Zealand championships being clouded by the news that John Davies was in hospital, terminally ill, PAPO members produced a host of top performances. Over Easter, in the individual events, PAPO won 17 Gold, 19 Silver and seven Bronze, as well as medals in non-championship events. On top of that the red and black colours headed the fields in both the Mixed Long and Mixed Short relays. JD would have been proud of you all.

Relays
Although, PAPO’s no.1 team (Chris Forne, Helena Barnes, Ed Cory-Wright) came to grief when Chris uncharacteristically mispunched, PAPO’s no.2 team rose to the occasion to successfully win the Mixed Long relay and therefore retain the inter-club bragging rights that the club won in 2013. Well done Tane Cambridge, Katie Cory-Wright and Nick Smith.

And if that was not enough, the PAPO team of Briana Steven, Matthew Harding and Tom Harding won the Short Mixed relay, with yet another PAPO team (Isaac Egan, Alice Egan and Angus Steven) 3rd.

Individual events
Despite his hiccough in the relays, Chris Forne won the Elite Long-Distance Championship title. Most successful, however, was Val Rogers who took out all three disciplines (Sprint, Middle and Long) in the W60A grade. And the only reason that Jean Cory-Wright didn’t emulate this feat in W50A was because PAPO’s Linley Earnshaw pipped her in the middle distance. The pair also went one-two in the long. And in the M14A long, PAPO showed its depth with Dominic Cleary, Tom Harding and Isaac Egan placing 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Besides his silver in this grade, Dominic also won gold in the long and silver in the sprint. A great effort but not quite as good as older brother Callum’s two golds and a silver.

Full results
Sprint
Gold: Callum Cleary (M18), Matthew Harding (M14), Val Rogers (W60), Jean Cory-Wright (W50).
Silver: Connor Cleary (M16), Dominic Cleary (M14), Julia Fettes (W45), Katie Cory-Wright (W16), Alice Egan (W10).
Bronze: Ed Cory-Wright (M20).

Middle
Gold: Callum Cleary (M18), Stephen Harding (M16), Dominic Cleary (M14), Matthew Harding (M12), Val Rogers (W60), Linley Earnshaw (W50).
Silver: Bruce Steven (M45), Vivien Bloor (W55), Jean Cory-Wright (W50), Katie Cory-Wright (W16), Beth Hunter (W12), Alice Egan (W10).
Bronze: Ed Cory-Wright (M20), Scott Smith (M16), Iona Powell (W40).

Long
Gold: Chris Forne (M21E), Alistair Cory-Wright (M40), Scott Smith (M16). Val Rogers (W60), Jean Cory-Wright (W50), Briana Steven (W14), Alice Egan (W10).
Silver: Bruce Steven (M45), Ed Cory-Wright (M20), Callum Cleary (M18), Dominic Cleary (M14), Linley Earnshaw (W50), Julie Fettes (W45), Marisol Hunter (W14), Beth Hunter (W12).
Bronze: Connor Cleary (M16), Tom Harding (M14), Katie Cory-Wright (W16).

Non-championship
1st: Alistair Richardson (M21AS, long), Linda Smith (W50B, middle and long).
2nd: Helen Wood (W50B, middle).

I hope I have missed no-one. Complaints to Stuart Payne.