"It's been great for the community and great for team-building."
Some competitors also had heavy hearts, especially those who had entered since the event began nearly a decade ago, she said.
The company first organised the event to give back to the community, encourage health and fitness and show people the beauty of Hawke's Bay.
However, they now felt the time was right to look for a new challenge to help the community, Ms O'Sullivan said.
"We fully intend to keep donating to charity in the coming years but it will be in some other form."
The weather had turned out perfectly with a sunny but not too hot spring morning, she said.
"It's a fantastic day out here, beautiful weather."
Organisers had been a little concerned about the rain earlier this week because part of the course goes through the Maraetotara River.
"We had to check the river had dropped enough for people to safely go through the course."
A few dry days before the event had allowed this although many entrants had fun getting a bit muddy, she said.
Since starting in 2009, the challenge has raised nearly $150,000 for various charities, orienteering clubs and schools.
Participants were able to walk or run the course, which finished at Clifton Bay, individually or in a team of three.
The first leg for this year's race was a beach run at Cape Kidnappers before the next leg took participants into Cape Sanctuary. The final leg lead entrants to the Maraetotara River and onto Clifton Cafe where a prizegiving was being held this afternoon.