Auks outclass Northlanders in Wilkinson Trophy

Top Auckland runners outclassed Northlanders in the Wilkinson Trophy 10km road race at Kaipara Flats.
Pakuranga's Scott Winton cleared out in the first kilometre of Saturday's combined men's and women's event, winning in a fast 32min 23s, over a course that looked easy but was deceptively tough. Seven kilometres of undulating road finished with a 3km sting in the tail, out and back over two steep hills.
Winton - who also won last year's race - has an impressive list of top-echelon runs to his credit, including golds in a New Zealand 10km road championship, two Auckland 10km road championships, the Rotorua Marathon and three Huntly Half Marathons.
Winton liked the location. "It's [Kaipara Flats] a really beautiful part of New Zealand. I really enjoyed the run," he said.
He didn't push himself too hard and tried to stay consistent. "I never sort of killed myself but I didn't want to just jog it through. I put in quite an effort over the two hills in the last 3km and just tried to open up in the last kilometre."
He said on a flat course, he would expect to run between 30 and 31min.
Lee Greer, formerly a member of L J Hooker Athletics Whangarei, who now lives in Auckland, made a welcome return to running, finishing second in 35 min 24 sec, ahead of Warkworth's Mark Rawlison, in 37min 23s for third.
Takapuna's Chris Weeks came home first in the masters 40-49 years in 39min 24s, ahead of former Northland Marathon Champion, Wellsford's Robert Scott, in second with a time of 40min 49s. Frank Maher of Warkworth was third.
Whangarei 53-year-old Ian Calder took gold in the masters 50+ age-group and was a remarkable third overall in 35min 43s; Hatea's Neville Bassett took silver in 43min 14s; and Hatea's 68-year-old Anson Clapcott won bronze in 40min 53s - a world-class time, just 39s short of the NZ record for masters 65-69.
Hatea's Harry Linford, running in the men's 20 years section, found the 10km course tough but took gold in 38min 21s, while Warkworth's Peter McHale took gold in the shorter (3km) boys' 16 grade, in 16min 33s.
In the open women's 10km, Takapuna's Mikki Williden won gold in 41min 39s, almost 2min clear of her clubmate, Tracey Futter, in 43min 38. Futter was well clear of Whangarei's Polly Barach, who ran 67min 20s. It was Williden's second win in the Wilkinson trophy, after her 2009 success.
As the sole runner in the women's 35-44 grade, Wellsford's Heather Rankin scored gold. In comparison, the W45 + grade was hotly contested, with Whangarei's Janice Powell winning gold in 44min 30s. Tina Maher of Whangarei took silver in 47min 37s; Judith Bradshaw, Hatea, bronze in 48min 21s; and Jackie Grant, Hatea, fourth place in 49min 46s.
Amanda Still, Whangarei, ran strongly, winning the girls' 16 race over 3km, in 11m 49s; ahead of Chantelle Maher, Warkworth, second in 12min 45s; and Tegan Illingworth, Warkworth, third in 13min 32s. The girls' 11 was a family affair for three Illingworth sisters from Warkworth, with Shona first in 15min 47s; Molly second in 16min 44s; and Bree third in 18min 51s.
In the men's walk, Mike Vickers, Presbyterian Auckland, was victorious in 66min 23s, winning the trophy for the first walker under 68min. John Lambert, Wellsford, took second and Brian Gibbs, Wellsford, third. In the women's section, Barbara Fitzthum won gold, Lorraine Merton silver, and Mary-Jane Osa bronze.