Success comes again and again in Ariki Cup
CATHERINE Lund is proof that success does not always come straight away.
The first time the now 12yearold ran the Ariki Cup crosscountry she finished 54th.
But she did not let that discourage her — the slow start proved a bad day more than anything else.
A year later she won the year 6 race in her final year at Macandrew Bay School and last year she repeated with Columba College.
There were plenty of nerves before yesterday’s race.
However, she need not have worried.
She powered away to a fast start and completed her threepeat, claiming a comfortable win in the girls year 7 and 8 race.
While she was happy, there was a feeling of relief as she crossed the finish line.
It was the latest success for Lund — who runs for the Ariki athletics and harriers club.
She had finished third at the Otago primary schools crosscountry championships last year.
She will get her chance at the crosscountry title this year, the Ariki Cup acting as a qualifier for the big event next month.
As well as running, she is a competitive swimmer, which helped her to place second in the Otago primary schools triathlon championships earlier this year.
She was one of about 220 primary school pupils competing yesterday, from 14 schools.
Races were held for years 5 and 6, as well as years 7 and 8 pupils, in both boys and girls sections
Lund was not the only runner to string together multiple victories.
Tahuna Intermediate’s Joe Parkinson continued his dominance of his year group.
He won the year 7 and 8 boys race, notching his fourth consecutive title.
Macandrew Bay’s Jacob Parkinson won the boys year 5 and 6.
In the girls year 5 and 6 race Portobello’s Lila Rhodes — who finished second to sister Anya last year — took the title.
Anya had a good day again this year, too, finishing second as a year 7 pupil in the year 7 and 8 race.
Macandrew Bay won the overall Ariki Cup, beating Tainui and St Clair, second and third respectively.
Tainui claimed the boys title and St Clair claimed the girls’.