Mount Festival of Multisport starts this Friday

Mount Festival of Multisport starts this Friday in Mount Maunganui

The Mount Festival of Multisport gets underway this Friday with athletes of all ages and abilities set to converge on Mount Maunganui for three days of activity and action.

The festival features well-established multi-sport events such as the Port of Tauranga Half and the Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon, as well as a host of other events which people of all ages can participate in, or simply enjoy such as at the Jetts Dash for Cash on Saturday, the TRI NZ Short course event and the Mauao Fun Run on Sunday.

Another summer sport to feature on the festival programme is the NZ Beach Volleyball Champs on Mount Maunganui’s Main Beach over the weekend.

The 2016 Port of Tauranga Half headlines the Mount Festival of Multisport Programme and has assembled New Zealand’s top long distance triathletes for the men’s and women’s race at Mt Maunganui’s Pilot Bay on Saturday, 9 January.

The event doubles as the New Zealand long distance champs, with current champion Braden Currie looking to defend his title against a host of NZ long distance triathlon legends. To retain his NZ crown, Currie will need to beat ten time winner – Cameron Brown, 2013 winner Graham O’Grady, 2014 runner-up Mark Bowstead and rising star – Matt Franklin.

Cameron Brown is chasing his 11th title in this event, with his Port of Tauranga roll call including seven straight titles from 1998-2004, and wins in 2007, 2012 & 2014.

The Port of Tauranga women’s field will see a new champion crowned this year with three former runners-up, and last year’s third place-getter all set for the start line. The favourite will be the 2014 runner up and the rising star of women’s long distance triathlon in New Zealand – Amelia Rose Watkinson. Her main competition is expected to come from 2013 race runner-up and recent winner of the Rotorua Half – Candice Hammond, 2011 runner up – Anna Cleaver and last year’s third place getter – Julia Grant.

The Mount Festival of Multisport kicks off on Friday with iconic Sanitarium Weetbix Kids Tryathlon. At the finish line to present the medals to the kids participating will be long distance triathletes Cameron Brown, Braden Currie & Amelia Watkinson, as well as Shotput superstar and Double Olympic Gold Medallist – Valerie Adams, and the captain of the NZ Women’s sevens team – Sarah Goss.

The Saturday programme features the Port of Tauranga Half, NZ Beach Volleyball Champs, and the Jetts Dash for Cash.

The NZ Beach Volleyball Championship features New Zealand’s top players plus international teams from Japan and Germany. The Jetts Dash for Cash sees elite and enthusiastic athletes making a 400m dash down Mount Maunganui’s Pilot Bay.

Sunday features the Mauao Fun Run round the picturesque Mount Maunganui, finals day the NZ Beach Volleyball Champs, and some short course triathlon events. One of these is an emerging multisport - the TRI NZ Tag Team Champs, which has teams of 2-4 people each completing a short distance swim, bike and run

The Mount Festival of Multisport takes place at Mount Maunganui from 8-10 January, with the festival village situated in the picturesque Pilot Bay.

Festival Director Lauren Watson says the aim is to “create a festival of events and activity with something to suit everyone at one of New Zealand’s most popular holiday destinations.”

“The Mount Festival of Multisport will have something for everyone, from the elite fields in the Port of Tauranga Half, to the NZ Tag Team Champs, the Jetts Dash for Cash, the Weetbix TRYathlon for the kids or for those who just want to soak it up and take it all in, we have Beach Volleyball on the main beach at the Mount”

Website: www.mountfestival.kiwi

ENDS

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