Backhausen beats top woman to 62km finish line

TOP TWO: 62km Winner Majell Backhausen and second place overall/first woman, Ruth Croft, celebrate the win at the finish line. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

While most of the national and international focus at Saturday's Tarawera Ultramarathon is on the pinnacle 100km event, its the 62km event that had people really talking earlier in the day, with a New Zealand woman coming close to taking out the overall win from the 339-strong male and female field.

But it was Melbourne-based Majell Backhausen who narrowly edged out Taiwan-based Ruth Croft, taking the win in a time of 5:04:26. Backhausen has been a previous winner at the associated Tarawera events, taking out the 50km win at the 2015 Tarawera 50km and Trail Marathon.

Backhausen says he started running for pride once Croft overtook himself and two others at the 30km mark.

"I was actually running scared! Three of us were running together, not really racing, and just waiting to see who would put on the first move. Then Ruth rocks up, passes us and shows us out its done!

"Then I realised I was running for pride and I better get my s**t together. I definitely ate a bit of humble pie today."

Backhausen says the Ultra is a world-class event and course.

"I've spent a lot of time in Europe and at some of the biggest races in the world, and these guys [NZ Trail Events] have got it all sussed here."

Croft, originally from the West Coast and currently living in Taiwan, took second place overall - and first female - in the 62km event in a time of 5:10:41 - just six minutes behind Backhausen.

Croft says her main goal today was to "see how it went", but potentially taking out the whole event wasn't on the cards.

"I stayed with them in the first part of the race and on the hills, but I found the flatter forest conditions a bit harder. I was feeling really good, but crashed a bit on the flat - and I didn't enjoy that.

"I felt good and strong and I'm really happy with how it went."

Croft will now head back to Taiwan to compete in some Asia-based races, before taking on her next big race in Spain in May.

Tarawera Ultramarathon 87km Results:
Men: Benjamin Gerhardy (Aus)9:19:55, 1, Jay Anderson (Aus)9:44:43, 2, Kelvin Chote (Upper Hutt NZ) 10:39:03, 3.
Women: Katrin Webb (Rotorua NZ) 10:47:39, 1, Karen Mickle (Australia) 11:32:23, 2, Kirsty Hamlin (Whangarei NZ) 11:37:03, 3.
Tarawera Ultramarathon 62km Results:
Men: Majell Backhausen (Australia) 05:04:26 1, Christopher Dunell (Canterbury, NZ) 05:12:41 2, Matt Carroll (Auckland, NZ) 05:18:52 3, Andy Good (Canterbury, NZ) 05:28:04 4, Dennis De Monchy (Tauranga, NZ) 05:40:04 5
Women: Ruth Croft (NZ) 05:10:41 1, Hristina Kozareva-Leikeb (Bulgaria) 06:06:43 2, Kirsten Van Dorp (NZ) 06:19:50 3, Denise McHale 06:41:25 4.