The Cooks Gardens will host the hottest track and field ticket of the summer as Sam Tanner lines up against Sam Ruthe over the mile this weekend. The race will headline the PAK’nSAVE Cooks International Classic in one of the anticipated matchups of the 2026 Summer Circuit.
Tanner and Ruthe head to Whanganui off the back of a thrilling 800m clash at the 2026 Potts Classic in Hastings. Both men shattered their PBs, dipping into 1:45 territory for the first time, with Ruthe edging his training partner by less than 0.1 of a second.
It may well be a different finishline story this Saturday. Tanner’s mile best is almost 10 seconds faster than Ruthe’s. Tanner’s 3:49.51 was set at the 2023 Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, while Ruthe’s best comes from his history-making run in Auckland, where he became the youngest athlete ever to break four minutes with his 3:58.35 performance.
Tanner and Ruthe have asked for a fast opening pace, with the pacemaker set to target 1:52 through 800m.
Tanner also has Nick Willis’ Stadium Record in his sights. Even if he falls short, he is poised to equal Willis’ record of five sub-four-minute miles at Cooks Gardens. Ruthe, meanwhile, has another global mark in mind: Australian Cam Myers’ world best of 3:55.44 for a 16-year-old.
Before diving into the full event breakdown below, fans can catch the meet live and free on TVNZ+ from 7 PM. Spectator tickets can be purchased online to save time at the gate.
The men’s mile, doubling as the New Zealand Championships, also brings a deep field of domestic talent to Cooks Gardens. Ben Wall, a sub-four performer last season, will be joined by Joe Martin, Lovelock Classic winner Ethan Smolej, and Australian Luke Shaw, creating several genuine sub-four opportunities.
The women’s mile and NZ Champs features strong domestic and visiting talent, with recent Potts Classic 800m winner Rosa Twyford and national middledistance contender Holly Manning joined by Scarlett Robb, fresh from a top30 finish at the 2026 World Cross Country Championships. Ireland’s Laura Nicholson arrives with impressive credentials, a 4:30.85 mile best that may put the visitor out of reach of the top New Zealanders.
The men’s sprint programme is headlined by Tiaan Whelpton, who will double in the 60m and 100m after winning the inaugural NZ Short Track Championships title last week. In para sprinting, Jaxon Woolley lines up in the T38 100m.
In the women’s sprints, New Zealand recordholder Zoe Hobbs joins rising talents Marielle Venida and Kendra ScallyTu’i, creating one of the strongest short sprint lineups the meet has seen in recent years. All three will contest the 60m and 100m, with the latter serving as the Classic’s bronze-level event. Hobbs was close to the World Indoor Championships qualifying mark of 7.20 last weekend, clocking 7.29 into a strong headwind in Hastings. Another attempt looms in Whanganui.
The men’s 400m is shaping as a tight three-way battle between Kahurangi Cotterill (47.20), Noa King (48.40), and Joe Dolphin (48.50). The women’s 400m looks similarly close, with Holly Rule and Emma Osborne separated by just one hundredth of a second on paper.
In the 400m hurdles, Whanganui local Jono Maples will enjoy home support as he leads the men’s race, while Shannon Geary lines up in the women’s event.
The men’s high jump brings one of the strongest fields of the meet, led by Simioluwa ThomsenAjayi at 2.20m, with international entrants Zane Patterson (Australia) and Connor Larsen joined by New Zealanders Tia Wynyard, Rafe Couillault and Ben Walker, all sitting between 2.09m and 2.10m. The women’s high jump mirrors that depth, with Maddie Wilson and Imogen Skelton (1.87m) headlining alongside Mia De Jager and Naomi Waite at 1.80m.
In the horizontal jumps, Zhan Bowden is the standout in the men’s triple jump, looking to open his season strongly after reaching 14.97m last year.
The throws programme features a solid domestic clash in the men’s shot put, where Nick Palmer and Blessing Sefo will look to establish early-season form. In the women’s shot put, Lauren Bruce returns to the circle with a season best of 13.89m. Bruce also anchors the women’s hammer field with her national-leading 74.61m mark, while Australia’s Timothy Hayes brings international presence to the men’s hammer after his 68.31m throw last season.
The mixed 4x400m relay will close the programme, with the New Zealand A squad of Mia De Jager, Kahurangi Cotterill, Madeleine Waddell and Jono Maples combining top sprint and hurdles talent in one of the meet’s most entertaining events.
Don’s miss the meet live and free on TVNZ+ from 7 PM. Spectator tickets can be purchased online here to save time at the gate.
The 2026 PAK’nSAVE Cooks International Classic promises a memorable night of racing.
Gates open: 2:30 PM
Broadcast: Live on TVNZ+ from 7 PM
Where: Cooks Gardens, Whanganui
When: 24 January 2026