Paihia was bursting at the seams on Mother's Day Sunday, May 12, as an influx of 1165 runners, many dressed in colourful attire, converged on the town the same weekend as a country music festival was being held, to take part in the Sport Northland Jennian Homes Mothers Day Run/Walk.
Sport Northland Events Team Leader Hayley Overton said there was a real party atmosphere at the event, noting many families were taking part to celebrate Mother's Day: "It was great to have bands playing in the street for everyone to enjoy."
She went on to note that a large crowd gathered on the Paihia Village Green at the conclusion of the event, where a great array of spot prizes were given away. Melanie Castle from Whangarei won the special mystery trip, the winner of the road bike was Ruth Simpson with Earl Smythe taking away the iPod Touch.
From the more sublime aspects of the event to the more serious, it was noted Whangarei's Harry Linford and Carolyn Younger took line honours in the Mother's Day Paihia Run/Walk, making it three wins from three starts. In a repeat of results from the first two events in the 2013 run/walk series, Linford was in control throughout, completing the 8km course in a time of 27.55; while Younger fought off the expected strong challenge from Whangarei schoolgirl Amanda Still to finish in 32.22 with Still just four seconds behind, while Kerikeri's Corinne Smith took fourth place.
Linford and Younger remain at the top of the leaderboard with a further five events to go in this year's series, the next being the Baylys 2 Dargaville Run/Walk - a 6.8km or 12km run/walk - on Sunday, June 23.
