Early start pays big dividends for Nelson runner

An early morning alarm call and drive over the Whangamoas paid off royally for Nelson athlete Patrick Dravitzki on Saturday morning.

His bold decision to take on the daunting King and Queen of the Withers course for the first time was rewarded when he won the King of the Withers title in the smart time of 45 minutes 15 seconds.

Patrick lined up alongside 36 other runners at the start of the iconic 10km event on the Wither Hills Farm Park and ultimately made no race of it, coming in over two minutes ahead of second-placed Alex Roberts (47.41).

“I had a free weekend so thought I would come over,” said Patrick, “I have been looking at a few events to do and saw that this one was on, so just drove over this morning.”

A keen mountain biker, Patrick says he is beginning to focus more on running.

“I have only really begun to get into [running] over the last year or so. I like the hilly stuff and I do a lot of hill running in Nelson, so this is quite similar. I’m really enjoying it actually.”

He described the Withers course as “good fun”, although mentioning the steep inclines at the top were “as hard as it gets” and it was tough to get up to full speed on the long downhill to the finish.

“But I’ll definitely come back next year,” he promised. “I love speed stuff like this … it’s a great course.”

While Patrick joins an illustrious list of Marlborough running royalty for the first time, the 2025 Queen of the Withers needs no introduction.

Megan Graham has won the event so many times she is hard pressed to remember exactly how many.

General consensus puts the figure at 11, the mother-of-three winning the women’s title in imperious fashion again on Saturday.

Megan finished third overall in a time of 48.12, the former national squash champion gliding over the course in typical fashion, although not threatening her best time of 44.22 set in 2014.

She has put in some preparation for the event but admits it has been a battle balancing the needs of a young family and a job.

“It’s a bit harder to get the training in now, around work and the kids, but I take the buggy out and that helps. When you have got no buggy to push you feel a bit lighter,” she adds with a chuckle.

Obviously, her familiarity with the course helps, Megan saying that she now counts the hills as she goes round. “I know the pain each hill brings, so that’s how I get through it.”

Now something of a fixture at the event, Megan says “I just can’t let it go by without entering … last year I was pregnant and it got cancelled so we all missed out, but it’s great to be back this year. Once again, the organisers have done a wonderful job.”

The hybrid winner was youngster Jack Cutts, who completed the course in 1.00.10. Second was Ben Wall (1.02.23) with Patrick Dawkins third in 1.03.39. The first woman was Emily Mason, who finished seventh overall in 1.06.16. Thirty-four contested the hybrid titles.

The 11-strong walk section was won by Linda Mesman in 1.31.38.

Last year the event, which has been in operation since 1977, was cancelled three days out due to fire risk. This year the farm park was not as dry, allowing the race to go ahead, with perfect overhead running conditions prevailing.