Tarawera Ultramarathon: Second time a charm for some, others make history

Ruth Croft on her way to a historic victory at the Tarawera Ultramarathon. Photo / Supplied

Ruth Croft has claimed a history-making victory in the 102km race at the 2021 Tarawera Ultramarathon.

Meanwhile, Matt Urbanski put the disappointment of 2020 behind him to come out and win the 100-Miler race, with Katie Wright beating Fiona Hayvice by the narrowest of margins for the women's title.

However, Croft became the first female runner to claim the outright 102km title, and in doing so set a new women's course record on the trails around Rotorua of 9:21:03.

The 32-year-old was taking the lead around the halfway mark and never looked back, finishing 18 minutes ahead of the second-place finisher, and first male, Rhys Johnston.

"I'm stoked, it's just a good day," Croft said.

"I tried to start a bit conservatively, but it was pretty tough because the first 30km is so fast."

Croft then tried to "put the hammer down" at 31km.

"The plan was to stay on top of my nutrition and hydration in that first half of the race and I was able to do that," she said.

Rotorua runner Rhys Johnston claimed his first 102km men's title, crossing the line in 9:39:29.

"It's unbelievable to take it out, it's a dream come true," Johnston said.

"I was just waiting for someone to sneak up on me but it never happened. From the Redwoods, five to seven kilometres to go I knew it was pretty close so I just gave it everything I could and went full steam for that last bit, so stoked to take it out."

Johnston came back from a serious mountain biking injury last year, and had faced a race against time to be fit and on the start line this year.

Chris Sanson was the second male home, and third overall, in 9:42:46, less than three minutes ahead of Simon Cochrane.

Konoka Azumi was the second female runner, crossing the line in 10:12:09, with Sue Crowley third in 10:56:28.

Matt Urbanski winning the 100-Miler race at the Tarawera Ultramarathon. Photo / Supplied

Matt Urbanski didn't finish the 2020 100-mile race on the trails around Rotorua but overcame that disappointment to win by more than an hour this time.

From America, Urbanski has been in New Zealand since last year after his flight home was cancelled due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. He put his extra time in New Zealand to good use and will now leave a champion.

"It feels like today was fate, I wasn't in shape last year, I was injured but I just wanted to try and then I was moving up into the top 10 and ran like an idiot," Urbanski said.

His Tarawera Ultramarathon victory came in his 15th 100-Mile race, the course around Rotorua suiting his strengths.

Urbanski crossed the line in 18:04:34, ahead of Doug Moore in 19:11:33 and Louis Schindler in 19:42:54.

Katie Wright after winning the women's 100-mile race. Photo / Supplied

The women's 100-mile race came right down to the wire, with Katie Wright edging out Fiona Hayvice by just over a minute, a close margin after more than 20 hours on the course.

"Gosh the last 30km since I passed Fi, halfway between Millar and Blue Lake, I was looking around constantly the entire way," Wright said.

"I didn't realise quite how close she was, but I was running just as hard as I could and knowing how close she was probably wouldn't have changed that."

Wright last raced at Tarawera two years ago, with the 2019 race being her first 100-Miler.

"The win is just completely unexpected, it's huge," she said.

Katie Wright and Fiona Hayvice after finishing the Tarawera Ultramarathon 100-Miler. Photo / Supplied

Fiona Hayvice, who was racing at Tarawera for the 10th time, spent the entire day in the top two, duelling with Wright for much of the race.

Wright crossed the line in 20:19:19, with Hayvice just behind in 20:20:42, while Dawn Tuffery was third in 22:28:55.