As the mist cleared and the full moon gave way to a brilliant autumn sun over humble Lake Rotorua, near perfect conditions set in for New Zealand’s most iconic foot race, the Rotorua Marathon, in its 62nd edition.

The boys from the Whakatāne Athletics and Harriers Club came with purpose and did not disappoint, taking on competitors from the larger clubs from throughout Aotearoa and athletes from overseas.

Kicking off the day from Okere Falls, the half marathon, a half lap of the lake and 21 kilometres, saw Chris Lines dominate all comers. Leading from the gun, his eventual winning margin was three minutes in a personal best time of 1:13:10. He maintained a very consistent 3:15-3:25 pace per kilometre over a challenging course with two major climbs. A recent change in coaching has already reaped rewards.

However, the first triumph of the day came in the 10km race as Oliver Ashburn clocked a solid time of 38:43, to secure a commanding victory by over three minutes. The 10km was contested over a challenging course through the redwoods with most of the first half being uphill. Ashburn was unfazed, conquering the hills then roaring home in negative splits.

The marquee event, the marathon, kicked off from the Government Gardens, comprising a circuit of the lake. The men’s race was paced by University of Canterbury Athletic Club Runner Daniel Balchin in a blazing time of 2:19:32. This year’s women’s race was dominated by Bara Styblova from the Czech Republic, in 2:43:44.

Of note for the club, Joel Stansloski (2:39:52) finished 11th overall, good enough for second in the Athletics NZ Marathon Championships age group 40-44.

Club president William Doney senior completed his 24th tour of the lake, vowing to return for at least one more next year in the quest for 25.

The club will return to cross country and winter road racing, with an eye on returning multiple teams to the Annual Road Relays in Feilding this October.