60 teams compete at Redwoods Forest Relay in Rotorua

Runners take off from the start line at the Redwoods Forest Relay. Photo / Stephen Parker

Runners took to the forest in their droves for the 40th Redwoods Forest Relay.

The event, on Saturday, attracted about 60 teams and in conditions conducive to speed, they did not disappoint.

The Hamilton City Hawks were dominant in the open 5km races, winning both the men's and women's. Their men's team of William Swales, Sunil Fernandez-Ritchie, Marcus Daws and Sean Trowern finished the race in 1h 36m.

The Hamilton women, Kovo MacDonald, Connie Daws, Dawn Tuffery, Charli Miller and Kimbi Saunders, finished in 1h 50m 43s.

In the masters' races it was the home club, Lake City Athletic, who were dominant, winning both the men's and women's.

The men's team, comprising Matt Parsonage, Adrian Lysaght, Jason Cameron, Bruce Edwards and Tony Broadhead finished in 1h 32m 27s. Parsonage had the fastest lap time of 17m 45s.

The women, Sarah Lei, Sian Twiddy, Gillian Shapley, Kelly Mitchell and Jodie Hickson, won in 2h 4m 39s.

Lake City's Matt Parsonage ran the fastest lap (17m 45s) in the masters men's 5km relay. Photo / Stephen Parker

Whakatāne Harriers won the composite 5km, Egmont Athletics won both the male and female youth 3.4km races, and the Lake City duo of Glennis Hennessy and Denise Caudwell won the 5km walk.

Redwoods Forest Relay results

Red Stag Redwoods Forest Running and Walking Relay results

Men's Open 5km
1st Hamilton City Hawks- 1h 36m, 2nd Red Stag Flying Fitters - 1h 52m 26s, 3rd Red Stag Trust Me I'm a Sparky - 2h 8m 27s. Fastest lap: Aiden Campbell (Whakatāne Harriers) 17m 36s.

Women's Open 5km
1st Hamilton City Hawks - 1h 50m 43s, 2nd Egmont Athletics, 2h 21m 31s. Fastest lap: Kovo Macdonald (Hamilton City Hawks) 20m 57s.

Masters Men's 5km
1st Lake City Rotorua - 1h 32m 27s, 2nd Hamilton City Hawks - 1h 35m 52s, 3rd Cambridge Harriers - 1h 39m 50s. Fastest lap: Matt Parsonage (Lake City Rotorua) 17m 45s.

Masters Women's 5km
1st Lake City Rotorua - 2h 4m 39s, 2nd Hamilton City Hawks - 2h 9m 18s. Fastest lap: Kirsten Milne (Hamilton City Hawks) 20m 56s.

Composite 5km
1st Whakatāne Harriers - 1h 46m 29s, 2nd Cambridge Harriers - 1h 52m 40s, 3rd Calliope - 2h 2m 53s.

Male Youth 3.4km
1st Egmont Athletics - 50m 22s, 2nd Westlake Boys High - 53m 23s, 3rd Whakatāne Harriers - 56m 20s. Fastest lap: MacCullum Rowe (Egmont Athletics) 11m 40s.

Female Youth 3.4km
1st Egmont Athletics - 1h 4m 20s, 2nd ACG Tauranga - 1h 5m 26s, 3rd Hamilton City Hawks - 1h 7m 34s. Fastest Lap: Gemma Baldey (Whakatāne Harriers) 14m 15s.

Walk 5km
1st Lake City Rotorua 1 - 1h 11m 24s, 2nd Lake City Rotorua 3 - 1 h 14m 12s, 3rd Lake City Rotorua 2 - 1h 14m 20s.