Run/walk: Kaitaia ready to run

Harry Linford will be looking to add to his lead in the Sport Northland Run/Walk Series when it heads to Kaitaia. PHOTO/JOHN STONE

The Sport Northland Run/Walk Series heads north as committed runners and walkers look to take on the challenge Kaitaia has to offer.

The fifth event in the series, the Toll sponsored Kaitaia Run/Walk is taking place tomorrowwith about 500 walkers and runners expected over the 12.5km route or the shorter 4.6km option.

This year Sport Northland teamed up with Good Sort Naomi Austen Reid, the Founder of #iLoveKaitaia, which is a media campaign to promote positive messages in the town.

Sport Northland's Event Co-ordinator Jesse Gavin said the event will look to have a good impact on the community.

"We wanted to align the Kaitaia Run Walk event with a positive "movement" within the community that the local people would get behind so the #iLoveKaitaia is a perfect fit," he said.

The start gun will fire for the runners to set off at 9.00am from the Te Ahu Centre with the walkers following straight afterwards.

The shorter 4.6 km option will finish at the Oturu School where free buses will transport the participants back to the Te Ahu Centre, while the 12.5km event will continue around the Church Rd loop to the finish line at the Te Ahu Centre.

Whangarei's Harry Linford has dominated The Series so far this year earning 24 points to secure a comfortable lead on the NorthCloud Leader Board while in the female section Maria Akkeson from Kerikeri is leading with 21 points.

With neither of the leaders able to compete in the last event, the NorthCloud Leader Board is becoming wide open with Whangarei's Chris Mills currently second with 21 points and Katie McVerry with 17 points.

With Chris Mills entered and no sign of Harry there looks to be the possibility of a lead change.

Kaitaia's very own Lesley Wallace, Community Connector for Sport Northland, will host the post event prizegiving at the Te Ahu Centre at 11.30am.

The final two events in the series will be the ACC Whangarei Half Marathon and 9km Run/Walk on Sunday 17 September which will start and finish at the Whangarei Town Basin and the ASB Kerikeri Half Marathon on the 18 November.