ADVENTURE RACING - Ady's at home in off-road venture

Runner Ady Ngawati is one step closer to ticking another box on her to-do list, Saturday's Cape Brett Challenge.
"I was determined to do Cape Brett because it's at home which means a lot to me," the Whangarei-based two-time Auckland Marathon winner said.
After trying her hand at triathlon in the past, and recently succeeding in marathon running, Ngawati decided to dabble more in the off-road discipline.
Earlier this year, the 32-year-old contested the 21km Xterra New Zealand Offroad Running Championship at Rotorua and won comfortably, excelling at the new style of running.
In the process, she discovered off-road was "more her".
Ngawati's win at the NZ Championships qualified her to run in the professional women's division at the Xterra Off-Road World Championships at Hawaii in December - a challenge Ngawati has embraced with open arms.
An added incentive to race the 37km Cape Brett Challenge - aside from the stunning coastal scenery on offer - was sibling rivalry.
Ngawati's sister, Leigh Ruddock, 44, will also line up on Saturday, to defend the master's age-group title. "I think it will be a good battle - Leigh's in good form at the moment," Ngawati said.
While the North Tec tutor was among the top three favourites to take out the women's division on Saturday - along with Tauranga's Karen Hanlin, fourth in 2005, and 2007's third-place getter Sarah Kleeman from Wellington, Ngawati said she was feeling little pressure to perform.
"Cape Brett will be a good training base for me - an over five-hour race. In the back of my mind, I am wary of the different terrain and the higher risk of injury with my events coming up - but it will be good training for Hawaii as it is over similar terrain," she said.
After the world off-road championships, Ngawati plans to race in the Honolulu Marathon, one week later. "I might as well make the most of my time over there," she said.
Prior to Hawaii, Ngawati has the Gold Coast Marathon to pound out in July, after organisers sent her an invite asking her to run in the elite programme.
With winning the 2008 Auckland Marathon in 2hr:46min:43sec and all the high-profile events scheduled on her calendar, a question she was often asked: would she consider turning professional soon?
"Maybe," was her answer.
"I love running - but I also enjoy balance in life."
While the pull to compete professionally was there, just as equal was the pull from work and family.
"I like doing things as they come along," she said.
The fifth annual Cape Brett Challenge 37km adventure run and the 17km Whangamumu challenge is on Saturday, starting and finishing at Rawhiti at 8am and 10am respectively. More than 300 runners and walkers are expected to take part in the event, which has become recognised as one of New Zealand's top adventure races to compete in.