Iron kids beat cool conditions

The cold temperature wasn't enough to deter the 100 young Ironmaori athletes competing in the 7 to 9 years section (100m swim, 1km walk/run) and the 10 to 12-year-olds section (200m swim, 3km walk/run) of the tamariki event which started at 9am.

The water wasn't much more inviting for the 50 athletes in the 13 to 17 years rangatahi section who were challenged by a 500m swim along the shoreline, a 15km cycle and a 3km run starting at 11.30am.

A large number of families came along to support the youngsters, some of them will be involved in the open Ironmaori race today, which is a 2km swim, a 90km cycle and a 21.1km run.

Among them was Mathew Paikea and his family, formerly from Hastings now living in Brisbane. They had been training for the past six months in Australia for the Ironmaori event, with daughter Waimania, 7, and son Matiu, 6, competing in the tamariki event while mum and dad are competing in Ironmaori today.

Mr Paikea and his mother-in-law, Hiria Dewes, completed the Ironmaori in 2009, and Mr Paikea also finished the 2010 event with his wife Jonelle who competed in the team section also last year.

"This year we are competing as individuals," Mr Paikea said.

He thought the addition of a tamariki and rangatahi section was a good way to encourage more families into Ironmaori.

"It's great because the kids can see us training and they want to be a part of it and it's a way we can get them involved," Mr Paikea said.

"We've been training for about 20 weeks.

"We take the kids down swimming with us at the pool and then they come out for a run."

Results

Tamariki section: Tirau Wihongi, 12, from Napier (winner 10-12); Keilym Pari, 9, Wanganui (winner 7-9); Hamuera Scott, 13, from Wairoa, and Marie Hoepo-Scott, 11, Napier (a team winner); Ashleigh Poi, 9, Otane and Willow Kahi, 9, Otane (a team winner) and Keanu Douglas, 10, Wellington (best effort winner).

Rangatahi section: Chester Vella, 18, Teturanga Reweti, 16 and Pokere Paewai, 16, a winning team from Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Tamaki Nui A Rua, Dannevirke; Savan Te Au, 16, Pakipaki (male winner) and Te Miringa O'Sullivan, 15, Kaitaia (female winner).SUCCESS: Nine-year-olds swimmer Willow Kahi, and runner Ashleigh Poi, both of Otane, were team winners in the inaugural Ironmaori tamariki. HBT114508-12The weather was warm but the water wasn't, warned the young competitors who braved the Pandora Pond as part of the inaugural Ironmaori tamariki and rangatahi multisport event in Napier yesterday.