The Hastings Athletics Club has already won the numbers game with 100 members competing in the North Island Colgate Games today. "They are kids who just want to have a go for the first time or there are quite a few 14-year-olds for whom it's their last Colgate Games," team manager Maree Murphy said.
The majority of the club's youngsters are 10- to 12-year-olds which, Murphy reckons, puts athletics in a healthy place.
North Harbour Bays have the next biggest contingent at 51 but because of the transtasman meeting in Sydney on January 15 fewer athletes will venture to Hastings.
Napier club and Palmerston North have one fewer in equal third place while Olympic club, from Wellington, is next with 47.
Central Hawke's Bay have 27, Dannevirke 21, Gisborne 19 and Wairoa 18.