Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka Turns It On

18/2/2023 - Central Otago has turned it on for the return of the Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka triathlon festival. The festival which spans 3 days features events for everyone, from the Puzzling World Mini Challenge, new for 2023, which saw over 100 under 5-year-olds slipping and sliding in Pembroke Park to the more well-known Challenge Wanaka Half.

There were record numbers in the Puzzling World Junior Challenge, with over 1000 year 1 – 6 students swimming, biking and running around the scenic Glendhu Station while the Mitre 10 Mega Adaptive Challenge doubled in numbers, with over 30 athletes with either intellectual or physical impairments tackling their own adapted triathlon.

Following a Covid-enforced cancellation in 2022, more than 800 athletes took part in Saturday’s events at Wanaka’s Glendhu Bay, including the middle distance triathlon - a 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run - Aquabike and the inaugural Cross Triathlon and Duathlon.

Race director Bill Roxburgh paid credit to the small army of volunteers, sponsored by Crombie Lockwood, who help to make the event happen.

“Our volunteers are so important to this event and they have done a wonderful job, especially considering the heat they’ve been operating in,” he said.

“We’ve had some wonderful weather and some wonderful racing and the feedback we’ve received has been great.”

After a perfect morning swim start on tranquil Lake Wanaka, the heat ramped up during the day as first the Ray White-Wanaka sponsored professional field and then the age group competitors tested themselves against the challenging bike and run courses.

The elite men’s and women’s Challenge Wanaka Half were both decided by the final run leg, with Auckland’s Jack Moody and Australian Grace Thek powering home to victory.

Legendary German triathlete Sebastien Kienle showed his class to finish third in the men’s race and now plans to base himself in Wanaka for the next few weeks to enjoy the area’s training and social scene.

While all the competitors will take away memories from the day, some will take away even more, including the age group triathlon racer who successfully proposed on the finish line.

Entries for 2024 are now open online. 

Results:

Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka half (1.9km swim, 90km bike, 21.1km run) results:
Elite men: Jack Moody (New Zealand) 3:58:01 1; Mike Phillips (New Zealand) 4:00:22 2; Sebastien Kienle (Germany) 4:02:57 3.
Elite women: Grace Thek (Australia) 4:32:30 1; Els Visser (Netherlands) 4:34:59 2; Rebecca Clarke (New Zealand) 4:40:04 3.
Age Group Men: Thomas Heaton 4:14:41; Brett Clifford; Heynrich du Toit
Age Group Women: Georgina Thornton 4:57:12; Danielle Donaldson; Alice Coombs

Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka half teams:
Men: Tri Hards 4:29:15 1; Brew Bar Dunedin 4:32:29 2; TripleJ 4:38:14 3.
Women: Best of Evolve! 5:12:13 1; Gal Pal Dream Team 5:40:02 2; Meyer Girls 5:49:48 3.
Mixed: Timaru Boys’ High 4:24:52 1; CoraTri 4:35:05 2; Chaffing the Dub 4:37:04 3.

Aquabike:
Men: Michael Crowe 4:03:26 1; Xander Marsh 4:08:16 2; Daniel Hayes 4:11:18 3.
Women: Susan O’Brien 4:50:36 1; Merryn Johnston 4:54:48 2; Sarah Hewson 4:46:07 3.

Earshots Coss Triathlon:
Men: Laurie Watson 2:52:04 1; Stephen Woodwark 2:56:08 2; Martin Ralph 3:07:55 3.
Women: Maeve Kennedy-Birdsall 3:11:06 1; Arna Craig 3:40:00 2; Jessica Zeestraten 3:40:23 3.

Earshots Cross Duathlon:
Men: Andrew Boyd 2:34:47 1; Gareth Mercer 3:08:24 2; Thomas Turner 3:12:01 3.
Women: Nicky McCool 2:55:58 1; Zara Mackley 2:57:58 2; Kara Wandless 3:03:59 3.

All results can be found on the Challenge Wanaka website and photos from the day will be posted on the Challenge Wanaka Facebook page.

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