Twin power beats steam

Kawakawa strongmen Tom, left, and David Joyce feel the strain as they get the 28-tonne steam locomotive, Gabriel, rolling down Kawakawa's main street.

Kawakawa twins Tom and David Joyce have triumphed where New Zealand's strongest man failed.

Yesterday, the brothers managed to pull the 28-tonne steam locomotive Gabriel about 50m down Kawakawa's main street as part of the town's Puff and Pull Carnival.

The Joyce twins were hooked up to the locomotive with custom-made harnesses and dragged themselves forward using cables connected to a parked truck for extra pulling power.

"She's a heavy girl," Tom said after their feat. "I'm quite excited we've done it."

The huge twins, 39, work at Waipapa sawmill and work out four times a day at Kerikeri Community Fitness. Yesterday was the first time they'd tried shifting anything as big as a train, he said.

New Zealand's strongest man, Levi Vaoga, tried the same feat in 2009 but couldn't make Gabriel budge.

Earlier a team of 20 Northland cops, Te Tai Tokerau Community Police, claimed the 2015 trophy after pulling Gabriel the length of Kawakawa's main street in 1m 51.5s. That was just two seconds quicker than the defending champions, Northland's ITM Cup rugby team.

The school trophy was won by Bay of Islands College in a near-record 1m 28.15s. They had 20 students on their team while primary schools had 40.

The day began at 8am with 900 children taking part in Trek the Track, a fundraiser for the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway. It ended with a festival of kapa haka, music and kai in Johnson Park.

Organiser Anne Leitch said the event would be back next year. Last year's Puff and Pull was cancelled due to organising committee fatigue but the town had been reinvigorated by yesterday's success.

The "fantastic, enthusiastic crowd" was well up on 2013's carnival. Fine weather after days of rain had played a part in the success.

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Among those attending were Northland MP Winston Peters, Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis and Mayor John Carter. Competitors came from as far away as Kaiwaka Fire Brigade.

Results

Community division: Te Tai Tokerau Police 1.51.50; Taniwha 1.53.50; United Kawakawa Rugby and Netball 2.03.22; Fire Service Combined 2.06.59; Bay of Islands College Staff 2.10.50; Otiria Rugby Club 2.18.73; Ngati Hine Health Trust 2.44.60.

Schools division: Bay of Islands College 1.28.15; Kawakawa Primary 1.48.90; Opua School 2.20.71. Waikare School clocked 1.38.65 but adults had to make up numbers for the tiny school.