Fields - International Track Meet - 18th March

Fields have been updated. Get your entry in now for ITM & Canterbury Interclub events

http://www.internationaltrackmeet.co.nz/confirmedathletes.htm

http://www.internationaltrackmeet.co.nz/entry.htm

Good to see the number of top Aussies coming over, especially in the running events. I'm sure many will be excited to come along and watch to see the likes of Gregson and St Lawrence going for Comm Games Qualifiers, and hopefully pulling our Kiwi athletes along with them - dc

Would be good to see some more NZ entries up there but there seems to be several people dragging their feet...

I guess the entry standards may be having an impact on entries for the 800m, 1500, and 5km and perhaps even in some other events. I guess the standards may not be strictly adhered to for the full fields, but those on the borderline may be hesitant at the risk of not being good enough. 
That U23 1500m could be mean though if all the eligible athletes make the trip and go hard. dc

Just to clarify as there seems to be a little bit of doubt out there - we will be generally taking the fastest/longest/highest entries we receive provided they are of a reasonable standard  - the times/distances on the website are indicative standards which will get you confirmed straightaway (unless i have more entries under the standard than there are spaces). We will be taking entries up until 7th March and will look at current form and results before confirming the fields in the ITM events.

For example - i have had several queries for the U23 1500m who have not run under 3m55s - i have encouraged them all to enter as we plan to have 15 in the race plus a pacemaker. Currently there are only 6-7 under 23 athletes who have run sub 3m55s so I imagine the cut off will probably end up being sub 4 depending on results over the next few weeks - you need to enter first though...

Also - all you female readers - how about some more 800 and 1500m entries - i know you want to race and the women's 1500m race especially is shaping up as the fastest deepest field in NZ for quite some time with several sub 4m18s Aussies...

Entries starting to come in fairly fast now though. I am sure you all appreciate how difficult it is to manage an event like this - getting the entries in as soon as possible helps this process.

Also - anyone who is heading down to spectate and would maybe like to help out in a volunteer role at the same time - please contact LT on //';l[1]='a';l[2]='/';l[3]='<';l[4]='|122';l[5]='|110';l[6]='|46';l[7]='|111';l[8]='|99';l[9]='|46';l[10]='|116';l[11]='|101';l[12]='|101';l[13]='|109';l[14]='|107';l[15]='|99';l[16]='|97';l[17]='|114';l[18]='|116';l[19]='|108';l[20]='|97';l[21]='|110';l[22]='|111';l[23]='|105';l[24]='|116';l[25]='|97';l[26]='|110';l[27]='|114';l[28]='|101';l[29]='|116';l[30]='|110';l[31]='|105';l[32]='|64';l[33]='|110';l[34]='|111';l[35]='|116';l[36]='|121';l[37]='|101';l[38]='|108';l[39]='>';l[40]='"';l[41]='|122';l[42]='|110';l[43]='|46';l[44]='|111';l[45]='|99';l[46]='|46';l[47]='|116';l[48]='|101';l[49]='|101';l[50]='|109';l[51]='|107';l[52]='|99';l[53]='|97';l[54]='|114';l[55]='|116';l[56]='|108';l[57]='|97';l[58]='|110';l[59]='|111';l[60]='|105';l[61]='|116';l[62]='|97';l[63]='|110';l[64]='|114';l[65]='|101';l[66]='|116';l[67]='|110';l[68]='|105';l[69]='|64';l[70]='|110';l[71]='|111';l[72]='|116';l[73]='|121';l[74]='|101';l[75]='|108';l[76]=':';l[77]='o';l[78]='t';l[79]='l';l[80]='i';l[81]='a';l[82]='m';l[83]='"';l[84]='=';l[85]='f';l[86]='e';l[87]='r';l[88]='h';l[89]=' ';l[90]='a';l[91]='<'; for (var i = l.length-1; i >= 0; i=i-1){ if (l[i].substring(0, 1) == '|') document.write("&#"+unescape(l[i].substring(1))+";"); else document.write(unescape(l[i]));} //]]> "> - plenty of jobs available which will still allow you to watch the meet.

cheers

craig

 Is the only way to enter for this by post? No online entry with payment by any chance?

No online entry as yet - i can flick you the bank account details though if you like...

