Gisborne Boys’ High School participate in the local Eastland Secondary Schools’ triathlon and duathlon. The better performed athletes then compete at the National Secondary Schools’ Championships. The school has competed at the Motu Challenge which includes a team of four doing mountain biking, running, road cycling and kayaking. In the past we have won this event three times.
Other events the school have participated in are Monty’s Challenge (Whakatane), Eastland Duathlon and the Waimata Traverse.
Gisborne Boys’ High School have competed at the Secondary School mountain bike championships in Levin. This involves cross country, uphill and downhill categories.
Road cycling is another sport offered at the school. Over the last two years a team of three have competed in the Gwaloop Cycle race of 204 kms.
Outstanding athletes compete at the East Coast North Island Athletic Championships in Hastings. A team is then selected from the Gisborne – Hawkes Bay region to compete at the North Island Athletic Championships. Later in the year the NZ Secondary Schools’ Athletic Championships are held.
Road running and cross country events are held in the East Coast North Island region. From these the better performed athletes compete at the nationals.
E.C.N.I. SECONDARY SCHOOL ROAD RUNNING CHAMPS – 15 OCTOBER 2009
This event was held in Hastings on a flat course. First up were the Year 9 boys over a distance of three kilometres. Max Neustroski ran a determined race finishing sixth in a time of 11m 4s. Our only other competitor was Tunney Samuel in eighth place, 16 seconds behind Max.
The second event was the junior boys (under 16) over four kilometres. Blaise Houston-Amor ran a well-judged race for fifth place in a time of 14m 52s. Along with Ashton Shortland (13th) and Connor Andrew (15th) Gisborne Boys’ High team finished third in the three-man team behind Napier and Lindisfarne.
The highlight of the day was winning the senior boys’ six kilometre race, edging out Napier Boys’ High School by two points. Strong efforts by Alex Hyland (2nd in 21m 10s), Karl MacPherson (4th in 21m 43s) and Max Fisher (6th in 21m 55s) secured this victory. Dylan Pahina finished seventh which was a good effort, as the third Napier Boys’ runner finished in eighth place.
MOTU CYCLE CHALLENGE - 10 OCTOBER 2009
This event was held in southerly conditions. The mountain bike section began in Opotiki and travelled up the old Motu Road to Motu, a distance of 65 kilometres. Sleet was falling and there was a head wind. Alex Hyland’s time of 2h 56m 32s was amazing as the freezing weather and massive hill climbs made for a gruelling ride. James Chrisp took over at Motu on the road bike section and headed into the stiff southerly wind. Once at Matawai the wind was generally a side or tail wind. James had never raced over more than 40 kilometres and did remarkably well to cover the 90 kilometres in 2h 39m. Alex and James finished sixth in the men’s team category in a time of 5h 35m 33s.