Tri series chases record turnout

TRAINER WHEELS: Five-year-olds, with a few parents in tow, compete in the cycling stage.

Hundreds of young athletes took part in the 25th anniversary Wairarapa ASB Triathlon Kids Series 2014 at Wairarapa College.

Organiser Judy Brown said the first night of the series this year attracted about 450 competitors on Monday and she was hoping numbers at the second event next Monday would match last year's record turnout of 503 contestants.

"We have plenty of volunteers and we can cater for it. Everything went smoothly with all the helpers on Monday, so hopefully the kids had a good time and will come back with smiles on their faces for more."

Mrs Brown said the opening event was held at Wairarapa College for the first time in almost 20 years.

The inaugural Wairarapa Kids Triathlon series had been held at the school and attracted 16 competitors before numbers grew and the venue changed to the former Masterton Hospital nurses' pool and the Colin Pugh Sportsbowl.

The series then shifted to Lakeview School after the closures of the nurses' pool and the Lansdowne School pool, where the swimming stage had also been held. Mrs Brown said the return to the college was welcome, given the generous pool area and the realigned siting of the cycle and running tracks that eased the lot of competitors and spectators alike.

The second night of the 2014 series will be held on Monday and the final night on March 3 at the college.