Parents do the worrying while the children have the fun

Oliver Kirman, 8, makes a dash for the finish line. Pictures / Richard Robinson

The chatter was incessant, the nerves and stress levels ran high, the expressions on their faces said it all.

And that was just the parents on the sidelines at the annual children's tryathlon.

"It's one of those things that you would have to see to believe," Debbie Reyburn says as she yanks a bright-blue swimming cap over the head of her 10-year-old son, Ben.

Like magic, 3400 children aged 8 to 15 appeared group by group in neat rows for the start of their respective races in the Weet-Bix Tryathlon at St Heliers.

There were the pep-talks. "You'll do me proud," one father was heard to say.

Race tactics were also discussed. "Now when you come out of the water just remember to run to the left," another mother was heard calling - before officials had to shoo her back with the other over-enthusiastic parents swarming the marshalling area.

The kids couldn't have cared less.

Ben said he was a little bit nervous but he just did it "because it's fun".

St Heliers was the site of the first Tryathlon in 1993, with 500 kids.

This year, race organisers had to cut numbers back from 4000 to 3400 because they say that for each child there are an estimated three "support people".

The children swim along the beach, bike towards Mission Bay and back to Vellenoweth Green, then run along the waterfront in the other direction before returning to the Green for the finish.

Up to 20,000 children will take part in tryathlons around New Zealand in coming weekends.

Weet-Bix Tryathlon ambassador and Olympic gold medallist Hamish Carter says the event provides a starting block for future champions.

"They race so hard. You watch them coming down to the end and they're still racing."

Among the thousands yesterday was Tainui Pompey, 12, of Papatoetoe and his grandmother Pamela. The pair had never been to St Heliers before.

"We got on the motorway and saw two cars with bike racks on the back and stickers so we followed them," Mrs Pompey said.

Tainui won a new bike as part of a drive by tryathlon organisers to provide bikes for children who did not have one.

His grandfather Sam had built him a bike but it had no brakes.

"This one is like a Rolls-Royce," said Mrs Pompey.

She has been helping Tainui with his cycling around the streets of Papatoetoe, following him in the car.

"It's great. I've said to all the kids I want to get them into sports this year," she said.

At the finish line Dean Szentes, 13, looked tired. It was his fifth tryathlon and the first time he had done it by himself rather than in a team.

"It wasn't that hard, it was good," he said.

Everyone received a medal, given after they crossed the finish line.

"They're all winners," said an official.