Tragedy mars popular Tauranga half marathon

Tragedy struck Tauranga's City to Surf half marathon yesterday when a 45-year-old man collapsed and died on Mauao's base track.

Tragedy struck Tauranga's City to Surf half marathon yesterday when a 45-year-old man collapsed and died on Mauao's base track.

It was understood to be the first death in the 20 years that the popular event had been run.

City to Surf director Murray Fleming said the death of the Tauranga man was distressing and a tragedy. ''It was one of those awful occurrences that can happen.''

A minute's silence was held at the prizegiving on Mount Main Beach to acknowledge the death and the man's family.

Fleming said the man had entered the 11km distance and was about halfway around the base track when he collapsed. His wife, who was also running in the event was nearby.

Help was on hand almost immediately. Fleming said an off-duty fireman was running behind the man and began attempts to resuscitate him until the arrival of a St John Ambulance paramedic.

''They worked on him for quite a long time.''

The paramedic arrived on a Mount Surf Life Saving Club quadbike and was joined by another colleague who reached the scene on foot, accompanied by Mount Maunganui Fire Service volunteers.

Volunteer Hayden Kinzett said they assisted St John with manpower.

The 11km section of City to Surf began at 10am and the man collapsed before 11am, with fire crews called to support St John at 11.07am.

Mr Fleming said it was the first death to occur in the seven or eight years that Event Promotions had been running the event.

A Tauranga athletic club source could not recall any deaths in the City to Surf since it began 20 years ago.

He had not heard about the death so the chances were that the man was not a regular club athlete. The bulk of competitors in these type of events did not belong to clubs.

He said the race had been run in warm conditions.

The man's name had not been released by police yesterday evening.