Athletics: Corporaal takes surprise Goat win

Defending champion Sjors Corporaal fought off a strong challenge from Ben Ruthe to win today's 21km the The Goat alpine adventure run.

The Goat races through sub-alpine tussock and snow-fed streams in National Park, from the Whakapapa to Turoa ski-fields.

Today's race was the third event in the North Island Triple Crown series, and both men's and women's divisions had shock winners.

Corporaal's win over series leader Ruthe and teenage star Daniel Jones came on the back of some unorthodox training consisting mainly of a run every week and lots of pig-hunting.

Rotorua's Annika Smail, better known for her exploits on a mountainbike where she is the current national single-speed champion, edged past former champion Oksana Isavnina in the last kilometre to claim the women's title.

Recently retired Olympic champion Caroline Evers-Swindell finished the event in a shade over four hours. Her partner and fellow Olympian Carl Meyer finished in 19th place as he trains for the gruelling Coast to Coast next year.