Shynade Mellish has won the women’s full marathon at Wharf to Wharf in 4hr 19min 38sec, completing her first-ever marathon on her first visit to Aotea.
Mellish and her supporter Amy travelled from Whakatāne for the event, with Mellish saying she came primarily to have fun and enjoy the experience.
“First off, it was amazing. Second half was hot.”
Despite the tough second half, Mellish said winning the women’s race was a particularly exciting result.
“Very excited. I just wanted to have fun and enjoy it. And then, yeah.”
The course proved challenging, particularly after runners had tackled the steep first half of the island crossing.
“Yeah, I think I always go too fast at the start,” Mellish said. “So the first half, I was just, like, having fun. And I got to the second half, and I was like, ‘Ooh, first half, too fast.’”
Mellish works in outdoor education and leads the outdoor pursuits centre at St Cuthbert’s College, but said running had only become a bigger part of her life this year.
“Yeah, I work in the outdoors, but I’ve just kind of taken up running this year a little bit, so…”
The Wharf to Wharf was also her first visit to Aotea.
“No. No, we came up from Whakatāne.”
She said she was impressed by how the event was organised and the support provided to competitors, particularly as an off-island entrant.
“Oh, I loved it. It was fun. It was so, like, well organised. Communication was good. They were so helpful.”
“They brought our bags out to us, you know, accommodation and stuff.”
The atmosphere along the course was another highlight, with volunteers and locals encouraging runners through the island’s hills and roads.
“And it was fun running, like, marshalls encouraging people along the way, it was nice.”
That support was evident throughout the course, with locals providing food, drinks and encouragement at different points. At the top of Medlands Hill, supporters dressed as bumble bees and bananas cheered runners on, while party girls and Halloween decorations greeted competitors at the bottom of Tryphena Hill.
Mellish was one of around 180 competitors taking part across the Wharf to Wharf events, which included the full and half marathons along with shorter events. The full marathon runs approximately 42.2km from Port FitzRoy Wharf to Tryphena Wharf, with the first half on trail and the second half on the road.
Earlier, local runner Elliot Forrest won the half marathon in 1hr 46min, despite having dislocated his shoulder seven weeks before the race. Aucklander Nathan Miller finished second in the half after being persuaded to enter by his friend O’Connor.
O’Connor then went on to win the full marathon, completing the course in 3hr 58min.
The connection between the two races was a fitting one, with O’Connor having joked that he and Miller had made the decision to enter after “a few rums one night”. Miller subsequently finished second in the half, while O’Connor took the overall marathon win.
The Wharf to Wharf is known as “New Zealand’s friendliest marathon” and is organised by Kaitoke School and a team of local volunteers. The event began in 2006 as a fundraiser for the school and remains a major fundraiser, with every entry helping support educational opportunities for local students.
The event returned this year after a six-year Covid-related pause, bringing runners and supporters back to Aotea for the 20th anniversary. The course, community support and aid stations stocked with home baking are central to the event’s reputation.
There was just one medical callout during the event, after a woman collapsed within the final 5km. She was treated for dehydration by the volunteer ambulance team before being transferred to Aotea Health.
For Mellish, her first trip to Aotea ended with a win in the women’s marathon and a positive first impression of the island.
“I just wanted to have fun and enjoy it.”
