Top athletes join Santa Claus this weekend

Top athletes join Santa Claus this weekend for a Night of Miles

For immediate release

Many of Wellington’s fastest athletes will be starting the summer season at Newtown Park on Saturday at the annual Lifestyle Sports Night of Miles.

The programme consists of a mix of children's, senior and junior races, fun social events and serious 'elite' races. The highlights are the mile races which are only rarely raced these days.

Hamish Carson (four times national 1500m champion), Nick Horspool (Wellington 10,000m champion), and National Mountain Running champion Dougal Thorburn head the men’s event, while in the women’s race last year’s winner Tina Harris and runner-up Nicole Mitchell are both running.

Harris has missed most of last season due to injury, while Mitchell was the first Wellington runner home in most races over the winter, in her best season as a senior so this promise to be a good match.

There will be Lifestyle Sports vouchers for the top three finishers.

Wellington Scottish athlete and organiser Stephen Day says Scottish has been organising the event for the past 20 years, and it is one of the few events that anyone can enter.

“Unlike most track meets, people do not need to be registered with a club to participate this weekend,” he says.

“Also, this year we will have a BBQ that people can cook their own food on. We are also introducing a relay into the programme for people to try.”

There are also other events including an all comers mile featuring Santa Claus. The "Santa Claus 6-minute mile" is almost as iconic as the 4-minute mile, but although Father Christmas has attempted to break 6 minutes for a mile, rarely has he achieved it. Last year he ran 6m.27sec, and he has confirmed that he has been training hard through the northern winter this year and has promised to go faster with his reindeer helping him.

Athletics Wellington Sports Development Manager Jo Murray says the event, starting at 5pm, will be for all ages with prizes.

“Nick Willis has kindly agreed to turn up for part of the Lifestyle Sports Night of Miles and present a few of the prizes for some of the kids' events”

Entry is $5.00 and all money raised at the meet will go to support Wellington's Neonatal Trust, which supports families with premature babies. Spectators are most welcome.

Lifestyle Sport Scottish Night of Miles -Newtown Park Saturday 5-8pm

Hamish Carson leading the pack last year https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/104440593688112810620/album/6095153278180779697/6095166581999001026

ENDS

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