Round the Mountains Relay

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 25, 18 November 1986, Page 16

Round the Mountains Relay

The 1986 Army-spon-sored 1 00-mile 'Round the Mountains' Relay was run last Saturday with more interest having been attracted than ever before. The race that has been run forthe last lOyearsthisyear attracted some 1200entrants — 100 teams all up. Teams from as far south as Christchurch and 25 registered teams from Wellington and Auckland areas arrived in Waiouru on Friday for the demanding 3am4.00am start next morning. The race was run in an anti-clockwise direction north along the Desert Road to Rangipo, past Lake Rotaira on SH47 and then via National Park, Erua, Horopito, Ohakune, Karioi and back to Waiouru — a total of 100 miles (160km). The teams consisted of 10 runriers, with each individ-ual-runner clocking up 10 miles (16km) in six divisions: open grade for competitive runners, men's, women's, veteran's, composite and children's. Teams were entered by top harrier clubs from all over New Zealand right through to Primary Schools, including one team from Waiouru Primary School and three teams from Ruapehu College. The College's -top grade basketball team ran the distance in training for their trip to Fiji next year. The weather was no

obstacle and, according to the race chairman Captain Keith Bastion from 4 Composite Squadron in Waiouru, the only thing that would have stopped the race from being run was the unlikely event ofa volcaniceruption. Although the race has been an annual occasion for Waimarino locals for the past 10 years, its popularity has been steadily increasing and plans are under way to up-grade the event in future years. Hopes are held that the event may someday be telecast live to television viewers nation-wide, with extensive media coverage by radio stations and top sporting magazines. There are no plans to stage the race at any other location in New Zealand and Mr Bastion assures 'locals' that it will always be Waiouru-based. The first runners arrived at the finishing line in the vicinity of the Army Museum at about 2pm, with the late finishers arriving late afternoon. Winners of their respective stages received some fantastic priz.es including travel bags, track-suits and sport's wear. There were also booby-prizes presented to the slowest competitors in their class and the last runner over the finish line. There was good reason for celebration in Waiouru Army Camp on Saturday night with a number of wins clocked up during the day.

The women's section was won by Waiouru Snowbunnies, narrowly beating Bluebirds of Wellington who have won the category for the last three years. Customs team of Auckland won the open category in a time of 10 hours, 1.12 minutes — their 4th win in the last five years of competing. DB from Taihape took out the veteran's title with an exciting bid for second position by Levin Harriers and 10 CC from Taumaranui third. In the men's open competition, Rampant Panthers — Papakura Artillery, rampaged over the Finish line to take first place, followed by 4 ATG from Waiouru who pipped Ohakune Post Office for second place. Those were the "highlights" of the day's competition, which was followed by a function attended by some 1 500 people. Comprehensive details of individual performances follow in next week's edition of the Bulletin , including fastest individual times for each section and results of the children's section.

The official results of the Round The Mountain Relay held on Saturday 1S November are as follows: Mens' Section: 1, Rampant Panthers(l6l Bty), Papakura(A). 1 1 hours. 1 1 minutes, 27 seconds: 2 4 ATG Workshops. Waiouru (A). I ih 1 2m 02s: 3 Ohakune P.O.. Ohakune. I Ih 17s 37s; 4 RFCS Regular Force. Waiouru (A), I Ih 27m I5s:5 0fficer Cadet School I. Waiouru (A). I Ih 29m 55s; 6 Malcolm Flowers Mountain Men, Taupo. 1 1 h 47m 01s: 7 HMNZS Wellington. Navy Auckland llh 47m 20s: 8 DB Ironmen Linton. Linton, llh 50m 47s; 9 Mountain Mots. Wellington, llh 57m. 57s: JOToyota Raetihi. Raetihi llh. 58m. 15s: 11 4 Supply Company. Waiouru (A). I Ih 58m 44s: 12 Spartans. Ohakune 12h0lm08s:13 QA Squadron. Waiouru (A). 12h 03m 14s; 14 4 Composite Squadron. Waiouru (A). 12h 04m 41s: 15 21 Supply Company. Linton (A). I2h 07m 13s; 16 Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Taumaranui. I2h08m 41s: 17 Monowai. Navy Auckland. !2h I lm 22s; 18 Papakura Sappers. Papakura (A). I2h 19m 36s: 19 Wellington CIB. Wellington. I2h 21m 16s; 20 Hutt Graduates. Wellington. I2h 25m 56s; 21 Officer Cadet Schools II. Waiouru (A). I3h 38m 29s: 22 Wombles School of Regiment Training. Waiouru (A). I3h 42m 38s: 23 Officer Cadet School Staff, Waiouru (A). I3h 46m 42s; 24 Wellington Hashmen. Wellington. 1 3h 53m 30s: 25 Schools of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. Waiouru (A), 13h 53m 52s: 26 Army Garrison Institute. Waiouru. I3h 56m 47s: 27 Pattie Street Pacemak-

