Scott Winton leads the pack off the Fullers ferry at Orapiu. Photo Tony Ward.

“I think my time was one hour 37 minutes and 25 seconds – slower than last year when I completed the 25 kilometre run from Orapiu in one hour 34 minutes,” he says sipping a cold drink.

The day started out overcast as the Orapiu to Matiatia runners and walkers began at 8.30am but weather conditions had brightened up by the time they reached Onetangi.

“It gets quite hot along Onetangi Straight,” says Scott. 

But he says by that time he was around five minutes ahead of his closest competitor and was able to relax and enjoy the run.

“In the first few kilomentres of the race someone was next to me the whole way. I’d get a gap and he’d come back at me going down the hills. He had really long legs. 

“It put pressure on me early on but I managed to get away just before Onetangi around the time when there was a lot of support from spectators. It was really useful.”

Scott says he and island resident Gary Wilton were amused again this year by onlookers mistaking them for one another.

“Yes,” says Gary, “people were shouting, ‘Go on Gary,’ when Scott had just passed them in first place. Rumours of my skills and fortitude are much exaggerated. I finished the race from Orapiu in around two hours and seven minutes.”

The Orapiu to Matiatia run saw Stefan Wagner take second and Graeme Pearson third for the men with Melissa Norris coming first followed by Michelle Hopkins and Nicky Green in the women’s category.

The tradition of colourful water-stops continued this year. This one was spotted in Anzac Bay.

The Onetangi to Matiatia 12 kilometre run was won in their gender categories by Steve O’Neill and Alice Mason, with Kieron Coulter coming first in the Kennedy Point to Matiatia seven kilometre run and Courtney Martin coming second.

Race manager Ann Brown says Courtney even managed to beat the men home so was the first to finish that race overall.

Former Waiheke Community Board member and regular Wharf2Wharf entrant Eileen Evans took part in the Kennedy Point race as a walker even though she had originally decided not to participate this year.

“I changed my mind but it was tough going, particularly from Blackpool onwards when it got very hot.

“It was a very humid day and the only bit of the walk I really enjoyed was along The Esplanade between Surfdale and Blackpool. It was shady, there was a breeze and there were no cars. People were wilting in Mako Street.”

Eileen Evans enjoyed the walk along the Esplanade.

Winner of the Matiatia walking race was Denis Clarkin while other walkers Charmaine O’Shea won Orapiu to Matiatia, Ken Leitch won Orapiu to Onetangi and Peter Adams came first in the Onetangi to Matiatia walk.

The Onetangi to Matiatia team run event was won by the Winsborough Wind Rabbits, with the Thunderbirds team coming second. • Diana Worthy