Linford, Akkeson to the fore in Mangawhai Run/Walk

Harry Linford grabbed himself another win on the Run/Walk series. Photo/John Stone

Whangarei's Harry Linford and Kerikeri's Maria Akkeson were comfortable winners in the Hotprintz Mangawhai Run/Walk.

The pair took out their respective 8.5km races in the overhauled event, giving both runners a clear lead on the NorthCloud Leaderboard which tracks points following each event in the series.

The event, previously known as the Hotprintz Mangahwai Heads 2 Hub, had a complete revamp on Sunday with a new course design, which proved to be a winner.

This year the Hotprintz Mangawhai Run/Walk started and finished at the Mangawhai Heads Holiday Park with participants running or walking about 1-2km (depending on the distance they chose) on the sand along the estuary, giving them the opportunity to experience the beauty that Mangawhai has to offer.

The event saw more than 540 competitors take part in either the 4.5km or 8.5km loop course in this the second event in the 2017 Sport Northland Run/Walk Series.

Linford was followed home by another Whangarei runner Chris Mills with Louis Young (Warkworth) third.

In the women's division, second home was Anna Spence (Whangarei) with Katie McVerry (Whangarei) third.

First in the men's 4.5km event, in 16m 30s, was Rhys Colmer (Whangarei).

Whangarei runner Levi Cohen was second home, ahead of Charlie Bacon from Poroti. In the women's division, Teresa Tattersfield took line honours in 21.33 with Holly Hilton-Jones and Murphy Phillips (all from Whangarei) close behind.

All Northland adults who competed earned an entry into the draw to win the Mazda 2 from Pacific Motor Group which will be drawn after the final event in the series, the ASB Kerikeri Half Marathon on November 18.

Katie McVerry was also the lucky winner of the major spot prize of a Merida Mountain bike from My Bike Whangarei along with Kathy Newman walking away with a Samsung Galaxy Tablet from Northcloud.