The 4km run or walk to the top of the 343m landmark has been hosted by the Palmerston Lions Club most years since 1971, bar the Covid-19 blip.
Keen short-distance runners from across Otago mingled with social runners and walkers from across East Otago who just for fun came to Kelly’s Canter.
Longtime Palmerston Lions member Noel Sheat said Constable Bert Kelly who famously ran to the top almost daily during World War 2 in just over 20minutes had inspired the event.
It had had always been "a community event" and for once it was "a perfect day".
"It’s dead calm at the top. One of the better days it’s been run."
Const Kelly, served Palmerston for more than three decades, and in the line of duty in war time ran up to look for any signs of enemy incursion out at sea.
He did it in the full heavy police uniform of the day, complete with boots, and at 1.9m tall, at his best he completed it in 21 minutes, grandson Grant Kelly who was standing by yesterday said.
Dunedin’s Liam Chesney, was the men’s winner yesterday at 20min 12sec.
He described it as "pretty brutal".
Just a few seconds behind, Ryan Carr of Kyeburn, said it was great to be able to come to the Palmerston "grassroots" event which was a tribute to its organisers.
Alice Cuthbert, of Dunedin, was the fastest woman with a time of 26min 43sec.
