Lake City team fall off pace in relay | Rotorua Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Rotorua

The legs of Steven O'Callaghan weren't enough to carry Lake City Athletics Club to victory - no matter how fast the marathoner could run, it was up to four others to keep the lead he had made.

O'Callaghan ran the opening leg for the club's senior men's team in Saturday's event, which attracted some 91 teams from across the North Island.

His 15 minutes and 16 seconds effort was a last blow-out before this weekend's Legend Marathon in the Waitakere Ranges and gifted the senior men the lead. Second runner Sjors Corporaal held on to that and going into the third leg, when John Paul College student Liam Walsh took over, they were still in the hunt.

But Hamilton City Hawks snuck in front. Club captain and fourth runner Jason Steyn-Ross maintained the second place, but last-minute replacement Peter Quax lost ground and Tauranga Ramblers' Ben Ruthe edged into second.

Lake City finished third, dropping down one spot from last year.

"It's probably a fair reflection of where we're at," Steyn-Ross, 24, said.

"The guy who would have been running last pulled out injured so Peter Quax had to step in at the last minute.

"It's going to be interesting next month when the national road relays are on in Inglewood. We should have a good battle with the Hawks."

He said O'Callaghan had been "doing his Kenyan sessions because of the marathon" and was in great shape for the Redwoods event.

The Lake City masters men's team finished second for a consecutive year.

Team captain Chris Corney said it was because "I am the fattest and slowest in the team - that's what happens when you don't run".

But his individual time of just over 18 minutes was still enough to keep them within sight of the senior team.

"We got second and that's what we expected," Corney said.

"For the first time I was the slowest."

The masters team consisted of Trevor Ogilvie, Tony Broadhead, Duncan Smith, Bruce Edwards and Corney. Lake City's Pam Kenny and event director, said there were a great number of clubs from across the country, including a team from the Kapiti Harriers and Multisport Club.

"It was great to see a lot of clubs coming along," she said.

"It's such a family-oriented event - the kids can run in the younger grades while mum and dad are in the senior grade."