Is it possible that 2 X 1500m, 800m and a 5km spreads the md /distance depth a wee bit too thinly for the size of the meet? Or are there enough foreign athletes competing to fill them up? Not having a go, just Interested in the reasoning behind the full range of distance events this year.

Andy

I'm presuming you took the time to look at last years programme Andy, when we had an 800m, a Mile and a senior and M19 3000m which all filled pretty well...

Plan is to keep it to 4 events again this year, we have more Aussies competing this year and we extended the '4th' event to an U23 to help provide that pathway between junior and senior ranks. A quick look at the NZ rankings even sans the US runners shows there is enough talent out there - we just want them to enter...

Fields are actually pretty good for the Mens MD and 5000m - there will be another 10 or so confirmed on the website on Monday - it's actually the woman's side of things and the non MD events where the entries have been slower than expected and that was who i was targetting...

Speaking of non MD events - make sure you get the Sunday Star times this weekend... The MD events will not definitely not be the only focus of the meet this year...

For anyone who didn't see the SST, who broke the story first, an additional press release has just gone out announcing that the current world champion and a former world champion (currently ranked 1 & 2 in the Commonwealth, and 1 & 3 in the world this year) will be going at it in the womens discus at the ITM.

Your only chance to see Faumuina v Samuels between now and Delhi - get ye to Chch......

Link Paul???

Will have yesterdays article from the Sunday Star Times available tonight.

From Radio Sport website:
Willis temps Kiprop
2/21/2010 2:32 PM

Will Olympic 1500 metres gold medalist Asbel Kiprop run in Christchurch next month? Nick Willis hopes he can lure him here

New Zealand's top runner Nick Willis hopes he can lure Olympic 1500 metres gold medalist Asbel Kiprop to Christchurch next month.

Kiprop has been confirmed to race against Willis at a meet in Melbourne next month. Willis says it would be great to get the Kenyan here as well before or after that event. He says all of the top Australians will definitely be competing.

Willis says it is crucial for the continued development of athletics to secure big names to race here.

http://www.radiosport.co.nz/SportsNews/spspo/Detail.aspx?id=171226

 Wow, that would be amazing!

Malcolm, the original article from Stuff.co.nz was posted on the NZRun front page yesterday.
It would be awesome to see Kiprop down here in a battle against Willis, but I understand at this stage that it is far from confirmed. The meet organisers would love him to be here but I'm sure will have to pay for the appearance. dc

Ahh you presumed wrong cdm, I've never been one to research my arguments. As long as the organising committee thinks 4 distance events is realistic then I say good for them! Was just posing a question. Kiprop should have a good shot to win the U23 mens 1500m though.

And also take that malcolm! A good old fashioned dressing down from DC for foolishily posting a link before checking the front page!!

Thanks for pointing that out andy, I'm sure there might have been others who missed the stuff.co.nz article...then again, might have just been me! school boy error obviously.

I hadn't seen it till your post... proves that the messageboard is the lifeblood of nzrun!

MH, just trying to bring your attention to the fact that we are more regularly keeping up to speed with articles and information via the front page. I don't think anyone cares whether they see some info through the home page or the message board but by putting it in the news section we hopefully limit some of the duplication that happens.That said, there is lots of news and info out there that we miss, so post away so we all get to see what's going on. dc
Haigh = Don't you have some training to do?

Nah, Malcolm has been doing Andy's training for him.  Must be why he's running ok.  Schoolboy error forgiven if you keep doing Andy's training for him.

 The last time I spotted Haigh doing something near exercising was with his sunnies on looking like a pedo playing golf. When are you going to be back to the form of road nats when you head butted Terefe on the line for the win? Kiprop should probably win the U23 1500m for sure! 

Ran for 35 minutes today........ rugged

RE ticket sales are you guys gonna give away any tickets on radio sport? Telfer would probably give way a few on his morning spot and It's a good way to get a bit of a plug for the meet..

/Haigh is a frequent caller and doesn't want to fork out for tickets...

Entries now available until Friday 5th March - Hurry up, you wouldn't want to miss out.

Haigh/Stef - More FM are one of the major sponsors, and will be giving away tickets on their various radio shows between now & the event.

Tickets also on sale now, online at www.internationaltrackmeet.co.nz or locally at the Swim Shop at QEII