Hundreds are hitting the ground running at a brand new course this weekend.
The NZ Cross Country and Relay Championships are taking place at Christchurch’s Hagley Park, with 530 athletes competing.
Defending Champion Connor Melton is racing on his home soil, and joined D’Arcy Waldegrave for a chat about the event.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from Newstalks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Eighteen after Right News Talk eb's All Sport Breakfast. We're
going now to the National cross Country Champs. We're joined
by defending champion Connor Melton.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Morninger, Connor, Good morning, how's it going? Good?
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Big day for you? Hey? What just on at midday?
You're going to try and defend your cross country national title?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Yeah, that's right. Ave it a good crack, well.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
A good craick and that's what you did last time around.
So how did it work for you last year? Why
did you end up with the bickies?
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Yeah? Last year was just a bit of a dream day.
Really had a really good build up fleeing into the race,
good training, no interruptions and everything just clicked on the day,
felt really good and then was able to deliver in
the end and win my first national title.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Was it comfortable? Hard run? Was it competitive? What was
the deal there? Uh?
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Yeah, And that was a good competitive race course up
in the Hawk's Bay on the mission of State Winery.
Lots of hills and mud, which I'm a big fan of.
And yeah, the race just kind of slowly spread out
until people dropped off and there were you know, just
a few of us left at the end and I
(01:22):
managed to, yeah, pull away to win the race.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
So it's a teen k race, but I expect there
was probably mud and cold being at North Agley Park
and christ Church, but not a lot in the way hills.
Does that leave all the playing field for one of
a better phrase?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, Unfortunately not many hills in Hegley Park. Yeah, but
they've done their best to make the most of the location.
We're running through the golf course in North Agley and
so there's lots of little mounds and sand bunkers to
run through, sections of mud. We've had a bit of
rain in christ Church this last week, so certainly won't
be an easy course.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Does it make any difference that you're running at home?
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Yeah, I guess it makes a bit of a difference.
I get a lot of friends and family being able
to come and watch, which would be cool, and obviously
do a lot of training around Hegley Park, so it's
pretty cool to get a home race like that. They
don't come very often.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Why cross country, But as you are growing up, what
pushed you in that direction? When it comes to athletics,
why this particular version.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Yeah, No, I've always enjoyed cross country growing up, doing it,
you know, in early days in primary school and through
high school and still doing it today. And I have
lots of good races out at Halls or Quarry Park
in christ Church, and yeah, I think it's just just
one of my strengths. Like they're the variability you get
in the courses, the hills and the mud, the obstacles. Yeah,
(02:45):
it's just just a tough race. It really just comes
down to who's the firtest on the day and that's
about it. Really. It's a lot less tactical than track racing.
Just just a real grind, endurance grunt.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
You just got to get in there and put everything
out there right there. But tactically, why is it just
like I'm going to run harder than everybody there good luck?
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Yeah, yep, and just got to hang on as long
as you can, just real grind.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
You started a before soul continue being you know, christ
gigsborn kid. Myself went primary and then right through high school.
What school did you go to? Connor?
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Yes? So and Kashmir Primary growing up and then down
the hill to Kashmir high school. Done a lot of
running growing up and still to this day on the
Port Hills probably one of the best places to train
in the country. I'd say, amazing running routes up there,
and I think that that's contributed a lot to my
strength in cross country growing up on the hills.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Did you spend much time running down the heath? You
must have spent a bit of time cruising around there,
maybe running in the River's a bit of muddy slide there.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yeah, No, for sure, did a lot of running around
that area.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
When it comes to a future and cross country, where
does this lead you? Is there an ultimate goal, a
professional goal, a representative goal? What do you look toward?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, So this year I've got the opportunity to qualify
for the World Cross Country Champs which are held next
year in Tallahassee, Florida. So that happens every two years.
So last year unfortunately wasn't a qualifying year, which would
have been nice with how that race went. This year,
that's the main goal to try and qualify for that
(04:25):
New Zealand team.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
And the New Zealand team has made up of it's
purely based on results. It's not a I like you
the Cuddy, your jib I like your shoes. It's all
about results.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Yeah. We'll heavily come down to the placing in the
races today, and there's also like a ten k qualifying
standard which we'll look to chase later in the winter season.
On the roads.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
The only competition as you internally, But there are some
other guys out there running. Do you look toward anyone
in particular.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, for sure. We've had a really good depth to
field this year, really quality field. Got a previous national
cross country champion, Oli Chignall. One of my training partners,
Will Little, has won several national titles in the last
couple of years. Toby Golters just fresh off the World
University Games last week where he's looking to back up
for his performances on the track, with some cross country
(05:19):
telling him a Bumble's been a Edbury, very good runner
in the US for college and he's back in Christchurch
now so he'll be looking to do well as well.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
I'm thinking it's a pretty tight knit community. You know
these guys really well. It should be a good race,
a race that will test you all, even though it's
on the flat. Senior men get underweight five to twelve,
and there's well masters, men, masters, women, masters mean slightly younger,
under twenty men and women under eighteen, under sixteen and
fort man. There's going to be a lot of athletes
(05:49):
out there.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Yeah, for sure, for sure.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Well watching you the best of luck, mate, go well,
run hard, run fair and enjoy the mud if you
ever get through it.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Thank you very much, thank you, thank you very much
for joining us.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Over the slight mounds of the golf course at North
Hackley Park through a bunker. Played a lot of golf
at North Hackley when I was younger. It was my
Christmas celebration. I'm not very Christmas yve not very family connected,
not then anyway, So Christmas Day to me was wander
(06:26):
off to the Hackley golf Course and play golf, knowing
I want indeed brilliant And of course I was a
reckless child then too, so there was no one around
his cheek green fee, so pay for nothing, oh yea burglar.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
For more from the All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave,
listen live to News Talk said Be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from Newstalks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Eighteen after Right News Talk eb's All Sport Breakfast. We're
going now to the National cross Country Champs. We're joined
by defending champion Connor Melton.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Morninger, Connor, Good morning, how's it going? Good?
