Northpower Wild Kiwi returns to Whangārei Heads in 2023

The Northpower Wild Kiwi often features on the bucket list of trail runners. Photo / Tania Whyte

After a two year hiatus, the Northpower Wild Kiwi is back with the aim to make its return the biggest event yet.

Event manager Mark Fordham, from Total Sport, hopes to attract more than 1000 competitors to next year’s March 11 event in Whangārei Heads.

“The 2021 Northpower Wild Kiwi attracted 740 hardy competitors but with people starved of so many multi-sport events, we are receiving plenty of early enquiries so the quicker people register the better,” Fordham said.

“We want to encourage more Northlanders to get active and outdoors.”

A change to the 2023 event is the removal of the 3km team run from the multisport event to make it suitable for those who don’t have a runner.

Fordham said the Mild Kiwi is the perfect introduction to multisport and can be tackled in a team or individually. It includes a 5km sea kayak, an 18km mountain bike (MTB) ride and a 10km run.

“Let’s face it, the Whangārei Heads is iconic New Zealand – you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere in the world quite like it. The views go for days and the trails will knock your running socks off. I know as I have done it.”

The event traverses through the Bream Head Scenic Reserve - a breathtaking coastal headland 45km southeast of Whangarei which has been the scene of habitat restoration and ongoing conservation efforts since 2002.

Fordham said while the event offered some very achievable shorter distances, it included quite possibly the country’s toughest half marathon that ranked highly on the trail event bucket list for many.

The family-friendly event even has a kids’ dash so the little ones can take part too.

Andrea O’Brien, Northpower’s general manager of people and capability, was grateful to have access to the Bream Head Scenic Reserve as part of the course.

“We can’t wait to get back out there in March, have some fun and welcome visitors to our region. I challenge people to get out there with us and enjoy the amazing scenery while getting some exercise in,” she said.

Ms O’Brien was pleased to support the Bream Head Conservation Trust through the event sponsorship.

Due to the risk of the Kauri dieback disease, contestants are asked to ensure shoes, tyres and equipment are clean of dirt before beginning the race, Breamhead /Te Whara Conservation Trust chair Greg Innes said.