Red Stag Redwoods Forest Relay attracts 62 teams

OUT THE GATE: Runners take off at the start of the 39th annual Red Stag Redwoods Forest relay on Saturday. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

Heavy rain and muddy underfoot conditions failed to deter runners and walkers at the 39th annual Red Stag Redwoods Forest Relay yesterday .

The event, organised by the Lake City Athletic Club for runners and walkers, was run in the area of Whakarewarewa Forrest bounded by the Tokorangi Triangle and Scion Research property.

A total of 62 running and walking teams from as far as Taranaki, Feilding, Auckland and Waikato took part, as well as locally based teams.

The event was run or walked over two approximate distances - 4800m and 3200m - and saw three clubs take away wins in multiple age groups.

The host club Lake City won the masters men and women grades, Hamilton City Hawks won the men and women open grades and Egmont Athletics took away three wins, in the male youth, female youth and walking sections.

Of the local runners, the top individual performance of the day was the effort of Tony Broadhead, running the anchor lap for the Lake City master men team. Broadhead faced a 20 second deficit when starting the final lap for his team, but produced a solid run in the trying conditions to come home two seconds ahead of Hamilton City Hawks for a well-deserved win and the fastest individual master men's time of the day.

Red Stag Redwoods Forest Relay results

Senior Men (5 x 4800m):
1. Hamilton City Hawks No 1- 1.25.24
2. Tauranga Triathlon - 1.32.51
3. Hamilton City Hawks No 2 - 1.34.32
Fastest Lap - Jacob Priddey (Hamilton City Hawks) - 16.34

Senior Women (5 x 4800m):
1. Hamilton City Hawks - 1.45.06
2. Tauranga Ramblers - 1.51.48
3. Lake City Rotorua No 1 - 1.53.08
Fastest Lap - Grace Ritchie (Hamilton City Hawks) - 19.21

Masters Men (5 x 4800m):
1. Lake City Rotorua No 1 - 1.34.03
2. Hamilton City Hawks No 1 - 1.34.05
3. Cambridge Harriers No 1 - 1.45.56
Fastest Lap - Tony Broadhead (Lake City Rotorua) - 18.05

Masters Women (5 x 4800m):
1. Lake City- Rotorua - 1.51.46
2. Hamilton City Hawks - 1.57.33
3. No third team
Fastest Lap - Sue Crowley (Lake City- Rotorua) - 19.47

Composite/Corporate (5 x 4800m):
1. Cambridge Harriers No 1 - 1.42.41
2. Hamilton City Hawks No 1 - 20.01.18
3. Taupo Harriers No 1 - 2.07.51
No fastest lap recognised

Male Youth (4 x 3200m):
1. Egmont Athletics No 1 - 52.19
2. Feilding Moa No 1 - 53.15
3. Whakatane High School No 2 - 1.00.55
Fastest lap - Benjamin Wall (Feilding Moa) - 12.05

Female Youth (4 x 3200m):
1. Egmont Athletics - No 1 - 1.03.35
2. Whakatane High School No 1 - 1.05.18
3. Feilding Moa No 1 - 1.06.31
Fastest lap - Tessa Webb (Feilding Moa) 14.15

Walkers (2 x 4800m):
1. Egmont Athletics No 1 - 1.05.19
2. Lake City Rotorua No 2 - 1.06.23
3. Lake City-Rotorua No 1 - 1.10.07
Fastest lap - Rodney Gillum (Egmont Athletics) - 31.30