Sponsor row hits fun run

A health board has pulled its corporate team from a fun run because of concerns about the event sponsor, sports drink Powerade.

In the past three years the Canterbury District Health Board team have been the largest in the Christchurch City-to-Surf run, with nearly 600 members entering last year.

But event co-ordinator Rachel Batty says she has received an email from the board saying its management team has decided it will not enter a corporate team in next month's event because it does not support the Powerade product.

The email said Powerade was too high in sugar, promoted obesity and was unhealthy.

But Miss Batty said yesterday that the organisers considered that after people had done a 12km run, Powerade was exactly what they needed because it provided necessary electrolytes and rehydrated them.

Powerade had been the primary sponsor for the past five years, and last year the health board had mentioned it was unhappy with the sponsor, but that had not affected the level of participation.

Miss Batty said she was disappointed with the board's decision.

"At the end of the day it's an event for charity and that's what we want to keep in mind, and we do appreciate Powerade being on board and helping to make the event happen."

The Star City-to-Surf with Powerade, starting in Cathedral Square, will be held on March 26, with proceeds donated to the Orana Wildlife Trust.

The Star said yesterday that nearly $400,000 had been raised for community organisations since the run was first held in 1975.

General manager/publisher Laurie Coghlan said the big loser would be this year's charity, the Orana trust, if health board staff stayed away.

Health board health promoter Nadine Milmine said the agency could not support the event with Powerade as the sponsor.

Powerade, which contained sugar, was being marketed as a sports drink but the board's stand was that water was the best drink after exercise.

Community and population health general manager Evon Currie said the issue was difficult, but with the country facing an epidemic of obesity and diabetes the board had to make a stand.

- NZPA