Stefan Lee dominates Kerikeri Half Marathon

Top runners battled out the 2011 Fullers GreatSights Kerikeri Half Marathon to the very end, with a tail wind helping the athletes to threaten the long standing records.

Three North Shore runners dominated the men's field, and the trio fought over the lead position for the 21.1km road race starting at Waiare Rd, Okaihau and finishing at Kerikeri Domain.

Stefan Lee was the eventual winner in a very respectable time of 1h 07m 56s - only just pipping Jono Jackson who sprinted home behind him in 1h 08m 09s. In third was Jackson's brother Aaron, in 1h 08m 43s rounding out the contest between the trio.

The men's record for the 21km race was set in 1999 by Seaton Meredith, in a time of 1h 05m 14s and although Lee was still over two minutes away from cracking Meredith's time, it was quicker than last year's winning time 1h 13m 23s set by Matamata's Wayne Guest.

Northland's Ian Calder was the first Northland runner home, in a time of 1h 14m 27s, while Whangarei's Jonny Creelman was fifth, in 1h 15m 30s.

Meanwhile, in the women's race, Tara la Grange - another North Shore runner, successfully defended her title, winning her second Kerikeri Half Marathon in 1h 18m 09s over two minutes faster than her winning time last year (1h 20m 45s) and comfortably clear of Whangarei's Ady McKenzie, who took second place in 1h 23m 04s, but was first home for the Northland athletes. Auckland's Emma Hunter was back in third spot, finishing in 1h 27m 18s, while Northland's Carolyn Younger was fourth in 1h 28m 20s.

For the first time this year, organisers from Sport Northland added a priority start, which meant female runners expecting to run sub 1h 30m 00s and male runners who could go under 1h 20m 00s could start up the front ahead of the masses.

There were 12 priority starters.

In total, 2189 runners, walkers and three racing chair competitors took part in the event, which was staged in hot, sunny and slightly windy conditions.

Sport Northland team leader of events Hayley Overton said the organising team were very happy with how day panned out.

"We're really happy with how it's all gone, and we had the great weather we normally get for it," Overton said.

In the racing chair division, Auckland's Andrew Ross was first home in 1h 46m 13s, while Gary McMurray was second in 2h 24m 47s, while in the men's walkers category, Alan Connelly from Whangarei won in a very swift time of 2h 10m 09s.

Dunedin's Barrie Aberhart was second, in 2h 15m 54s, Northland's Kenny Whittaker was third (2h 18m 43s) and in the women's walkers Whangarei's Sharon Rogers won with a time of 2h 25m 23s, Auckland's Deborah Nobilo was second (2h 25m 29s) and Jill Stewart third (2h 27m 02s) and in fourth, was Whangarei's Charmaine O'Shea (2h 27m 48s).