Busy weekend in Gisborne with marathon, golf, and fishing events

Sisters Nadie McKinnon (left) and Petrina Hughes pose for a family shot while doing the First Light Marathon on Saturday. The event once again attracted an international field. Photo / Strike Photography/Damon Meade Studio

Gisborne was buzzing over the Auckland Anniversary weekend, thanks to favourable weather and several events featuring residents and visitors alike.

The First Light Marathon was held on Saturday and featured over 350 competitors doing the full-marathon, half-marathon or 6-kilometre distances.

A runner on the homeward stretch of the First Light Marathon. Photo / Strike Photography/Damon Meade Studio

Starting and finishing outside the Midway Surf Rescue Community Hub the event took an international field on a scenic journey highlighted by views of the sunrise and ocean for those in the full and half-marathon.

On Friday, not far from the marathon start-finish line, Poverty Bay’s Awapuni Links golf course was the scene of the inaugural Full Send Long Drive & Putting Comp, which saw participants of all ages grip and rip, as well as show their finesse and touch on the greens.

Waiting to start the semifinals of the over-50s women's division of the Full Send Long Drive and Putting Comp at Poverty Bay's Awapuni Links course are (from left) Maxine Francois, Mary Allan and Lynne Holmberg. Photo / Shaun Tunnicliffe

The big boys smoked the special Full Send Volle golf balls out over the 300-metre mark on a glorious summer day in an event that was focused on family fun.

Down the road at Showground Park, horse and rider took on courses at the Larsen Sawmilling Equestrian Championships, featuring a Trans-Tasman Young Rider Challenge and the horse and pony grand prix showjumping classes.

The long-running event once again attracted some of the country’s top talent, while the Kiwis overcame the Aussies in the Challenge.

Chloe Williams' 52.4kg yellowfin was second in that section at the Bay Bonanza.

Gisborne’s inner harbour was buzzing as keen anglers competed in Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club’s ever-popular Bay Bonanza tournament, and while no marlin were weighed in, plenty of other fish were caught in other categories, including yellowfin tuna and a 46.6-kilogram hapuku.

Gus MacDougall weighed in the first fish of the 2025 Bay Bonanza - a 9.775kg snapper, which proved a winning one for the youngster. Father Aaron's 8kg catch was second in the snapper section.

And while all this was going on at home, a bunch of Gisborne clubbies headed to the Bay of Plenty for New Zealand’s second-biggest surf lifesaving carnival of the year — the Eastern Regional Championships in Mount Maunganui.

Rough sea conditions shortened the event to two days, but the Midway, Waikanae and Wainui clubs all enjoyed medal success.

Midway teenager Ella Sutton heads for shore while competing in the Under-17 women's age group at the Eastern Regional Championship surf lifesaving carnival at Mount Manganui. Photo / Jamie Troughton-Dscribe Media Services