Big turnout for women's adventure race (+pics)

Competitors tackle the 2016 Spirited Women's Adventure Race in Rotorua on Saturday. Photo/Johny Cook

Organisers are hoping to attract about 1000 entries for the Spirited Women's Adventure Race next year following a big turnout for the inaugural event in Rotorua.

The first edition of the Spirited Women's Adventure Race was held on Saturday in Rotorua with 116 teams and 464 competitors taking part.

There were three distances on offer - long, medium and short - and the teams of four competed in testing conditions at times, as rain poured down during the late afternoon.

The teams ran, stand-up paddle boarded, kayaked, trekked, mountain biked and rogained. They also had to complete mystery challenges during the race including a tree walk, shooting and rock climbing.

Event director Neil Gellatly, and his wife Katrine Gellatly, of Dare2Sweat Events, came up with the concept. Neil said it was the biggest women's adventure race to have run in the North Island that he knew of.

"As well as being the biggest of its kind in the North Island, our event is also the largest stand-up paddle board event in New Zealand, even bigger than the stand-up paddle board nationals. We hired 192 stand-up paddle boards for the race," he said. "I've had incredibly positive feedback."

He said he wanted to hold the race in Taupo next year.

"We are looking at keeping it close to home for the first few years to increase numbers. Having it smack bang in the middle of the North Island is perfect as it helps us pull entrants from all around and also makes it logistically easier for us to organise," he said.

"We sort of have this target of 1200 women [for next year], but if we could get 900 next year and then sell out from the following year then we would be thrilled."

One of the teams that took part at the weekend, The Flocking Flamingos, included a team full of breast cancer survivors. They said they really enjoyed the day and had managed to raise $500 for PincandSteel.

The 116 teams raced through some of the best scenery Rotorua has to offer including Lake Okareka, Tikitapu (Blue Lake), the Whakarewarewa Forest and the Government Gardens.

The finish line was located at the Brew Craft Beer Bar on Eat Streat where four wine glasses and a bottle of bubbles awaited each team.

The length of each course (long, medium and short) differed for each team as there was check points throughout the race but teams chose whatever route they wished.

- Results:
Long course: 1st Nippy Pipi's 7h 36m 35s, 2nd Team Expedio GOT 8h 15m 26s, 3rd Team Shocker Girls 8h 34m 27s.
Medium course: 1st James Kuegler Coaching 6h 27m 13s, 2nd Twisted Camels 6h 27m 43s, 3rd We can do this! 7h 22m 05s.
Short course: 1st Moas 4h 25m 03s, 2nd Are we there yet? 4h 33m 52s, 3rd Patrique 4h 42m 14s.