Frost’s seventh Feilding win
The Feilding marathon again proved a happy hunting ground for Ingrid Frost, as she won her seventh title.
The Auckland YMCA runner won the women’s event on Saturday, the 63rd running of the Feilding Marathon, as she finished the 42km in 4 hours 2 minutes 40 seconds, the fourth time she has won the Kohiti Trophy.
She has also won in 2015, 2012, 2011, 2008, 2006 and 2004.
She beat the Whanganui pair of Nicky Scott in 4:10:39 and Mignon Stevenson 4:21:48.
Frost’s time was slower than usual, but she had completed completed nine marathons in the past two weeks, including eight in eight days in Australia.
Wainuiomata’s Carl Laffan picked up his third win in the men’s race, finishing in 3 hours 10 minutes 36 seconds. He also won last year and in 2012.
Saturday’s time was his fastest time at Feilding by nearly 9 minutes.
Laffan trailed Feilding Moa’s Scott Whitley throughout the first 25km, but was always in touch and finished stronger, with Whitley second in 3:13:28 and Nicholas Bagnall of Wellington in third place in 3:15:06.
The marathon walk was won by Napier’s Joff Hulbert in 4:48:45, beating last year’s winner David Cushing and David Jones (both of Manawatu Striders).
Denise Brunskill, also from Manawatu Striders, retained the women’s title, finishing in 5:28:50.
There were 326 entrants across the various events, up 20 per cent from last year.
The Trevor Ludeman Cup for three-person run teams was won by Feilding Moa, with Scott Whitley, Debra Arnold and Pat Stichbury in the winning team.
The Manawatu Striders team of Cushing, Jones and Brunskill won the Leahy Cup for walking teams.
The 21st Roy Lamberton half marathon was won by Edward Currie of Palmerston North in 1:21:04 from Dylan Welby (Levin) and Arne Patterson (Palmerston North).
Wilma Minnee of Palmerston North won the women’s race in 1:40:10 from Bridget Harris (Wanganui) and Joanne Shortall (Feilding).
The half marathon walks were won by Taranaki visitors, Alan Clarke in 2:18:26 and Sherryn Hardy 2:24:32.
The 10km run was a win to 15-year-old Palmerston North athlete Benjamin Wall in 37:20 from Angus Mckelvie 38:12.
Mckelvie shadowed Wall for the first 5-6km until the pace stepped up and Wall was able to extend a healthy lead.
Brenda Cuff (Palmerston North) won the women’s 10km in 48:04 from Sarah Davison and Hannah Colliver (Bulls).
The walks went to Manawatu Striders members Evan Davies in 1:07:55 and Darryl James 1:09:46.
The closet finish of the day came in the 5km race, where Jimmy Ellingham edged out Liam Wall (Palmerston North) by three seconds in 18:54. Reuben Duker of Longburn was third.
Bella Ives (Palmerston North) won the women’s race in 22:34. The 5km walk was won in good style by young Alex Willis in 38:18.