Registrations open for Hawke's Bay Today Country2Coast event

Last year's Country2Coast event. Photo / File

People wanting to help keep one of Hastings' most important life-saving services going have been urged to put in their entries for the Hawke's Bay Today Country2Coast event.

The Hawke's Bay Today Country2Coast is a non-competitive family fun event that utilises the Hawke's Bay Trails between three start points and Farndon Park in Clive. Participants can enter for a 3km, 8km or 17km walk or run.

This year's Country2Coast will be on Sunday, April 29.

Event director Kevin Longman said the 3km walk/run event would start from Waitangi Reserve and finish at Farndon Park, while the 8km walk/run would start from Grange Rd in Haumoana and end at Farndon Park.

The 17km event would start from Riverlands carpark in Havelock North, before meeting up with the 8km course at Black Bridge.

Mr Longman said the event would have staggered start times, with the 17km walk beginning at 8.30am, and the 17km run and the 8km walk/run starting at 9.30am. The 17km walk would start at 10am.

The event is now in its ninth year, and will raise money for the Waimarama Surf Life-saving Club.

"It started primarily to make use of the Hawke's Bay Trails and to encourage people to start using the pathways and encouraging those people who are not particularly athletic to have some social contact and exercise.

"The primary purpose of this kind of event is to raise funds for the community."

Early-bird online registrations end on March 31, but people can still registered up until the Saturday before the event.

Early-bird adult entries are $25, or $30 after. Children's early bird entries cost $15 and then $20 after, with children under 5 free.

Group Discount are also available for those registering 10 people or more for a 10% discount online.

Bus transport between Farndon Park and each start location can be booked at the time of registration. Car parking will be available at Farndon Park and bus transport is recommended.

The cost of bus transport is $3 per person. Dogs and pushchairs will be allowed on buses at no additional cost. No car parking security will be provided at the start locations. Bus bookings will close on Thursday, April 26.

Buses will begin transporting entrants to each of the three start points one hour before the start time for each event.