Peak Trail Blazer: More prize money, 66-plus age group added

It will be all on for all ages at Sunday's big Peak Trail Blazer events. Photo / File

This Sunday's Peak Trail Blazer event across the landscape of Te Mata Peak is set to have more prize money and more age groups involved.

Race director Jo Throp said the organisation crew had wanted to expand the prize money to include an older age group for a couple of years and on the eve of the ninth event had been approached by a local surveying company, Shanley and Co, who were happy to put up some prize money for them.

The event will now feature the inaugural Master Blazer class with $250 on the line for the quickest contender in the 66 and over class.

"You could be forgiven for thinking that the Peak Trail Blazer is all about the young, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, but right from the get go we've tried to make it as inclusive as possible," Throp said.

Across all the classes for all ages, of runners and walkers, there will now be $2400 up for grabs.

"We cater for walkers and runners, fit and not so fit, teams and individuals, young and old," she said.

"So it's great we can finally recognise those in the older categories on the Te Mata Peak course."

The Master Blazer competition will start from the Havelock North Primary School at 9am and cover the 12.8km course that will take competitors to the top of Te Mata Peak and back.

The same course will feature the hotly contested Hawke's Bay Orthodontics Queen of the Peak and the Te Awanga Estate King of the Peak.

Throp said she was unaware at this stage whether the reigning king Lucas Duross and reigning queen Ruby Muir would be returning to defend their titles, and that added to the pre-event vibes.

"There has certainly been a lot of talk and good banter out there, but historically they like to keep it pretty close to their chests, sometimes only entering on the day ... so it is always exciting to see just who turns up then."

The Peak Trail Blazer has come a long way since being started by three Havelock North Primary School parents as a modest fundraising venture for the school.

It is now firmly established on the local and national running calendar, attracting competitors from as far afield as Auckland, Wellington and Rotorua.

National recognised athletes including Laura Nagel and Eric Speakman have been devoted participants.

There were more than 700 competitors last year and Throp said indications are that number would be reached again.

Since first being staged the event has raised over $140,000, with $100,000 going to the school for building improvements and $40,000 to the wider community.

The ninth Peak Trail Blazer will also benefit Nourished for Nil and Eye Care for Africa.

Online entries will close on Friday and full event details can be found on www.peaktrailblazer.co.nz