Whanganui kids and teens test their toughness at Mitre 10 challenge

Whanganui Fire Brigade showered the runners with water hoses.

Close to 3000 tamariki and rangatahi from across the region tackled the annual Mitre 10 Mega Whanganui Tough Teen and Tough Kid challenge at Cooks Gardens on Thursday, November 30, and Friday, December 1.

Around 980 Year 9–10 students from Whanganui secondary schools registered for the Tough Teen event held on Thursday afternoon, which featured a range of obstacles including the Plumber Dan giant inflatable ducks, the Pak’nSave trolley run and the familiar fire hoses wielded by the Whanganui Fire Brigade.

Crossing the Tough Teen finish line.

Thursday also saw a record number of participants take part in the “Quiet Hour”, a chance to try out the course in a more relaxed environment. Close to 100 children and young people enjoyed exploring the 18 obstacles with support people in tow. This year’s event brought the option for people using wheelchairs to move around an adapted course.

“Both days were a total success with an amazing atmosphere brought about by our excited tamariki and rangatahi,” said organiser Quinn Hemingway.

Kai Iwi School students racing uphill over obstacles.

“We couldn’t have done it without all our fantastic sponsors and volunteers who cheered on our participants as they made their way around the course.

“Seeing so many smiling faces and hearing the laughter as people came down off the Mitre 10 Mega waterslide into the finish line was priceless!”

And they're off, at the start of a race.

Whanganui High School was the winner of the Tough Teen School prize, lifting the trophy from 2022 winner Cullinane College.

Invited winners from Rangitīkei and Ruapehu Tough Kid events held earlier this year were well-represented in the top placings at the Mitre 10 Mega Whanganui Tough Kid event.

Students had to crawl under nets in the obstacle course.

In the Year 5/6 Girls race, Ella Transom from St Joseph’s School in Taihape took out the double, winning on the back of a top placing in her age group at the Rangitīkei Tough Kid event in August.

St John’s Hill School and St George’s School were the winners of the Toughest Junior and Senior School titles respectively.

Sport Whanganui appreciates all the local businesses and volunteers who sponsored or helped to build obstacles, or gave up their time to help at the events.

Runners had to climb up onto the Mitre 10 Mega truck.

■ 2023 Mitre 10 MEGA Whanganui Tough Teen results:

Year 9 Girls: Tilly Darke – Whanganui Collegiate School, Gabriella Valentine – Whanganui Girls’ College, Annabelle Brown – Whanganui High School.

Year 9 Boys; David Sinclair – Whanganui Collegiate School, Col-Win Pirddle – Cullinane College, Sam Hadfield – Cullinane College.

Year 10 Boys: Blake Candish – Whanganui Collegiate School, Lucas Howard – Whanganui High School, Cameron Spencer – Whanganui Collegiate School.

Year 10 Girls: Hannah Byam – Whanganui Collegiate School, Grace Fannin – Whanganui Girls’ College, Amy Davidson – Whanganui High School.

Toughest School: Whanganui High School.

2023 Mitre 10 MEGA Whanganui Tough Kid results:

Year 3-4 Girls: Selai Cross, Kaitoke School, Lilly Wright, Papanui Junction School, Aubrie Sollit, Fordell School.

Year 3-4 Boys: Mason Payne, Faith City School, Leo Biggs, Faith City School, Harry O’Neill, South Makirikiri School.

Year 5-6 Girls: Ella Transom, St Joseph’s School Taihape, Indi Taylor, Ohakune Primary School, Gwen Crabb, Brunswick School.

Year 5-6 Boys: James MacPherson, St John’s Hill School, Carson Hooper, Bulls School, Judah Roy, St John’s Hill School.

Year 7-8 Girls; Abigail Glasgow, Fordell School, Amelia Boden-Cave, St George’s School, Kassidy Compton, Westmere School.

Year 7-8 Boys: Neko McDougal, Hunterville School, Ashton Baxter, St George’s School, Max Candish, St George’s School.

Toughest Junior School: St John’s Hill School.

Toughest Senior School: St George’s School.