The start of the 10km race at the Ultimate Athlete event. Photo / justinaitken.com
The start of the 10km race at the Ultimate Athlete event. Photo / justinaitken.com
A Rotorua builder and marathon champion signed up to the Ultimate Athlete last week. On Saturday, he won it.
Michael Voss, 24, was crowned Ultimate Beast at the first Ultimate Athlete event, an obstacle course race held on Mount Maunganui's Main Beach over Friday and Saturday.
He was among 1200competitors from all walks of life and from all over the country.
The obstacle course included monkey bars, see-saws, cargo nets, tyre runs, and inverted walls.
Schools competed on Friday and the big races followed on Saturday: Ultimate Beast, a 10km course with 25 obstacles; Ultimate Challenge, a 6km course with 20 obstacles; and Ultimate Teams, which could enter either distance.
The event was also used to raise money and awareness for mental health. The total raised is still to be counted.
Voss told the Bay of Plenty Times one of his mates asked him last week if he had heard of the event, and he decided to sign up despite not having trained for it.
"It sounded like fun and I wasn't doing anything this weekend."
To celebrate the win, he enjoyed an eggs benedict in the Mount before heading back to Rotorua.
"I'll definitely do it again, it was a lot of fun," he said.
Mount Maunganui woman Amelia Grafas wanted to do the course to see what she was capable of.
Mount Maunganui woman Amelia Grafas (right) with one of the event organisers Jocelin August. Photo / Supplied
Although it was a "killer", she powered through with a pulled hamstring and completed the course, to enjoy a well-deserved glass of wine.
What stood out to her was the community feel of it, with competitors talking and encouraging each other along the way.
"I really wanted to go out there and see how well I could do but hearing them say, when we were at the starting line, to 'go have fun', I realised that's all I have to do."
Ultimate Athlete is owned by Groundplay Productions, whose directors are Gavin Foster, Toby Burrow and Mitch Lowe.
Foster came to the group with the initial idea last year, wanting to bring something different to New Zealand, and the team wanted to create a fun, achievable fitness challenge.
"It's been amazing, the feedback we've had has been awesome," Foster said.
He said the course was a good challenge and the atmosphere was incredible, saying it felt good to bring something to the area that's never been done.
Ultimate Beast, 10km Individual male: Michael Voss Individual female: Lydia O'Donnell Teams, male: Team Old Dads Gizzy Teams, female: Team Fighting Fit Tokoroa Teams, mixes: Team Under Armour NZ
Ultimate Challenge, 6km Individual male: Marcus Barnett Individual female: Marina Weber Teams, male: Team Komatsu Knights Teams, female: Team RBT Chicks Teams, mixed: Team Beauty and the Beasts
Ultimate Schools, 6km Male: Jack Vantier Female: Lucy Tawharu-Senf
