Whanganui parents and kids have the X factor and the XRace

Whanganui father and son Leif and Phoenix Campbell celebrate after winning the 8-year-old boys category at XRace in Hawera several weeks back.

Two Whanganui families have won age group categories at an internationally-popular sporting event that bonds parent with child.

Originally from New Zealand, XRace has become an international success with over 40,000 families enjoying racing together at events in Australia, the UK, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

From Sydney to Amsterdam, London to Wellington, families across the world are experiencing the magic of XRace and celebrating the bond between parent and child.

Similar to the reality television show, The Amazing Race, XRace is a mystery adventure race where parent and child aged 6-14 race together, locate and complete 10 mystery challenges; racing the clock and all the other family teams.

Each team is made up of two people and the challenges range from physical (like tug-of-war) to mental (like the memory challenge) to knowledge-based challenges. The challenges change from year to year and course to course. No XRace is ever the same.

Several weeks ago Leif Campbell and son Phoenix won the eight-year-old boys category, while on Sunday Ricky Lee and daughter Shelby claimed the nine-year-old girls class in Palmerston North.

Whanganui father and daughter Ricky and Shelby Lee rock the 9-year-old girls category at XRace in Palmerston North on Sunday.

"This was the second year it has run in Hawera and our entire family compete," Kylee Campbell said.

"It's a wonderful bonding experience and quite fitting for Shelby and Leif to compete together. My husband is a keen adventure racing athlete. We competed at the first one in Hawera last year with all three kids, but this is the first time we have won - very exciting," she said.

Ricky Lee, a former drifting champion, conceded his daughter Shelby had him stretched to win on debut in the XRace in Palmerston North at the weekend.

"I've given up drifting now my children are getting older," Lee said.

"Our son McKenzie is 12 now and has just started at Palmerston North Boys High, while Shelby is in Year 5 at St Georges in Whanganui. What with ballet, rugby and other sports they play now, it takes up a lot of my time.

"And the beer has got the better of me these days, so I'm not as fit as I used to be so Shelby ran me off my feet on Sunday. But we won and she was really happy about that. We are both quite competitive and XRace is an outstanding event to bond with your kids."