Two community-focused triathlons have taken place in Taranaki, thanks to a New Zealand Community Trust grant of $3120 towards running costs.
Nganahau-ā-Uru Trust has run the Taranaki Toa Mounga Tri Series since 2017. This year's triathlons in Waitara and Ōpunake had 290 people participate individually or as part of a team over the short or long courses.
Both towns have significant levels of deprivation and high Māori populations. The entry-level triathlons encourage whānau to be physically active and to pursue a hauora (healthy) lifestyle.
Māori are the target audience for the triathlons, as they are over-represented in poor health statistics like obesity, diabetes and heart disease. The events are open to everyone.
"Many of our participants are from lower socio-economic backgrounds, so we make a huge effort to keep registration costs as low as we can to enable participation," says Nganahau-ā-Uru Trust Chairperson Alf Robson.