It was a victorious day for Lake City Athletic Club in the forest after two of the women's teams speed away to win a relay title.
At the 38th annual Red Stag Redwoods Forest running and walking relay both the senior and masters women categories were won by the local running club on Saturday.
Runners Johanna Ottosson, Sian Twiddy, Sue Crowley, Gillian Shapley and Tania Smellie each ran a 5000m lap and won the masters race with a time of 1h 48m 41s - with Crowley clocking the fastest female split time in an impressive 19m 36s.
Hamilton City Hawks finished in second and third with two separate teams in 1h 53m 04s and 1h 56m 12s.
The senior race, run over the same distance, was won in a time of 1h 54m by Clare Barrett-Wood, Charlotte Pearson, Tracey Hay, Amy Bray and Natalie Miedema with Barrett-Wood recording the fastest leg in 21m 32s.
Egmont Athletics Club came second, with a time of 2h 18m 08s and Cambridge were third after finishing in 2h 20m 51s.
Lake City Athletic Club vice-president Pam Kenny was "delighted" with the result describing it as one of the "highlights" of the competition.
"It's fantastic that they took the double - what a result for the club," she said.
"The course isn't the easiest for the runners because there are some difficult uphill sections but all of them dug very deep.
"Sue Crowley put in an incredible performance and really showed her quality on the day.
"But ultimately it was a excellent solid team performance in both races that took home the titles."
WINNING RUN: Local runner Johanna Ottosson was part of the winning relay team for the masters women race on Saturday. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER.
In the men's competition Lake City Athletic Club also experienced success finishing third in the senior race behind second placed Hamilton City Hawks and impressive winners Pakuranga - who also placed first in the masters men, and male and female youth relays.
Local runners Michael Voss, Steven O'Callaghan, Jason Steyn-Ross, Stephen Bjarnesen and Andy Twiddy finished in a time of 1h 29m 34s with Voss recording the fastest individual lap time by anyone on the day in 15m 46s.
They were over five minutes off first place but Twiddy, who ran the last leg, said he was pleased with the result.
"Voss is such a quality athlete and he got us off to a great start," he said.
"But this relay is always a tough one. The hardest part of the race is definitely the first section because of the steep uphill so it's not easy to get into the race.
"I did feel pressure running the last leg but I dug in and we finished with a respectable time.
"I'm happy overall with the third placing. There were two much stronger teams so it's a realistic finish."
Lake City Athletic Club also finished third in the masters men race.
Kenny praised the turnout of the competition - 94 teams taking part in total, and said stand out performances included Voss, Crowley and female youth athlete Tessa Webb.
The Feilding Moa athlete broke the female youth grade individual lap record in 10m 39s over 3000m smashing the old record of 11m 05s set in 2013.
"It has been an incredibly successful event," she said.
"The performance of the day from my point of view was Tessa. What a run and I hope it inspires more youngsters to get into running."
Senior Men (5 x 5000m) 1. Pakuranga - 1h 24m 07s 2. Hamilton City Hawks - 1h 28m 35s 3. Lake City-Rotorua - 1h 29s 34s Fastest Lap - Michael Voss (Lake City-Rotorua) 15m 46s
Senior Women (5 x 5000m) 1. Lake City- Rotorua -1h 54m 00s 2. Egmont Athletics - 2h 18m 08s 3. Cambridge - 2h 20m 51s Fastest Lap - Olivia Ritchie (Hamilton City Hawks) 19m 17s
Masters Men (5 x 5000m) 1. Pakuranga - 1h 27m 05s 2. Cambridge -1h 27m 09s 3. Lake City-Rotorua -1m 29m 05s Fastest Lap - Jonny McKee (Pakuranga) 15.53
Masters Women (5 x 5000m) 1. Lake City - Rotorua No 1 - 1h 48m 41s 2. Hamilton City Hawks No 2 - 1h 53m 04s 3. Hamilton City Hawks - No 1- 1h 56m 12s Fastest Lap - Sue Crowley - Lake City - Rotorua - 19m 36s
Male Youth (4 x 3000m) 1. Pakuranga No. 2 - 44m 52s 2. Westlake Boys High No 1 3. Pakuranga No. 1 Fastest lap - Zane Powell (Pakuranga) 10.06
