Big crowd for sprint up Mauao

"It is always tough - that mountain never gets any easier."

That was the honest reaction from Whakatane's Daniel Jones, 26, after he won his third consecutive King of the Mountain title - and fifth overall - on the Mount Main Beach yesterday.

He finished in 19m 09s, just outside the record time of 18m 32s he set last year, with Bobby Jones, from Te Puke, second for the fourth consecutive year and former Papamoa resident Glenn Hughes third, after 16 years away from competing in the iconic race.

The 4km senior race starts and finishes on the soft sand on Mount Main Beach by the entrance to Moturiki Island and includes a 231m sprint to the top of Mauao and down again.

Alison Wilson wins the Queen of the Mountain title at the first attempt. Photo/George Novak

The race is organised by Tauranga Ramblers and has been a tradition at the Mount since 1945. Only in 1947 and 1982 has the event not taken place.

"It always seems to be harder than last year and particularly coming along the beach at the end to the finish, the tide was coming in and you are just dodging the crowd," Jones said.

"I usually try and push as soon as I clear those rock steps before a bit of a gradual burn on the pumice steps by the rocks. I only opened up about 5m and then tried to extend that to the top and then you do whatever you can to hold on.

"My feet were just digging into the soft sand and couldn't get much stride frequency going. The legs are absolutely wrecked. You are just pushing hard and as soon as you hit that line it is an unreal feeling because then you get to stop."

Jones says he would love to be back next Boxing Day to defend his title again.

"It is one of those races that is perfect for me as it is only an hour away from my parent's place in Whakatane.

"You never feel like doing it when you wake up in the morning after Christmas Day but it is a good way to burn some of those calories off."

The Queen of the Mountain title was won in style by Alison Wilson, 28, at her first attempt, after moving to Tauranga from England five months ago.

"I have walked it a couple of times and attempted to run it," she said.

"There are a couple of guys from Body in Motion where I work doing it and they said to ease into it but as soon as that gun goes I just go for it and give it all I've got.

"It was hard on the joints. Just when you get through the woods to the top bit I had to take a couple of steps walking and coming down it is just a fright, just hold on.

"I do Ironman triathlons so this was a nice run out for that."