Records were broken in Kaitaia on Sunday at the annual Kaitaia Run/Walk sponsored by Toll with a total of 450 people competing in either the 4.6km or 12.5km run/walk organised by Sport Northland.  This event is growing in numbers each year and it was great to see such a record turn out of locals and visitors alike.

Conditions were perfect with a chilly start before the sun broke through to make for a great day.

Tim Goodwin (Whangarei) set a hot pace for the 12.5km men’s division finishing in 49.05, four minutes clear of the second placegetter and visitor from Christchurch, Shannon Taramoeroa with Nick Connop (Whangarei) in third place.

The women’s division saw Katie McVerry (Whangarei) produce a fine run to win the women’s division in 56.34 from Kaitaia’s Kath Semenoff-Murray and young Whangarei runner Courtney Crum. This was the first time McVerry had tackled the Kaitaia course and commented at the end that she didn’t realise it was such a hilly course.

“After a chilly start it was just beautiful out there, great views and more hills than I thought there would be”, she said.

With only two events left in the 2016 Sport Northland Run/Walk Series, Katie McVerry took over the lead on the NorthCloud Series Leaderboard with 28 points from Carolyn Younger on 24 points and Courtney Crum in third place on 11 points. In the men’s division Harry Linford still remains in the lead on 24 points with Louis Young in second on 16 points and Tim Goodwin moving up into third on 13 points.

The two events remaining are the ACC Whangarei Half Marathon and 9km Run/Walk on 18 September and the ASB Kerikeri Half Marathon on 19 November.

In the 4.6km women’s event Kaitaia had a clean sweep with the first three runners coming from the Far North. Kaitaia Intermediate’s Nadine Witana was first home with Cable Bay’s Meg Vanderlaarse in second place with Kaitaia school girl Zaria Murray in third.

In the men’s 4.6km, Whangarei runners took line honours with Rhys Colmer first followed by Elliott Ruffell and Will Tattersfield in second and third respectively.

Sport Northland Event’s Team Leader Azelia Parkinson was delighted with the success of the day and acknowledged the new partnership between Sport Northland and Toll which made it possible to stage the event.

“It is always great to break previous record numbers and to do this in Kaitaia with our new sponsor Toll was a real bonus”, she said.

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