The word’s out

Taking on the challenge: Matakaoa team members (from left) Caron Taana, Lisa Rudland, race support Shaun Aupouri (on quad) and Campbell Dewes pause on their way down Hikurangi to look at neighbouring Aorangi during last year's Maunga to Moana. More than 100 people have registered for this year's adventure. Picture supplied

MULTISPORT

WORD has got around about the Maunga to Moana multisport adventure race.

Registrations for the March 7 event on the East Coast close today but they already exceed 100.

Last year's event was the first time it had been open to the public and it attracted 19 entries.

Event founder and organiser Keelan Poi said feedback was positive about last year's event and they had done promotional work off the back of its success, but the message was also getting around through word of mouth.

Individuals were keen to take up the challenge to get to the top of Mount Hikurangi within an hour, he said.

If they do, they will join the elite Maui Club.

No one has managed it yet but a few athletes have signalled they're keen to break that barrier.

The course features a 20-kilometre tramp, hike or run up and down Mount Hikurangi, a 25-kilometre bicycle stage past Ruatoria and a 7km river run or sprint to the finish at Tuparoa Beach.

A novel feature of the event is the inclusion of mystery tasks for the competitors.

They can compete solo or in teams of three or five.

It is a whanau-based event, the course is achievable for first-timers and most people will come from outside Tairawhiti to compete.

Poi said about 40 percent of registrations were from Gisborne or the East Coast region.

He developed the idea four years ago when he was in the army at Linton in Manawatu.

He ran it three times as a resilience, team-building and leadership exercise.

Poi, a former Ngati Porou East Coast rugby player, said last year that the concept was too good to keep a secret.

He was keen to bring the event to East Coast people.