Managing Director of Milestone Financial Services Stephen Fitzjohn under starter?s orders on the corner of Jackson and Buick Street where the Milestone Mile will start and finish.
By Chrys Ayley
Hutt Olympic hero Nick Willis will compete in an exhibition international mile event thanks to a major sponsor coming on board to support event organiser Aaron Cardie. Nick Willis, Olympic bronze medallist in the 1500 metres and new member of the New Zealand Order of Merit has confirmed he will race other Olympians and a top local field along Petone?s historic Jackson Street on March 10. Last year race organiser Aaron Cardie planned to entice Willis back to Petone for the first ever Jackson Street Mile but needed to find sponsors before confirming the race would take place. Last week Cardie announced Milestone Financial Services of Lower Hutt has secured naming rights for the feature race, the ?Milestone Mile? which offers $5000 in prize money. Having a major sponsor on board was crucial for its success and also allowed Willis to entice other world class ?milers down under,? Cardie said. ?It is a first for New Zealand to see the current Commonwealth Games gold, silver and bronze medallist race each other anywhere, let alone in a beach side suburb such as Petone ? that in itself is a real coup.? It is a wonderful opportunity for Nick to take the sport to the people and to showcase athletics and his world class status in his backyard, Cardie said. Willis said he was really excited to be coming home to the Hutt to compete in a top local event and he would love for it to become an evening of entertainment for Hutt Valley and Wellington people. As a kid he remembers doing a skateboard race down Jackson Street and he grew up going to Petone Baptist Church around the corner. ?Hopefully we get some calm conditions, or a big tail wind, and we can run a really fast time.? ?If we get large crowds, the event will continue to grow, and I will be able to come home and race against the best in the world in our own backyard each year.? The start and finish line will be the corner of Jackson and Buick Streets. Competitors will run down Jackson Street, around the roundabout outside Pak ?n? Save Supermarket and back to the finish line. Despite the 180 degree turn on the course and some speed humps Willis says he is confident of breaking the magic four minute barrier for the mile. Also confirmed for the feature event is Canadian Nate Brannen, who won silver behind Willis at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games 1500m final in 2006, and Australian Mark Fountain who was third in the same race. There will be several races before the Milestone Mile including kids, veterans and novelty races and a relay attempt by Lowe Hutt Junior Athletic Club to break Willis? fastest mile time of 3m 50.66. Willis won the New York Fifth Avenue Mile last September and after a short break started training in December for a busy year with world track and field championships in Berlin in August. March in New Zealand is shaping up to be busy with the New Zealand Track and Field Championship in Wellington and another mile in the Christchurch Grand Prix on March 13. ?When wellington or the Hutt Valley puts on an event such as fireworks,... the whole city embraces the event and turns up in huge numbers,? Willis said. ?My hope and dream is that this event in Petone can ignite the same excitement and buzz, and all the families in the region will want to come down and spectate and participate in the event put on in Jackson Street.? Managing director of Milestone Financial Services Stephen Fitzjohn, who has a long association with Petone, said he was excited his company was the major sponsor and is optimistic it could become an annual event like the Fifth Avenue Mile in New York ? part of a world circuit. ?From some great ideas big achievements come,? Mr Fitzjohn said. ?The evening of March 10 is shaping up to be a milestone in the history of Jackson Street and something Milestone Financial services is proud to be involved with."
