Inspiring stories as a result of Mountain Run.
Ethan Helliwell leads the Mountain Run competitors over Goat Pass - Credit Marathon Photos
Stories of success and inspiration were a common theme amongst the 56 finishers of the Kathmandu Coast to Coast Mountain Run.
With the Covid 19 Red Traffic light setting forcing the event organisers to switch the date of the Mountain Run to coincide with the famous Longest Day, competitors were treated to the rare experience of sharing the course with the elite athletes. The Mountain Run competitors headed out at 7am from Aickens Corner ahead of the arrival of the Longest Day Competitors. “It was nuts, Braden Currie (World Multisport Champion 2022) passed me at the turn off to go up to Goat Pass Hutt and within about 300 metres he’d made 50 metres on me,” said Mountain Run winner Ethan Helliwell.
“I just kept thinking that he’s got to go on and then get on a bike and the kayak and I was pretty buggered at that point just doing the Mountain Run, but I’d definitely like to give the Longest Day a crack at some point, for sure.”
Helliwell covered the 30.5-kilometre course over Goat Pass in 3 hours 34 minutes 42, Glenmark’s Ben O’Carroll, who was competing in his first ever running event, came home in 3:50:01 to claim second with Robert Loveridge third in 3 hours 56 flat, which also saw him take out the men’s Classic division (50-59 years).
O’Carroll recently ran 111 km from Cheviot Hotel to Christchurch in a bid to raise awareness for men’s mental health and suicide prevention.
With excessive weather fronts pounding the Main Divide in the lead up, many, like Helliwell were holding their breath for the course to be changed to the Plan B course over the Otira Viaduct but were pleasantly surprised when the call was made to run the original course. “It was pretty good, I think we struck it pretty lucky with the river depths, it was a major change from the practice run that we did at Christmas, so conditions wise, it was awesome.”
“I thought it was going to be high, but it wasn’t bad, I wouldn’t complain at all, there was still some fast-moving stuff which made it awesome.”
Rachel Rule stopped the clock in 4:36:52 to win the women’s Mountain Run title and finish 9th overall, while 14-year-old Northland school girl Jodie Wellwood continued the inspirational theme, impressing with a 4:51:41 to finish second and take out the school’s category. Anna Gregan took out the 3rd spot on the podium with a time of 4:55:30.
Further results can be found here.
https://www.coasttocoast.co.nz/2022-results
Image: Jodie Wellwood - Credit Marathon Photos
