Earlier date set for Mangawhai Heads 2 Hub

RUN OR WALK: A competitor from last years race is pleased to cross the finish line!

Sponsored by Jeff Oliver Print, the annual Sport Northland Mangawhai Heads 2 Hub Run/Walk has moved from being a mid-winter event in July to Sunday April 21.

As well as a shift in date, a new distance has also been added. 

“It is great to be able to offer a shorter option of 5.5 kilometres to the usual 8.5 kilometre event,” says Sport Northland’s Events Team Leader, Hayley Overton. “This is only the second event in the 2013 Sport Northland Run/Walk Series so it is good to make a more achievable distance for the newcomers.”

Pompallier College student Harry Linford will be trying to continue his great run of form having completed the 2012 Sport Northland Run/Walk Series at the top of the leaderboard. Lindford has continued on with his good form to win the first event in the 2013 series, the Chilltech Beach 2 Basin. Similarly in the women’s division, last year’s series winner Carolyn Younger, was first across the line in the 9km event to take the top spot on the 2013 women’s leaderboard.

The 5.5km event will start at Sail Rock Café on Wood Street for either a run or walk at 8.30am, while the 8.5km event will start at Mangawhai’s Ocean Beach for a run, walk or pram stroll at 9am. Both courses will link onto Molesworth Drive and continue to the finish line at The Hub.

 A great array of prizes from Sport Northland sponsors are once again up for grabs for the competitors with a Telecom mobile phone and iPod from Gen-i, Fullers Great Sights vouchers, ASB and Asics merchandise plus the major prize, a bike from AvantiPlus Whangarei.

All Northland adults who compete in the event will go into the draw to win the Suzuki Splash car sponsored by Pacific Motor Group which will be drawn following the last event in the Run/Walk Series, the Fullers GreatSights Kerikeri Half Marathon, on Saturday November 16. 

The 5.5km or 8.5km Mangawhai course makes a great training run in the lead-up to the next event in the series, the Jennian Homes Mother’s Day Fun Run/Walk to be held on May 12. 

Entries are open online at www.runwalkseries.co.nz and close on April 17 or pick up an entry form from a Carters store or Sport Northland Office.