35th Blue Lake Multisport Festival has options for all

Athletes race into the water at the start of the Blue Lake Multisport Festival sprint triathlon. Photo / File

The popular Blue Lake Multisport Festival returns to Tikitapu this weekend with plenty of racing options.

Hosted by local triathlon club Rotorua Association of Triathlon and Multisport (RATS), this Auckland Anniversary weekend marks the 35th edition of the event.

Held over two days, there are six different events which will cover everything from a 5km fun run/walk to open water swimming - including the iconic across the lake 2km Hinemoa (non-wetsuit) swim.

There is also a Taster Triathlon and the more competitive athletes can take on the Sprint Triathlon.

The popular Kids' Tri also returns for another year and places are filling up fast. Age is no limit for the events, to date there are a 74-year-old and an 82-year-old entered in the Sprint Triathlon, at the other end of the scale the youngest participant in the Kids' Tri is 4-year-old RATS member Warren Muggeridge.

New Zealand triathletes Tayler Reid (left) and Ainsley Thorpe have won back-to-back King and Queen of the Lake titles at the Blue Lake Multisport Festival. Photos / File

Previous years have seen some high profile names take part in the event.

This year the Blue Lake Multisport Festival is hosting the Tri New Zealand Junior Series as part of the Sprint Triathlon and Tikitapu Taster Tri. There will be many up-and-coming juniors in the triathlon field to look out for.

Some notable participants include Saxon Morgan, Brea Roderick, Sophie Spences, Dylan McCullough, Rebecca Spence, Eva Goodison and Sophie Corbidge.

RATS president Shirley Day said she was excited at the growing interest in this event, in particular the number of first timers who are using the Tikitapu Taster Tri as their first ever triathlon.