Fun-runners defy wet

THERE were good reasons for about 400 participants in last Sunday's Northern Star Ballina Fun-Run-Walk to run fast and walk briskly - it was cold and wet.

Co-organiser, Ballina Lion John Grant, said the weather meant numbers were down on the 600 who took part last year - particularly among the social runners and walkers.

But while competitor numbers were down, Mr Grant said the money raised for Biala Special School in Ballina was up on previous years, with the final figure expected to be around $7000.

Mr Grant said many people chose to enter, and donate money, but not take part in the event itself.

The more serious runners didn't let the weather stop them from taking part.

Darryl Hill, from Murwillumbah, and Amanda Watson, from Ballina, were the winners of the men's and women's open 10km events.

Both used the fun run as a warm-up to the Gold Coast Marathon in July.

While Darryl said he "didn't like" the rain, "everyone's in it, so it didn't matter."

Amanda earlier this year won the inaugural Alstonville-Wollongbar fun run. The mum-of-two said she enjoyed the Ballina run.

And in the theme of fun, there were plenty of parents taking part with their children, including Jane Eliott and her daughter Nadia Eliott-Burgess, Graham Walker and his sons Lachlan and Hamish, and Sonya Acret and her daughter Lily Acret.

Other winners were: Adam Horder and Jessica Fleming in the 5km run; Michael Barnes and Ainslie Bakker in the under-17s 5km run; Hunter Morgan and Gabby Stanek in the under-12s 5km division; and Michael Douglas and Pauline Butler in the over-50s.