Event shows good run to success

Evergreen 52-year-old Ian Calder triumphed again running the fastest time in  Athletic Whangarei's first cross country event of the winter season, at Tikipunga Sportsground on Saturday.
Calder recorded 27min 29 sec for the 7.5km course to eclipse Mark Hardiman's 27: 55 for second and Mike Gowing's 28:35 for third.
The race was a handicap event in which competitors could choose to complete one circuit of 2.5km, or two circuits totalling 5km or three totalling 7.5km; with most youngsters under 12  choosing 2.5km, teenagers and older women choosing 5km and senior men choosing 7.5km.
Accomplished marathoner Ady Ngwati was untroubled taking out the fastest time in the women's 5km and heading off Tina Maher and Christine Fraser.
Ngawati was pleased with her early season form.
"I actually had a really good run today. I was planning on just doing my build-up - I've just started my build-up for my main race [for the season] - the Arthur Lydiard Legend Marathon in September. I want to defend my title, so it's great to come and do some hard work on Saturdays," she said.
The standout performance of the day came from 12-year-old Imogen Hull, who ran the fourth fastest time in the women's 5km. Looking fresh shortly after her run, Hull said: "It was pretty good, but challenging on the uphill bits."

She is a Year 8 student at Kerikeri High School, who enjoys running, "because after the run you feel really good about yourself and it's good competition". She also welcomed the opportunity to make friends around the region by attending the competition.
 
Ethan Carter was fastest boy in the 5km, with Travis Connelly finishing strongly for the second fastest time.
Trudy McKnight was the first 5km walker.
In the boys' 2.5km, Scott Still was fastest with James Edwards second and Jack Dempster third, while Megan de Clerk was fastest girl, ahead of Emma Hainsworth.
Walkers Val Babe, Liz Griffin and Colleen Brunker finished together after a friendly stroll around the 2.5km lap course.
In the handicap race, Jennifer Hatfull won the girls' 2.5km and Scott Still won the boys' race, while in the men's 5km, Cam Shelley took first and Tina Maher took first amongst the women. Johnny Martin had a good run in the men's 7.5km handicap, taking first place.
Club Captain, Oringa Barach, expressed enthusiasm about the day and the club's prospects. "It's really good - we've got lots of new members - and we've got some really good faster senior runners and triathletes are coming to our club to hone their skills in running - and we've got some really good up-and-coming younger runners," she said.