The inaugural Challenge Wānaka Cross Triathlon and Duathlon will take place at next year’s Challenge triathlon festival.

The new events will utilise the Challenge Wānaka half swim and run courses, plus Bike Glendhu’s upper mountain for the mountain bike course. 

“We know of many awesome mountain bikers who wanted to be part of our event and being out at Bike Glendhu seemed a perfect opportunity to create a cross triathlon or duathlon for these keen individuals,” Challenge Wānaka race director Bill Roxburgh said.

“We hope that this event will bring in a new type of competitor to our region for the festival and we are sure it will entice even more people to come and experience Bike Glendhu in their training months, as well as for the race.”

The cross triathlon will consist of a 1500m swim in Glendhu Bay, followed by a 32km ride which sees riders cycle up to the summit of Bike Glendhu twice, and lastly a 10.5km trail run on the lower mountain.

In the duathlon athletes will bike and run the same course without the swim section. 

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This event is for competent mountain bikers, Bill said, as tracks on the upper mountain are grade four, with plenty of sharp climbs and fast technical descents. 

“We are super stoked at Bike Glendhu to be able to make more of our epic trails available to competitors,” Bike Glendhu managing director Charlie Cochrane said. 

“We believe this event will increase visitation in the coming months and have a positive impact for us, as well as the Lake Wānaka business and tourism community.”

The new events will be supported by earSHOTS.

The first-ever Challenge Wānaka Cross Triathlon and Duathlon will take place on Saturday February 19, as part of the Challenge Wānaka Festival, which will run from February 17-19.

Find out more about the new courses here and sign up to take part in Challenge Wānaka 2022 here.

PHOTO: Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka/Lennon Bright