High fliers and high jinx at Russell Birdman Festival

Up to 3000 people turned out for the highlight of Russell's Birdman Festival on Saturday, the Birdman jump in which teams compete to leap the greatest distance - or with the greatest flair and creativity - from the end of Russell wharf.

Six-year-old Olivia Line, from Matauri Bay, competes in the spaghetti-eating contest. Photo / Peter de Graaf

This year's supreme winner was a team called Big Birds from Kerikeri's Illumination Workshop; Whangarei mayor Sheryl Mai, representing the Paper Mill, won a prize in the feathers and fibre category.

Hamilton siblings Blake, 8, and Caitlyn Day, 10, use frisbee power to get ahead in the Corflute boat-building challenge.Photo / Peter de Graaf

Other attractions during the four-day festival included spaghetti-eating races, a drag race, a wok cook off, waka ama, and build-your-own-boat races. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Whangarei mayor Sheryl Mai represented the Paper Mill with an entry called Crazy Old Bird. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Singing pirate Festus McBoyle and friends. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Ryan Stevenson of Paihia takes flight in a costume inspired by the kakariki, a colourful native parakeet. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The chicken (Belinda Watkins) gets a shove from the lobster (Carol Jurisich-Price) in a Hospice Mid-Northland fundraising entry in which donations decided which manager got the first dunking. Photo / Peter de Graaf

This year's supreme award went to Big Birds from Kerikeri's Illumination Workshop, so called because members of its all-female team average 1.82m in height. From left, Leanne Wilson, Jo Lumkong, Karren Penny and Ruby Watson.Photo / Peter de Graaf