Sjors Corporaal and Ruby Muir were crowned King and Queen of the mountain after the annual race to the top of Mauao on Sunday afternoon.

The senior category of the Vitasport King and Queen of the Mount Race got underway at 2pm.

Sjors, a member of Lake City Athletic Club in Rotorua, crossed the finish line first with a time of 18 minutes, 46 seconds.


Sjors Corporaal and Ruby Muir heading towards the finish line.

Participants started at Mount Main Beach and ran up Mauao's southern track, coming down the northern side and then running back to the start point.

Event organiser Malcolm Taylor says Sjors came within a second of breaking the record for the race, which has been held almost every year since 1946.

Ruby became the first female over the line with a time of 22 minutes and 38 seconds.

Malcolm says 161 runners competed in the event – the largest number of entries ever received.

The junior category of the race attracted 40 youths under 15 but they only ran to Mauao's bush line and back.

About 32 people participated in the Family Fun Run/ Walk category.

Click here to view more photos from the event