Multisport: Scenic Dual attracts full field

1450 athletes took part in the inaugural Dual race on Mototuapu yesterday, either on mountain bikes or running either a full or half marathon.

An impressive field of 1450 athletes were treated to a magic day on Motutapu Island yesterday for the inaugural Dual event.

Participants had the choice of taking part in a half marathon, full marathon or 50km mountain bike.

The idea of being on the water to get to a start line must have inspired some our top sailing community, including world-class windsurfers J P Tobin and Tom Ashley.

Joining them was Team New Zealand trainer - Dave Slyfield, who took part in the Mountain Bike with numerous of Team New Zealand members.

J P Tobin, current national windsurf champion, lead from start to finish in the mountain bike event, beating second place getter, Dave Slyfield by 5minutes.

"It was an incredible course, the best I've ever ridden in my mountain biking career," he said. "It was really beautiful."

"It is definitely the first race where I have jumped behind a peloton of cows though. Man - they can really move"

Accomplished long-distance runner, Graeme Taylor, won the marathon by 7 minutes over leading Auckland marathon runner, Paul Angland.

It was top orienteer, Michael Adams who won the half marathon today. He used his knowledge of the course to lead for most of the race.

"I actually come over here to train quite a lot so it was so great to actually have an event over here to compete in."

"The section on Rangitoto was somewhere I haven't run much before though, it was really rocky and technical – quite hard on the ankles, but it was worth it."

2008 Olympic gold medallist, Tom Ashley finished the half marathon in 11th place overall.

In the female's race it was Alex Jepsen and Kristina Crane who took line honors in the half marathon and marathon respectively.

New Zealand mountain biker, Sadie Parker cleaned up in the women's biking race.

The concept of the event was put together two years ago by the Motutapu Restoration Trust and Total Sport, an events company in Auckland, and was set up to raise funds for planting trees and a pest eradication program.

The funds generated by the event will go directly into Motutapu's restoration programme, managed by MRT.

Former Mayor of Auckland, Christine Fletcher, is the Trust's chairperson and said "The funds generated will go a long way to supporting the vision to see the island become the largest island conservation park in the country."