Sunday fun day run day

The mass start of the 2017 Gisborne Herald 5.6km Fun Run and Quarter Marathon outside Tairawhiti Museum yesterday morning. Pictures by Liam Clayton

NUMBERS were down but the enthusiasm, determination and enjoyment factor remained high among the hundreds who took part in The Gisborne Herald’s annual quarter-marathon and fun run/walk yesterday.

No end of other activities conspired to diminish the turnout for the usually highly popular family event based at Marina Park.

A field of around 400 was the ballpark estimate by organisers Sport Gisborne Tairawhiti.

That was significantly down on previous years but SGT events adviser Debbie Hutchings said they were still “really happy” with how it went.

She pointed to the busy weekend of activities in and out of the city — from the national primary school kapa haka championships to the Coast Duathlon — which this year featured a much larger number of competitors — to the speedway fireworks meeting and a Central Federation football day . . . “the list goes on and on”.

“We could make 10 to 15 excuses about why the numbers were low but at the end of the day we were really happy with the event.”

Those that did turn out got almost ideal conditions on a pleasant course that combined city streets and walkways.

At the pointy end of the field, Steve Morrow represented the over-40s brigade in fine style to win the 10.5km race in a time of 36 minutes 40 seconds.

The absence of international triathlete Tayler Reid, who has won it multiple times including 2015 and 2016, cleared the way for Morrow to step up from the rash of second placings he has had in recent years.

Morrow comfortably fended off rising triathlete Josiah Ney, who was second in 39.16, with younger brother Caleb Ney third in 43.40.

Briana Irving was fastest female and seventh overall in 45.37. Fellow Gisborne Girls’ High student Le’Sharn Anderson was second in 49.10 and Phoebe Bint was third in 50.39.

Central School student Ty Houthuijzen won the 5.6km race. He zipped around in 26.05 to pip Ashu Singh by a second, with 50yrs-plus Tim Marshall third in 26.13. They were followed by a trio of young girl guns — Tui Ruifrok in 26.45, Chloe Kapene in 26.59 and Myah Houthuijzen — Ty’s older sister — in 27.10.

Christopher Bowman was fastest of the walkers around the 10.5km course. He clocked 1hr 14min 58sec, with Margaret Badger (a 60-69yrs competitor) second in 1.22.44 and Alison Moorcroft third in 1.27.49.

For others, it was about completion, doing something as a family or simply enjoying the scenery on a mild Gisborne spring morning.

One of those was Maaka Rewiri, a member of Kaiti community health group Huringa Pai.

Maaka was among those who completed the Titirangi Mt Everest Challenge and yesterday added the 10.5km run to his list of achievements.

He was rewarded when his name was called as the major spot prize winner of an Avanti mountain bike.

“That was pretty cool,” said Debbie Hutchings. “He was a deserving winner.”

Other spot prizes included surfing lessons, Olympic Pool three-month passes and Eastwoodhill Arboretum family passes.

From event proceeds, $1000 was donated to Gisborne Concert Band and Gisborne Civic Brass Band.