Ngawati takes women's title before taking on the men

Whangarei's Ady Ngawati outclassed her opposition, winning the Northland women's road running championship in - what was for her - a fast training run over the undulating  course on Harris Rd on Saturday.
Competing in the combined field of men and women, Ngawati finished the one-lap, 5km women's course in 18 minutes 15 seconds - and then headed off on a second 5km lap with the men.
"I actually raced hard for the 5km and in the second lap I tried to run at the anaerobic threshold zone - so I was still running at a fast intensity, but just at a little bit more of a controlled pace," Ngawati said.
Twice winner of the Auckland Marathon and winner of last year's Xtera NZ Off-road Running Championship, Ngawati is training for  upcoming events including the Legend's (Lydiard's) Marathon, the NZ off-road champs and the Xtera Off-road World Championships in December.
Ngawati has ruled out defending her Auckland Marathon title, but may compete in the half-marathon.
"The Auckland Marathon is just too close to the world off-road champs," she said.
Hatea's Bronwyn Dyer took second place in the senior women's race and Polly Barach came third.
 In other women's races, Eryn Lovell won the U20 title, Megan Ferris the U17 and Lakiesha Cummings the U12, while Tayla Going ran impressively taking the 2km U14 title in 7m 50s.
Honours in the master women's 5km race went to Christine Fraser in 20m 41s, followed by Janice Powell, Tina Maher, Lynda Going, Annette Murray, Toni Daly, Jenny Ferris, Pauline Dinsdale, Oringa Barach, Lynn Fraser and Gillian Michel.
Arriving late, Hatea's Steve O'Neill warmed-up running to the startline before sprinting off at the gun to dominate the senior men's 10km.
With several top runners sidelined by injuries or concentrating on other events, O'Neill stayed clear of challenges, despite tiring in the second half.
"I'm really only used to training up to about 5km so the second half of the race was quite a struggle."
Masters runner Richard Blogg ran a well-judged race to take second overall and first in the master men's field, followed by  Steve Trass, Stu Slater, Chris Seeley, Max Smith, Neville Basset, Tony Langton, Brian Barach, Max Thomas, Rob Griffin, Dave Eastmond and Neville Rae.
Cole Edwardson in 14th place overall, took second place in the senior men's championship, while Alan Connelly completed an excellent walk finishing well within sight of the last runner.
Dylan French showed his prowess, taking the U20 men's 5km title well ahead of Ryan Slater, who only just held off promising U17 winner Ethan Carter - who, in turn, headed off Zak Sinclair and Travis Connelly.
Matt Miller won the boys' U12 title contested over 2km in 8m 37s, with Lewis Miller and Haka Corkery filling the minor places.