Tauranga Intermediate students Ethan Richardson, 13, Ethan Lewis, 12, Daniel McLean, 13, Amir Bain-Calvert, 13, Logan Bell, 13. Photo / Kristin Macfarlane
Tauranga Intermediate students Ethan Richardson, 13, Ethan Lewis, 12, Daniel McLean, 13, Amir Bain-Calvert, 13, Logan Bell, 13. Photo / Kristin Macfarlane
"To get muddy and have fun."
Those were the goals for a group of Tauranga Intermediate students who took part in Tauranga's Junior Tough Guy and Gal Challenge this week.
The event, which takes primary and intermediate-aged children through a muddy obstacle course as part of New Zealand's biggest mudrun series, was the first for organisers Event Promotions' since the initial Covid-19 lockdown. The second event of the series is scheduled for Rotorua on August 24 and 25.
The course for Year 3 and 4 pupils was 1.5km, and children in Years 5-8 completed a 3km trail of mud pits, tunnels, hurdles, a climbing frame and more.
It was Tauranga Intermediate 13-year-old Daniel McLean's fourth time completing the muddy challenge.
This year, he did the challenge with his school mates Amir Bain-Calvert, 13, Ethan Lewis, 12, Logan Bell, 13, and Ethan Richardson - all of whom had the same goal of sticking together, "to get muddy and have fun".
There were more than 600 entries for the Junior Tough Guy and Gal Challenge in Tauranga this year. Photo / Kristin Macfarlane
Stephanie Nielsen from Event Promotions said 600 children registered online and 50 entered on the day.
"It felt wonderful, quite surreal but very special to be back doing what we love [running events] after a hiatus of nearly six months."
Numbers were down from last year's inaugural event, which she put down to the impacts of Covid-19, but the group that travelled furthest to Tauranga to compete were children from Tolaga Bay Area School in Gisborne.
Keanu Reedy was among that group and on top of travelling the furthest, he also completed his 3km the fastest, being the first to cross the finish line on the day.
Keanu Reedy from Tolaga Bay Area School was the first to finish the 3km Junior Tough Guy and Gal Challenge event. Photo / Kristin Macfarlane
St Mary's Catholic School Year 3 pupil Spencer McIntosh was excited to have finished his first Junior Tough Guy and Gal Challenge, which he found hard but a lot of fun.
The 7-year-old was looking forward to competing in future events.
Spencer McIntosh, 7, from St Mary's Catholic School. Photo / Kristin Macfarlane
A group of Tauranga Primary School students crossed the finish line visibly muddy, evidence of plenty of playfulness being had throughout the obstacle course.
Year 6 student Ryan Blair, 11, was all smiles as he crossed the finish line, saying the challenge was a fun way to spend a morning.
Niko Craven, Ty McPherson, Chiara Masey, Kyan Freeland-Smith, Ryan Blair from Tauranga Primary School. Photo / Kristin Macfarlane
Max Harrison, 10, and Kaleb Barr, 10, travelled from Cambridge to take part in the event. It was Max's fourth time entering the challenge but the Hautapu School students enjoyed every part of it and planned to do more.
Max Harrison, 10, and Kaleb Barr, 10, travelled from Cambridge to take part in the Junior Tough Guy and Gal Challenge. Photo / Kristin Macfarlane
Upcoming Junior Tough Guy and Gal Challenge events: Rotorua: August 24, 25. Hamilton: September 9, 10, 11. Auckland: September 16. Wellington: October 14, 15. Palmerston North: October 19. Hawke's Bay: October 21.