ers. Petone. Wellington. !3h 02m 1 7s: 28 Schools of Armour. Waiouru (A). I3h 04m 30s; 29 Officer Cadet School III. Waiouru (A). I3h 13m 07s: 30 Papakura Police. Papakura l.3h 16m 52s: 31 Army Firefighters. Waiouru (A). I3h 25m 59s; 32 l.amp Pacers. Linton (A). I3h 27m 51s: 33 Fee Bees Watchdogs, Auckland. !3h 35m 09s: 34 School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Apprentices. Waiouru (A). I3h 35m 52s: 35 Ohura. Ohura. 14h 04m 31s: 36 South Auckland Police. Papakura. I4h 04m 40s. Composite Section: 1 Levin Harriers. Levin. 1 1 h 03m 00s: 2 Wanganui Police Invitation. Wanganui. I Ih 08m 45s: 3 I0CC. Taumarunui, 1 lh 31m 30s; 4 Te Rapa Rockets. Te Rapa. I2h 13m 08s: 5 Fornarlies. Forestry. I2h 14m 39s; 6 AGS I. Waiouru (A). 12h 16m 08s; 7 Hockey. Wellington. 12h 18m 42s: 8 Stans Team. Waiouru (A). 12h 22m 50s: 9 1 Med Bn Snoopy, Auckland. I2h 22m 54s; 10 Law. Linton (A). !2h 38m 57s; 11 Waiouru Primary. Waiouru. I2h 39m 58s: 12 I BSB. Auckland. I2h 47m 16s; 13 Winstone Afforestation, Raetihi. I2h 56m 54s: 14 Letchers Wellsford. Wellsford, !2h 57m 09s: 15 Wairarpa Road Work, Wairarpa. 12h 57m 35s: 16 Hamilton Police. Hamilton. !3h 10m 59s: 17 Garfield III. Waiouru (A). I3h 12m 58s: 18 Thames Turkeys. Thames. I3h 21m 32s; 19 Hotfooters (Wn Fire Bde). Wellington. 13h 21m 42s; 20 Philomel Composite. Navy Auckland. 13h 33m 05s: 21 Officer Cadet Schools Composite. Waiouru (A). I3h 33m 10s: 22 Irirangi. Waiouru, I3h 35m 24s: 23 Te Rapa Rookies. Te Rapa. I3h 41m 30s; 24 Pinky Bars. Waiouru (A). 13h 48m 29s: 25 Birches Bunch. Waiouru (A). I3h 52m 06s; 26 Mount Fitness Centre. Mt. Maunganui. I3h 53m 59s: 27 Plateau Plodders, Taupo. 13h 54m 28s: 28 4 Supply 17, Waiouru (A), I4h 01m 37s: 29 Wanganui Police. Wanganui. 14h 09m 55s: 30 Srt Composite. Waiouru (A). 14h 10m 56s;31 Ministry ofWorks. Waiouru. I4h 22m 36s; 32 Kane's Ables. Ruapehu College. I4h 23m 03s; 33 ATG Hospital. Waiouru (A), I4h 24m 39s; 34 AGS 1 1. Wellington. I4h 29m 38s: Non-competition: 35 Ootrans. Auckland. I2h 04m 42s: 36 Ghostbusters. Waiouru. I3h 23m 15s. Women's Section: 1 Snowbunnies. Waiouru, !2h 53m 16s: 2 Bluebirds. Wellington. J3h 46m 19s: 3 Kapi Mana Cruisers. Titahi Bav. I4h 13m 05s: 4 Macks' Amazons, Navv Auckland. 14h 47m 43s: 5Rubber Duckies. Linton Camp. I4h 51m 52s: 6 Y'uru Wabbits. Waiouru. I5h 32m 16s. Open Section: 1 Customs. Auckland lOh 01m 12s; 2 Army Training Group. Waiouru. lOh 03m 19s: 3 Wellington Fire Brigade. Wellington. lOh 22m 25s: 4 North Shore Bays. Auckland lOh 28m 01s: 5 Fire Service Auckland. Auckland. lOh 50m 16s. Veterans Section: 1 DB Taihape. Taihape. I2h 00m 29s: 2 MSD Speirs. I2h 18m 51s: 3 Maata Supplies Mitre 10. Taumaranui. 13h29m 21s; 4 Wellington Hash Veterans. Wellington. !3h 37m 54s.