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Big day for you? Hey? What just on at midday?
You're going to try and defend your cross country national title?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Yeah, that's right. Ave it a good crack, well.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
A good craick and that's what you did last time around.
So how did it work for you last year? Why
did you end up with the bickies?
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Yeah? Last year was just a bit of a dream day.
Really had a really good build up fleeing into the race,
good training, no interruptions and everything just clicked on the day,
felt really good and then was able to deliver in
the end and win my first national title.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Was it comfortable? Hard run? Was it competitive? What was
the deal there? Uh?
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Yeah, And that was a good competitive race course up
in the Hawk's Bay on the mission of State Winery.
Lots of hills and mud, which I'm a big fan of.
And yeah, the race just kind of slowly spread out
until people dropped off and there were you know, just
a few of us left at the end and I
(01:22):
managed to, yeah, pull away to win the race.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
So it's a teen k race, but I expect there
was probably mud and cold being at North Agley Park
and christ Church, but not a lot in the way hills.
Does that leave all the playing field for one of
a better phrase?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, Unfortunately not many hills in Hegley Park. Yeah, but
they've done their best to make the most of the location.
We're running through the golf course in North Agley and
so there's lots of little mounds and sand bunkers to
run through, sections of mud. We've had a bit of
rain in christ Church this last week, so certainly won't
be an easy course.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Does it make any difference that you're running at home?
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Yeah, I guess it makes a bit of a difference.
I get a lot of friends and family being able
to come and watch, which would be cool, and obviously
do a lot of training around Hegley Park, so it's
pretty cool to get a home race like that. They
don't come very often.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Why cross country, But as you are growing up, what
pushed you in that direction? When it comes to athletics,
why this particular version.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Yeah, No, I've always enjoyed cross country growing up, doing it,
you know, in early days in primary school and through
high school and still doing it today. And I have
lots of good races out at Halls or Quarry Park
in christ Church, and yeah, I think it's just just
one of my strengths. Like they're the variability you get
in the courses, the hills and the mud, the obstacles. Yeah,
(02:45):
it's just just a tough race. It really just comes
down to who's the firtest on the day and that's
about it. Really. It's a lot less tactical than track racing.
Just just a real grind, endurance grunt.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
You just got to get in there and put everything
out there right there. But tactically, why is it just
like I'm going to run harder than everybody there good luck?
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Yeah, yep, and just got to hang on as long
as you can, just real grind.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
You started a before soul continue being you know, christ
gigsborn kid. Myself went primary and then right through high school.
What school did you go to? Connor?
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Yes? So and Kashmir Primary growing up and then down
the hill to Kashmir high school. Done a lot of
running growing up and still to this day on the
Port Hills probably one of the best places to train
in the country. I'd say, amazing running routes up there,
and I think that that's contributed a lot to my
strength in cross country growing up on the hills.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Did you spend much time running down the heath? You
must have spent a bit of time cruising around there,
maybe running in the River's a bit of muddy slide there.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yeah, No, for sure, did a lot of running around
that area.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
When it comes to a future and cross country, where
does this lead you? Is there an ultimate goal, a
professional goal, a representative goal? What do you look toward?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, So this year I've got the opportunity to qualify
for the World Cross Country Champs which are held next
year in Tallahassee, Florida. So that happens every two years.
So last year unfortunately wasn't a qualifying year, which would
have been nice with how that race went. This year,
that's the main goal to try and qualify for that
(04:25):
New Zealand team.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
And the New Zealand team has made up of it's
purely based on results. It's not a I like you
the Cuddy, your jib I like your shoes. It's all
about results.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Yeah. We'll heavily come down to the placing in the
races today, and there's also like a ten k qualifying
standard which we'll look to chase later in the winter season.
On the roads.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
The only competition as you internally, But there are some
other guys out there running. Do you look toward anyone
in particular.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, for sure. We've had a really good depth to
field this year, really quality field. Got a previous national
cross country champion, Oli Chignall. One of my training partners,
Will Little, has won several national titles in the last
couple of years. Toby Golters just fresh off the World
University Games last week where he's looking to back up
for his performances on the track, with some cross country
(05:19):
telling him a Bumble's been a Edbury, very good runner
in the US for college and he's back in Christchurch
now so he'll be looking to do well as well.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
I'm thinking it's a pretty tight knit community. You know
these guys really well. It should be a good race,
a race that will test you all, even though it's
on the flat. Senior men get underweight five to twelve,
and there's well masters, men, masters, women, masters mean slightly younger,
under twenty men and women under eighteen, under sixteen and
fort man. There's going to be a lot of athletes
(05:49):
out there.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Yeah, for sure, for sure.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Well watching you the best of luck, mate, go well,
run hard, run fair and enjoy the mud if you
ever get through it.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Thank you very much, thank you, thank you very much
for joining us.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Over the slight mounds of the golf course at North
Hackley Park through a bunker. Played a lot of golf
at North Hackley when I was younger. It was my
Christmas celebration. I'm not very Christmas yve not very family connected,
not then anyway, So Christmas Day to me was wander
(06:26):
off to the Hackley golf Course and play golf, knowing
I want indeed brilliant And of course I was a
reckless child then too, so there was no one around
his cheek green fee, so pay for nothing, oh yea burglar.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
For more from the All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave,
listen live to News Talk said Be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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