CurraNZ athletes go long at the Riverhead Backyard Ultra

CurraNZ was once again a proud sponsor of the Riverhead Backyard Ultra event held in Helensville.

Mild weather with a few showers didn't adversely compromise the course and saw plenty of runners post new PBs. This was the first time there were no finishers on lap 1 or 2 or 3, and the first time all runners completed the 6.7km loop track without anyone pulling out.

Numerous runners were packing purple in their quest to achieve their longest run and two CurraNZ athletes in particular stood out for their best backyard campaigns.

Brooke Thomas, (above) from Queenstown, tapped out with a new personal best of 38 laps (beating her previous best 37, achieved at the Arrowtown Backyard Ultra), landing 4th on the ladder with 254.98km. 

Brooke holds the distinction of being the fastest woman to run the length of NZ (57 days, on trails) and set the new Backyard Women's record at Pigs. A fantastic result for the ultra runner who is gunning to make the NZ Team. 

Anthony Kerr-Taylor (eighth in the Miler at Tarawera) was just behind Brooke with 37 laps, making it his best backyard effort by 80.4km. You can see Anthony, pictured above, taking a quick nap and dreaming of making it to lap 50.The eventual winner,

Stuart Lynch from Auckland, managed 43 laps / 288.53km to claim the first and only place in the backyard format, where everyone else is considered a 'DNF'.

Caleb Pearson from Orewa was the runner who was credited with the 'assist'.

It was another successful Backyard Ultra held by Shaun Collins & the Lactic Turkey team, this time live-streamed throughout its entirety, a first for the event and one of the few in New Zealand offering this service.