Women run for equality
The year is 2017, but women are still expected to run shorter distances than men in high-level Wellington cross-country running events. The issue was highlighted at the 94th running of the Vosseler Shield at Mt Victoria in Wellington last Saturday when seven Wellington Scottish Athletics Club women ran the senior men’s 10km distance.
Five of the runners sported the number 261 on their legs - the number famously worn by Kathrine Switzer in 1967 when she became the first woman to run in the Boston Marathon.
While there was no angry race director trying to push the Scottish women off the course on Saturday - as happened to Switzer during her historic run - the women couldn’t earn points for their club or individual medals over the longer distance because it was deemed a ‘‘non-championship’’ race.
Five of them ran in the earlier 5km women’s ‘‘championship’’ races to earn those points, doing double duty at an event many deem the toughest cross-country race in New Zealand.
The five women runners were Karen Jenkinson, Lindsay Barwick, Ange Penberthy, Emma Bassett and Jen Howes, while Caroline Fyfe and Ruby Muir ran the 10km race only. Women have run the 10km distance before, but rarely in such numbers and never with the aim to make it a championship event.
Jenkinson described it as a ‘‘peaceful protest’’ done in ‘‘good humour’’, but the intention was to send an important message about equality.
‘‘All the harriers races are great and we really value all the officials and volunteers that turn out to put these races on, but we felt the need to deliver a little personal protest at the Vosseler - done in good humour and not to detract from the hard work of the organising club.
‘‘We just want equality of recognition across the genders. They changed some of the men’s races to a shorter distance, but haven’t increased the distance of the women’s race for those that want to run it.’’
Some women were more adept over the longer distances and the group felt they should be recognised with a 10km championship event.
The evidence of that came via Muir, who ran at the same time as the senior men’s race and finished in 10th of 41 runners in a stunning time of 45.07, just ahead of last year’s winner Tim Hodge.
In November 2015, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) made a rule change which saw both the senior men’s and women’s races at the World Cross Country Championships run over 10km. Previously the women’s race had been shorter.
Athletics New Zealand and Athletics Wellington followed suit, with the 2016 Wellington championships featuring short-course and long-course championship options of 5km and 10km. Six senior women ran the 10km event, while five ran the 5km.
But the Vosseler was organised by the Wellington Harrier Athletic Club, with the club setting its own rules and distances.
Club officials declined an interview request and chose not to answer a question about the different distances, but said in a statement they celebrated all of the runners who competed.
‘‘This year 351 athletes completed the gruelling races which were held over distances varying from 1.6km to 10 km. Athletes from eight years to 78 years of age took part in the event.
‘‘Women, and men, were able to choose to run one lap [5km] or two laps [10km]. Sixty women chose to run 5km and seven chose to run 10km. We celebrate their success, as we celebrate the success of all athletes who participated.’’
Running clubs were always keen to attract more female runners, but Jenkinson was concerned about the message being sent by having different distances for the championship races at the Vosseler, and also the Dorne Cup on June 10 which has a 6km race for senior women and 8km race for senior men.
‘‘We have a great marathon here, but they don’t ask women to only run the half marathon. What message are we sending to women who might want to join a club?
‘‘We really don’t want to attack them as [the Vosseler] been a fantastic race for 94 years run by excellent, dedicated volunteers, but let’s make the next 94 years just as strong.’’
Hutt Valley Harriers run the Dorne Cup, which celebrates its 91st running this year.
Club president Tony McKone said that they would be open to change if there were enough women interested in the longer distance.
‘‘We’ll be doing a review after the race and if a request is made to increase the women’s distance we’d certainly look at that.
‘‘It would be about how we would fit it into the programme. If we could fit it in without extending the programme that would be something we’d certainly look at favourably.’’