Thousands turn out for ‘wonderful’ Round the Bays fun run

More than 10,000 people turned out for the annual Brendan Foot Supersite Round the Bays fun run for what organisers are calling a “very successful” event.

After last year’s event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, crowds of thousands lined up at the start in Waitangi Park, where three different events began early on Sunday morning.

With a half-marathon, 10 km race and the 5.5 km fun run/walk, the event provided options for those of varying abilities.

Round The Bays chief executive Andrew Leslie said the event was “a celebration of physical activity”.

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“We’re absolutely rapt … Everyone seemed to be really enjoying it, the event ran smoothly, and it was just awesome to see so many people making it over the line in whatever fashion they did that.

“It was brilliant.”

The events came to an end at the Kilbirnie Park finish line before midday, where participants gathered for the place getters ceremony.

Amy Frankland​ took out first place in the women’s half-marathon with a time of 1:23:08, Nathan Tse won the men’s half-marathon with a time of 1:07:41and Niko Hlavac had the fastest time in the non-binary event with a time of 1:46:54.

Finishing first in the men’s 10 km event was Thomas Strawbridge with a time of 32:50.

Esther George grabbed first place in the women’s 10 km with a time of 36:36 and Ruby Bollinger took first place in the non-binary event with a time of 49:23.

With light winds, mild temperature and no rain, the weather was “perfect for the event”, Leslie said.

Along with ideal weather, the high level of participation represented a “very successful” event, he said.

“It was wonderful to see that level of mass participation, fun and enjoyment and achievement.

“People achieving their own goals … there were some really fast runners and then there were people that getting to the finish was an enormous achievement and everyone seemed so stoked to get there.”

With the event’s usual starting point of Frank Kitts Park closed off by construction, this year’s event kicked off at Waitangi Park which “worked really well from an event perspective”.

The fifth year of the ‘Run and Become’ programme, supported by the Medical Assurance Society, saw a group of 480 students selected from Wellington schools and granted free entry to the event.

Leslie said the programme supported the event’s goal of increasing the impact the event had on promoting the importance of physical activity.

“It aims to remove barriers such as registration, transport costs to the event and encourages Whānau engagement.”

The event supported a range of charities including principal charity the Cancer Society, along with affiliated charities Rainbow Wellington, the Mental Health Foundation and Zealandia.