Top five finish at Motu Challenge

Team members who competed in the Motu Challenge, from left, Peter Hancock, Chris Cave, George Williams, Caro Maclaurin, Mat Mackintosh, Donny McLachlan, Mark Shaw, Kelly Wood, Tim Brown, Pete Black, Ian Hughes, Dion Neems. Front: Franca and Coco Williams.Picture supplied

All three teams flying the Hear4U flag finished in the top five of the mixed teams section of the Motu Challenge multisport race on Saturday.

Bragging rights between the three were shared as their order chopped and changed over the 172-kilometre cycle/run/kayak course from Ōpōtiki to Ōpōtiki via Motu and Waioeka Gorge.

The No. 1 Hear4U team were second mixed four person team and third overall mixed team. They were Caro Maclaurin, Tim Brown and Ian Hughes.

That podium finish came in a race time of 9 hours 24 minutes, which put them in 10th place among all teams.

Team Also Hear4U were 23 minutes behind them in fourth place in the mixed fours. That placed them fifth overall mixed team and 15th team overall. They were George Williams, Peter Hancock, Pete Black and Kelly Wood.

A further 17 minutes back, Hear4U Legends were fifth in the mixed fours, seventh mixed team and 18th team overall. They were Mark Shaw, Mat Mackintosh, Donny McLachlan and Dion Neems.

Forty minutes covered the three Hear4U teams at the finishing line of the North Island’s premier multisport race. Out of the blocks the Legends led the other two by a fair margin after the tough 65km Motu Road mountainbike leg but faster times across the run, road bike and 27km kayaking legs saw them overtaken during the latter stages of the race.

Hear4U co-ordinator Krissy Mackintosh says the Motu Challenge acts as a healing pathway and a great platform for “blokes and wahine toa” to speak up, share lived experiences and connect.

“Instead of trying to raise funds this year, we decided to raise morale,” she said.

“It’s been a big year for everyone, and we like to implement our funding into a huge array of holistic wellbeing initiatives.

“It’s very rewarding mahi, especially when participants surprise themselves, make new mates and celebrate.

“If we are fit, strong, and happier today, we will be able to react better to future traumas and natural disasters. If we encourage our workforces and wider community to engage, and unite with people from all walks of life, then we have the ability to widen our worldviews, accept change and #breakthestigma.”

Hear4U is a Gisborne-Tairāwhiti-based charitable trust advocating for men’s mental health wellbeing and suicide prevention.

Many-times Motu women’s champion and New Zealand’s long time dominant female multisporter Elina Ussher notched up another victory in the individual event, winning both open and veteran titles again in 8 hours 41 minutes. Campbell Gray won the men’s race in 7hrs 39min from former Motu champion Sam Clark of Whakatāne.