Multisport: Short course draws new competitors

The new-look Top Energy Northern Crossing has been given the seal of approval after a record field of 235 athletes took part, raising about $10,000 for community projects.

The new abbreviated course for people looking for a middle-distance race was successful with 86 athletes taking part in the Missionary Trail duathlon.

Taking out the 51km bike and run duathlon on Saturday was Kerikeri's Geoff Dunn who won the male individual multisport Missionary Trail category in two hours, 46 minutes. In the female section, DJ Gillming of Hikurangi won in three hours, 21 minutes.

Like the longer coast-to-coast course, the Missionary Trail featured a kayaking leg, turning the duathlon into a multisport event.

Whangarei's Mike Hardiman won the male Missionary Trail duathlon in one hour, 53 minutes and Josie Butcher, of Otorohanga, took out the female honours in two hours, 14 minutes.

Event organiser Owen Smith, of the Rotary Club of Kerikeri, said the addition of the Missionary Trail had broadened the scope of the event and made it more attractive to locals.

"We have a core group of top-flight athletes who relish the challenge of the coast-to-coast Northern Crossing," Smith said. "We wanted to make the challenge of the event a little more do-able for the average Northlander and, with the Missionary Trail, I think we've achieved this."

Overall, the event comprised a triathlon, duathlon and a shorter course for people looking for a middle-distance event.

In other events held at the weekend, Graeme Ewenson, from Dargaville, won the male individual multisport category with a time of five hours, three minutes for the 109km route. Auckland's Mary Lambie won the female category in six hours, 30 minutes.

Fellow Aucklander Brendon Erskine won the male duathlon with Kerikeri's Shirley Dryden taking the female honours in four hours, 10 minutes.

Justin Phillips, Dale Simkin and John Sanderson, all of Kerikeri, came first in the male team multisport category in five hours, 11 minutes with Anne Mortimer and Sharon Ducker, of Auckland, crossing first in the female team category.

The Kerikeri duo of David Hannan and David Whyman triumphed in the male team duathlon and Whangarei's Jane Young and Selena Wallis took the female team title.

From Kupe's first landing place at the mouth of the Hokianga Harbour, the Northern Crossing route follows ancestral pathways across the island to Kerikeri, site of this country's first permanent trading post built by English missionaries.