An endurance event regarded as the most prestigious surf lifesaving event of its type in the country is how the Mount Monster race is billed. It is being held at Mount Maunganui on Saturday. Photo / Supplied
An endurance event regarded as the most prestigious surf lifesaving event of its type in the country is how the Mount Monster race is billed. It is being held at Mount Maunganui on Saturday. Photo / Supplied
The final countdown is on for the start of the Mount Monster, an endurance race regarded as the most prestigious surf lifesaving event of its type in the country.
It’s held each year at Mount Maunganui and this year there will be several Gisborne surf athletes in the field.
Theevent runs on Saturday as part of the International Surf Rescue Challenge (ISRC) carnival programme.
“A blood-rushing Le Mans start on to a 10km ski paddle, 5km of soft sand running, a heart-pounding 1.5km ocean swim [including the 6m leap of faith at the blowhole on Moturiki Island] and a 5km board paddle” is how organisers describe it.
The field is full for the running of the annual Mount Monster race in Mt Maunganui on Saturday. Photo / Supplied
“This isn’t just a race, it’s a test of grit, endurance and pure spirit.”
The gruelling Mount Monster includes a leap of faith off the Moturiki Island blowhole as part of the 1.5km ocean leg. Photo / Jame Troughton-Dscribe Media Services
This year, Emily Gillies and Matt Cairns, of the Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae club, are competing as a mixed team.
The Dawson Building Midway club will have Yahni Brown in action in the Under-19 men’s division. He has trained on the Sunshine Coast in Australia over winter and Midway head coach Jack Gavin expects him to go well.
Tyron Evans, Sam Newlands and Max Phillips (Midway) will compete as a three-man team.
In last year’s Monster, Jack Keepa, originally from Gisborne but competing for Bay of Plenty club Omanu, was second in the open men’s division in 2hr 11min, 4min behind winner Jayden Murphy of Mount Maunganui.
Midway’s Jacqueline Kennedy and Alice Sparks were third in the U19 female teams’ section.
Kennedy is in the Mount as part of the Junior Black Fins squad competing in the ISRC carnival, while Keepa is in the New Zealand Pathway team also involved in the ISRC.
That 11-nation carnival started today and also features race days on Friday and Sunday.
