Titirangi Mt Everest Challenge reaches halfway mark with over 1250 participants

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

The 11th Titirangi Mt Everest Challenge has just passed the halfway point of the seven-week event.

The challenge to climb Titirangi maunga 68 times — the equivalent height of Mt Everest — gets the Tairāwhiti community and beyond buzzing.

More than 1250 participants, including 126 teams, have registered, making the local landmark the place to be.

Challenge creators Sean and Fiona Shivnan wanted to improve overall wellbeing in the community through physical activity, and to raise awareness of how important being active is to reduce the risk of medical conditions such as bowel cancer.

This year the Titirangi Mt Everest Challenge is raising awareness of bowel cancer whanau journeys through the Gisborne East Coast Cancer Society.  The challenge is free, but people are asked to donate, if they can, to the charity.  An online donation link can be found at www.sportgisborne.org.nz/titirangi-mt-everest-challenge.

“This is now an iconic event on the local calendar that really brings people together,” said Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti community events adviser Debbie Hutchings.

“The wairua and the camaraderie formed during the challenge is hard to describe. The stories you hear about people’s journeys and the achievements are quite incredible.  After 11 years we still have first-time participants who have lived in Tairāwhiti their whole lives and never walked up Titirangi.  They not only do this for the first time but some have gone far more than the 68 times.

“Every person has a different reason for being part of the challenge. No matter if they complete one climb or 160 climbs, we cheer on these achievements and encourage people to enjoy the journey.”

Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti will be running activities throughout Aotearoa Play Week (November 6-12) which will incorporate the Titirangi Mt Everest Challenge, with the aim of encouraging tamariki to get active on the maunga. The theme of the week is “play is everywhere”.

The event has the continued support of the Gisborne District Council, Ngati Oneone, Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti, ProTraffic and Sean Shivnan Pharmacy.  It finishes on Sunday 19 November,  so plenty of time to register and get involved.