A smaller group of 16 people produced some very fast times in the Coastlands Classic Relay on Saturday, April 11.

The route was a 2.1 kilometres “Out-And-Back” course along the foredune trails and road from the start position at the seaward end of Ohuirehe Street through to Omega Place and return.

We could not access the beach for the normal return leg due to the rising sea from incoming Cyclone Vaianu.

Four teams of four people completed the relay.

Iris Stansloski completed a great opening leg to give her team a 19 second advantage at the handover to her older sister, Azelle Stansloski.

Azelle, in one of her first runs for the harriers ran outstandingly to increase the lead to 50 seconds.

On the third leg, Stepanka Tunova ran amazingly to pull her team from fourth place into the lead by a 19 second margin.

However, on the final leg, Aidan Campbell moved his team up from third to win the relay by just 7 seconds. Very close and exciting racing.

The winning team was Peter de Feijter, Kelly Shallow, Ryker Hauser and Aidan Campbell in 39.05.

Second were the team of Iris and Azelle Stansloski, Ian Martin and David Milne.

Third only a further 14 seconds back in 39.26 were John Stansloski, Parker Shaw, Stepanka Tunova and Paul Jamieson.

Fourth just 1.25 back in 40.51 were Rosie Milne, Lilly Anderson, Tony Maxwell and Joel Stansloski.

Again, we need to talk about the very fast times produced, despite the cross-country over the dune crest trail and a stiff wind.

Campbell ran the fastest lap time of an incredible 7.6, an amazing 3.27 per km. While the course was 0.13km shorter than the usual course of 2.23km, this was well under the lap record of 8.37 held for that course, equating to approximately 8.07 for 2.1km.

Second fastest was Milne in 7.57 and third and first woman Stepanka Tunova in 8.01. Also very much under the 2.23km women’s lap record of 10.34, which equates to 9:57 for 2.1km.

Third male was Paul Jamieson in 8:30, and a good time of 8.44 by Joel Stansloski following his 40km training run in the morning.

Second and third fastest women were great runs by the Stansloski sisters Azelle in 9.12 and Iris 9.20.

There were fast runs, too, by juniors Ryker, Rosie and Lilly.

All the junior women were under the equivalent lap record, which is very encouraging for their team.

For good measure, Campbell won the subsequent impromptu 4.2km race in 16.56, with Stepanka 17.35 second and Rosie 21.:40 third.

The club competition this week is the Birdwalk Teams Race. IMPORTANT the assembly location is meeting at the clubrooms 1pm for a 1.30pm start.

There will be a shorter 2.1km race for the juniors and others runners.