2015 World Mountain Running Champs, Betws-y-Coed, Snowdonia National Park 9 Sep 2015

Athletics NZ Report

"Jack Beaumont of Winton was the best placed New Zealander at the championships finishing 12th in the junior men’s 8.9km in 37:04. The race was won by Ferhat Bozkurt of Turkey in 33:56. 

Sally Gibbs was 40th in the senior women’s 8.9km in 44:32, with Paula Canning 49th in 46:14, Angela Leck 53rd in 46:53 and Jackie Mexted 56th in 47:43. The women’s race was won by Stella Chesang of Uganda in 37:52. 

Stephen Day celebrated his 40th birthday in style, the leading Kiwi in the senior men’s 13km finishing 54th in 56:25, while Michael Banks was 61st in 57:25 and Tim Hodge 74th in 58:23. The title was won by Ugandan Fred Musobo in 49:00. 

Caitlin McQuilkin-Bell was 25th in the junior women’s 4.7km in 22:33, won by Allie Ostrander of USA in 19:44."

Southland Times Report

"Southland athletics coach Lance Smith has described Jack Beaumont's performance in the junior section at the World Mountain Running Championships as the most impressive in his 13 years in the province.

The Central Southland College 18-year-old finished 12th in a 65-strong field at the event held in Wales over the weekend.

"There was 65 of the best young endurance runners in the world there."

"It is a very impressive effort considering the standard in Europe, parts of Africa, and in America for mountain running. In Europe it is full time professional," Smith said.

"It is not bad for a boy from Southland living on the flat."

The Southlander has had to make regular trips to Queenstown to get the required mountain training he needed to prepare. That is on top of the fundraising he needed to do to get to Wales for the world championships.

Beaumont's challenge was made that bit tougher when officials forgot to allocate New Zealand with a starting grid spot.

It meant Beaumont was stuck at the back at the start of the race.

"He had to go absolutely crazy," Smith said.

"He saw a gap and he said he just sprinted because he needed to get into some space.

They started in the street before the uphill mountain track and he needed get away from the crowds before he hit the narrow tracks, because there is limited passing."

 

Beaumont was seventh at the first timing point, then on the downhill he was pushed back to 15th, but on the uphill he clawed his way back to 11th before dropping one spot in the last bit to the finish.

The impressive performance is made that more exciting considering Beaumont still qualifies to race in the junior section of the World Mountain Running Championships next year. 

"Next year's course is straight up, no downs, so that will suit him," Smith said.
Before that he has a national title to defend at the New Secondary School Championships in December.

Last year he won the steeple-chase in close to record time.

Beaumont is scheduled to return to Southland on Tuesday."