Raetihi's Blazing Hills 2025 features four run or walk races and six obstacle course races. Photo / Blazing Hills
Raetihi's Blazing Hills 2025 features four run or walk races and six obstacle course races. Photo / Blazing Hills
Raetihi’s second annual Blazing Hills event introduces more than 20km of obstacle courses with seven new events on the schedule.
Blazing Hills participants have a choice of four running or walking races, and six obstacle course races, with plenty of entertainment for those not competing.
The inauguralevent was held last year after organiser Donna Journeaux’s goal of expanding another local event, the Raetihi Gutbuster, did not go as planned.
“I ran [the Gutbuster] for a couple of years and I tried to build it up but that market was saturated, people had already done it and I was never going to be able to build it up any bigger than it already was,” she said.
Journeaux decided to create her own event, using her family farm and some neighbouring stations.
New Zealand Obstacle Sports Association social media co-ordinator Hania Aitken, who participated in Blazing Hills last year, approached Journeaux with the idea to add obstacle course racing.
Hania Aitken brings obstacle course racing to Blazing Hills this year.
Aitken has represented New Zealand in obstacle course racing for two years but has grown frustrated with the lack of training opportunities in the country, with only three races a year.
“We need more races, we need them to be of a higher calibre. There needs to be more difficulty so we can expand the sport but also be training the athletes who it’s on their radar to compete at an international level,” Aitken said.
“I thought if no one else is going to make one, I should try and make one.”
The obstacle course competition offers six races across three course options.
Kids of all ages can participate in the 1.5km Mini Flames Challenge, or over-10s can try out the 3km Firestarter.
The 7km Fireball offers solo and team race options, or competitors can tackle the 10km Firestorm.
The obstacles include monkey bars, rope climbs, mud and water obstacles, and steep hills.
For those truly daring, the Triferno connects all three courses to create an obstacle course of more than 20km featuring 90 obstacles.
“They have to be pretty die-hard if they’re going to take that on but we do have some people signed up so they are out there,” Aitken said.
Obstacle course racing has been confirmed to replace equestrian in the modern pentathlon event for the 2028 Olympics.
The modern pentathlon includes a short obstacle course, fencing, laser gun pistol shooting, swimming and cross-country running.
Aitken hoped people would try out the sport and maybe fall in love with it.
“Just get everyday people to have a go at something and realise maybe they’ve got far more skill than they thought,” she said.
“Kiwis in general are built for this kind of sport. If you look at how a lot of us grew up, it’s very thinking on your feet and thinking outside the box - Kiwi ingenuity if you will. I just really think this is the kind of sport we could shine in.”
For the running and walking races, there are social and family-friendly trails of 4km and 6km, and a challenging 21km Trail Heaven course.
