RUNNERS ignored the weather for Saturday’s Burma Road Trophy race. Pictured is Jose Jones and Felicity Johl running up Gorge Road during the Whakatane Athletic and Harrier Club event.
Photo Louis Klaassen D4271-066
RUNNERS from the Whakatane and Kawerau harrier clubs took on the Burma Road Trophy event on Saturday.
The weather eased enough for the race to be largely run without rain.
The course started from the Short Street clubrooms before heading up Gorge Road over the hill to Burma Road before returning to the clubrooms.
The race was held on a time handicap basis, but all runners started at the same time, with handicap calculations done at the end.
Paul Jamieson and Raihi Hunia made a small break on Gorge Road and continued to open the gap over the 13.4-kilometre distance. Neil Spanhake, Austin Oliver and Neil Jones were in the next group.
Jamieson held the slim lead to finish in 62 minutes 58 seconds with Hunia taking 63.21 and Neil Spanhake closed up in the latter stages with 64.04.
Austin Oliver finished in fourth place with Jones less than one minute later for fifth place.
On time handicap assessment Oliver was deemed the trophy winner, with Jones the runner-up and Hunia in third place.
There were also two other races on Saturday. Eight juniors ran an out and back 2km distance from the clubrooms to the lower reaches of Gorge Road.
Tailah Hunia was first to finish in 8.15 just ahead of Kaden Tahu Sturme two seconds later. Naitarah Hunia was third and Phoenix Hunia was home a short time after.
A testing intermediate race of 7.1km featured a climb up Gorge Road before turning into Appenzel Drive, through the green belt to Waiewe Street.
It was followed by a loop up to Mokorua and finally a descent down the gorge to the clubrooms.
Colin Stringfellow was first back in 33.01 ahead of Jeannie Overington in 37.05 and Demi Oliver in 37.29.
After the handicaps were applied, Overington was the winner ahead of Stringfellow and Tom Bayliss and Demi Oliver who were equal third.
Six walkers took on the 7.1km course and Tulip McRoy was first back in 53.58, Bruce Woods took 54.29 and Peter Green ran 55.57.
This Saturday’s event is the Otarawairere run/walk event based from the car park at West End.
