Real forest relay race centres on runners-up | Rotorua Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Rotorua

Rotorua's Redwood Forest provides a magnificent backdrop for many occasions.

On Saturday, during the 29th annual Red Stag Redwood Forest Relay, it was the scene of a couple of powerful dress rehearsals as both Tauranga Ramblers and Lack City Athletic Club tuned up for the New Zealand Road Relay Championships.

Both clubs have their eyes on the national championships in Timaru in three weeks.

Ramblers finished third in the men's open national race 12 months ago and their form on Saturday suggests they will be in the mix once again when the country's best athletes put on their club colours.

Ramblers' No 1 combination of Ben Ruthe, Ian and Kyle MacDonald and Mark McKeown ran to a comfortable win, with a couple of athletes in their No 2 side also enhancing their selection cases.

"Everything is falling into place; now we've got to take it to Timaru," said Ruthe, who led from the front during an impressive winning effort of 1hour 18minutes 29seconds by their top combination. They led from start to finish and the real racing was for the minor places behind them with Hamilton Hawks' two teams following in the open grade.

Ramblers' overall time was outside their record setting mark of last year (1.17.02), but pretty good considering Ruthe ran the first two legs and it was McKeown's first competitive run for eight weeks after overcoming a tendon injury.

Consistency was their trademark with Ruthe, recording the fastest lap for the second successive year with 15.13, and the MacDonald brothers separated by only a few footsteps for the quickest 5km loop.

McKeown glided home at about a 90 per cent effort with a 16.19 lap which saw Ramblers finish nearly five-and-a-half minutes in front of the Hawks' No 1 side.

The hosting Lake City Club Masters men's combination picked up their fourth consecutive grade win in the event and look a strong chance to defend their national title.

They were on track from the first leg, run by Ross McIntyre in a masters record time of 16.04.

McIntyre's new mark, bettering that of club mate Colin Earwaker, opened the way for Duncan Smith, Chris Corney, Brent Mason and Dave Cronshaw to finish the job in a combined time of 1.27.21.

Lakes masters men also won their internal club battle, edging the senior men and winning bragging rights and some well deserved beers from their clubmates for their effort.

The women's open race was taken by Hamilton Hawks, with Lake City second and New Plymouth's Egmont combination in third.

A lap record also fell in the youth female section where Egmonts Danielle Trevis (Egmont Athletics) completed the 3.2km lap in 12.04minutes

* Results Red Stag Redwoods Forest Relay

Senior Men (5 x 5000 metres): Tauranga Ramblers 1.18.29 (Ben Ruthe 16.01, Ben Ruthe 15.13, Ian Macdonald 15.21, Kyle MacDonald 15.35, Mark McKeown 16.19), Hamilton City Hawks No 1 1.24.08 (Glenn Sexton 16.19, Stefan Fairweather 16.54, Paul Whiteside 17.20, Simon Yarrow 17.09, Cory Hinde 16.26), Hamilton City Hawks No 2 1.26.52 (Tom Hall 16.14, Mohamid Ali 17.57, Jordan Hicks 18.49, Cory Whiting 17.51, Ciaran Fitzgerald 16.01). Fastest Lap Ben Ruthe (Tauranga Ramblers) 15.13

Senior Women (5 x 5000 metres): Hamilton City Hawks 1.43.25 (Emily Gear 19.35, Andrea Thomas 19.36 Briar Sefo 23.15, Dawn Tuffery 21.32, Olivia Ritchie 19.27), Lake City- Rotorua 1.51.44 (Johanna Ottosson 20.01, Kerryn Barker 22.27, Sian Bremner 22.26, Luanna George 25.03, Kelly Edge 21.47), Egmont Athletics 1.54.39 (Karen Gillum Green 21.16, Marcia Green 22.43, Vicky Adams 23.13, Raewynne Niwa 23.38, Sarah Mischhefski 23.49) Fastest Lap Olivia Ritchie (Hamilton City Hawks) 19.27

Masters men (5 X 5000 metres): Lake City Rotorua No 1 1.27.21 (Ross McIntyre 16.04, Duncan Smith 18.18, Chris Corney 17.04, Brent Mason 18.19, Dave Cronshaw 17.36), Hamilton City Hawks 1.32.39 (John Crane 17.08, Nick Freke 19.45, Gary Wilson 18.14, Paul Ritchie 18.31, Mark Colls 19.01), Tauranga Ramblers No 1 1.39.26 (Gavin Smith 18.47, Stu Smith 19.11, Wayne Smith 19.04, Mike Powell 20.58, Tim Masters 21.26) Fastest Lap Ross McIntyre (Lake City Rotorua) 16.04 (Record)

Masters Women (5 x 5000 metres): Hamilton City Hawks No 1 1.39.56 (Annie Bradley 20.18, Helen Hall 20.15, Bridget Ray 19.06, Dot Larsen 20.36, Marion Millward 19.41), Lake City Rotorua - 1.55.50 (Louisa Hendrikse 21.08, Margaret Morris 23.06, Lynley Martin 26.06, Lynne Ogilvie 23.13, Lynne Peirse 22.17), Papakura 1.59.04 (Sandra Caddy 24.10, Sandra Caddy 24.40, Angela Ward 24.40, Angela Ward 23.37, Niki Arnold 22.07) Fastest Lap Bridget Ray (Hamilton City Hawks) 19.06

Corporate / Composites (5 x 5000 metres): Kawerau Harriers 1.39.46 (Hamiora Awhimate 19,13, David Hannan 18.35, Anaaru Awhimate 20.31, Deanne Hannan 21.11, Meagan Mount ford 20,16), Taupo Harriers 1.40.52 (Donald Steedman 18.45, Ella Dick 21.15, Brittaney Dick 22.00, Bevin McKenzie 20.12, Steve Sherburn 18.40), Hamilton City Hawks 1.43.27 (Cairan Fitzgerald 19.45, David Sutcliffe 17.30, Steve Spackman 21.28, John Tylden 24.17, Tracey Greenwood 20.27).

Male Youth (4 x 3200 metres): Energy City 46.10 (Nathan Coombes 10.50, Tyler Griffin 11.49, Jason Holden 11.49, Cameron Holden 11.42), Whakatane 46.20 (Michael Eggleton 11.30, Shaw Williamson 11.36, Bradley Jones 12.24, Daniel Jones 10.50), Napier Harries 48.55 (Charlie Chittenden 13.03, Eric Speakman 10.23, Toa Elphick-Iaveta 12.53, Brendan Speakman 12.36) Fastest Lap Eric Speakman (Napier Harriers) 10.23.

Female Youth (4 x 3200 metres): Napier Harriers - 52.41 (Laura Nagel 12.09, Holly Edmonds 13.40, Jessica Middleton 13.12, Annie Creagh 13.40), Tauranga Girls College 53.23 (Lydia ODonnell 12.55, Larissa Park 13.49, Julia Campbell 13.45, Brittany Walker 12.54), New Plymouth Girls High 54.31 (Kate Baxter 13.52, Kendell Davison 13.30, Emily Roughan 14.09, Courtney Davison 13.00) Fastest Lap Danielle Trevis (Egmont Athletics) 12.04 (Record).

Walkers (2x 5000m): Hamilton City Hawks -1.00.02 (Allanah Gore 31.12, Kelly Mabbet 28.50), Egmont Athletics (Rodney Gillum 26.13, Alan Jones 34.22), Napier Harriers (Aleesha Heywood 30.32, Sheila Smidt 33.40). Fastest Lap Rodney Gillum (Egmont Athletics) 26.13.