An estimated turnout of 30 participated in this year's Tane Tryathlon in Kaitaia, an annual event designed to get local men more active and raise awareness of reducing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
As usual, there were three separate events, the shortest being the Pohutukawa course: a 300m swim in thetown pool, a 9km cycle ride (3 laps starting at the pool, riding along Puckey Ave back up the hill towards Redan Road, around the college and back to the pool), and a 3km walk/ run; the medium distance Totara course: 300m swim, 15km bike ride and 6km walk run; and the longest-distance Kauri route: 300m swim, 21km bike and 12km walk run.
As usual, results and times were less important than helping everyone who had entered to complete their respective distances.
The event went ahead in cooling drizzly/rainy weather as the Far North drought broke and provided perfect conditions for the triathletes, although some organisers put the downturn in entries compared with last year down to both the overcast weather and the day-long power cut which affected Kaitaia and surrounding districts on Sunday.
