One of the world's largest children's sporting events is coming to Rotorua and will take over Kuirau Park in a spectacular display of swimming, cycling and running in December.
The Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon has confirmed it will hold an event in the city, giving hundreds of children aged from 7 to 15 years the chance to swim, bike and run in a safe and fun setting in the centre of town.
The event has been running nationally for 21 years with thousands of children participating annually. It has previously been run in Rotorua, but has been absent for a number of years with children having to travel instead to Tauranga.
The Rotorua event will be held on Sunday, December 8. The swim portion will take place in the outdoor 50m pool at the Rotorua Aquatic Centre, while the bike will be on closed roads around Kuirau Park and the run on the neighbouring rugby fields. Organisers expect between 700 and 800 children to take part.
Sanitarium says the team is thrilled to be bringing the event to Rotorua.
"Rotorua offers a great central North Island location and a fantastic venue for the event. There is an excellent, safe swimming option, fantastic cycling and running courses around the area, lots of space and plenty of parking.
"One of our goals is to try and ensure as many Kiwi kids as possible have the opportunity to participate in a Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon. Thanks to the support and enthusiasm we have received from Rotorua, the local community will now have that opportunity."
The Rotorua District Council's Community and Major Events Manager, Martin Croft, says a large number of organisations have been involved in helping attract the Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon to Rotorua, and many more will be involved in helping deliver a successful event.
"This has been a real partnership approach from the Council (through Events and Venues Rotorua and the Rotorua Aquatic Centre), Sport Bay of Plenty, Swim Rotorua and many more.
"Everyone is keen to make this event a success – both for the children participating and their whanau, as well as for Weet-Bix, as we want to see the Rotorua event become an annual calendar fixture."
Mr Croft says Rotorua has swiftly gained a reputation as a city that is easily able to host and support a wide range of sporting, cultural and community events for all ages, which is one of the reasons the event organisers were keen to bring the Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids Tryathlon back to the area.
"Events make a significant contribution to the local economy, which is why it is a key part of the Council's development strategy. But just as importantly, they help contribute to our unique local lifestyle by providing quality activities and attractions for our community to experience and enjoy."
Entries to the Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon open at the end of September. In the past 22 years, more than 240,000 New Zealand children have taken part in one of the events, with the series holding the international record for being the largest children's sporting event of its type in the world.
