Norske-Skog Mountain Race

Morrissey dishes out Corporaal punishment in 2009

The redness all over Chris Morrissey's face was as much a royal flush as a sign of exertion as the Norske Skog Tasman Kawerau King of the Mountain returned to his throne on the 31st October 2009.

Morrissey (Papamoa) had allowed a six-year winning streak to be broken last year when he gave the annual race up Putauaki a miss.  In his absence Galatea's Sjors Corporaal had seized the crown and when the Kawerau race went to its 54th edition the scene was set for an epic showdown.

With brilliant weather and the field just two entrants short of its 140 competitor limit, the pair set about a cat and mouse chase to the 823m summit before plunging back to the finish line in a little over 49 minutes.  In the early part of the race, Corporaal showed he was not about to surrender without a fight, leading the field to the 600m drink station.  The pair were closely shadowed by 15-year-old Shay Williamson and another junior, Coast to Coast 2009 two day winner Sam Clark, both of Whakatane.

With Australian Neil Labinsky, the Pomona King of the Mountain Race record-holder also in touch along with super veteran Colin Earwaker, the climb over the next 200m to the summit still allowed for plenty of tactics.  As expected, Morrissey made his move up the final bit of the climb, attacking the field and hitting the summit first.  From there on it was throw caution to the wind, or lose. Morrissey chose the former, with Corporaal unable to close the 20 second gap and Williamson a further 20 seconds back.

And that was how it stayed to the finish line, with Morrissey crossing to a rousing applause.  Clark came through for fourth with Earwaker fifth. 

In the women's category, defending Queen of the Mountain Oksana Isavnina managed to hit the summit first, but the effects of recent injury saw her overtaken by fast finishing Australian Maree Stephenson who now holds titles both sides of the Tasman.  Whakatane's Karen Hanlen claimed second with Isavnina hanging on for third.

In other battles within the race, Wellington mountain running doyenne Barry Prosser won "The Old Boot" trophy awarded to super veteran competitors based on a two minutes per year of age handicap basis.

Earlier in the day, the Prince and Princess of the Mountain races to 270m above sea-level for runners up to age 13 saw Taumarunui's Zara Murrihy retain her title narrowly from Opotiki's Tori Robinson, while Whakatane's Denny Adamson claimed victory in his race from nine-year-old Kaya Corporaal - the Galatea farmer's son setting what was to be a family pattern for the day.