Entries on track for a bumper run/walk series turnout

PACKED: Entries were up in the Juken NZ Kaitaia Run/Walk despite the rain. PHOTO SUPPLIED

If the trend continues then entries for the next Sport Northland Run/Walk Series event could well be up on last year.

Entries for the ACC Whangarei Half Marathon and 9km Run/Walk on September 21 and the Fullers GreatSights Kerikeri Half Marathon (on November 15) are open online at www.runwalkseries.co.nz.

Earlier this month, 430 entrants took part in the Juken NZ Kaitaia Run/Walk.

Numbers for the August 4 event - this year starting and finishing at the Te Ahu Centre - were well up on last year.

Whangarei's Ant Rodger - who has recently moved north from Dunedin - raced away from the rest of the field in the 12.5km Church Road loop to take line honours in a time of 50 minutes 33 seconds.

Running in a Sport Northland Run/Walk Series event for the first time, Rodger commented that he enjoyed the experience and was keen to compete in the rest of the series.

Young Wellsford runner Louis Young finished in second place in 52min50sec with Christopher Mills (Whangarei) in third place in 55.41.

Kerikeri's Maria Akesson maintained her good form to make it two series wins in a row by convincingly winning the women's long course section in a time of 53.01.

Another Kerikeri runner Marion Maxwell finished in second place in 58.15 with local runner Catherine Semenoff-Murray third in 58.55.

Akesson's win leapt her up the leaderboard to be two points behind the 2013 Sport Northland Series winner and current leader, Carolyn Younger.

With only two events left in the 2014 Sport Northland Series, Akesson and Younger will have the two half marathon events to battle out to find the 2014 series winner.

Even though Whangarei's Ian Calder did not take part in the Kaitaia event, he still leads the men's leaderboard from Louis Young.

The 4.6km female section was won by 10-year-old Kaitaia school girl Kira Watson, who beat many older participants to the finish line at Oturu School. Her achievement was met with great applause from the large crowd at the prizegiving held at the Te Ahu Centre.

Second place went to Jessie Beckett also from Kaitaia. James Darge from Kaikohe was the first male home with Sage Watson (Kaitaia) in second place.