Challenge Wanaka Multi

• Age Group categories for Individual New Zealand Multisport Championships for which trophies will be awarded to the top three in the following age groups:
• • 18-39 (Male & Female)
  • 40-55 (Male & Female)
  • 56 plus (Male & Female)
  • Tandem teams
  • 2-3 Person teams

• Individual athletes must be a minimum of 18-years-old on race day. Secondary School Category Individual athletes must be a minimum of 16-years-old on race day.
• Team athletes must be a minimum of 16-years-old on race day. Younger team athletes may be able to compete at the discretion of the Race Director.

• Course closes at 5pm on race day. Athletes finishing after this time will get a DNF.
• Kayak cut-off for individuals and teams is 10:30am. Any athletes who finish after the cut off will get a DNF .
• All transitions will close at 5pm. Leaving any gear after this point is at the athlete’s risk as the transition will no longer be staffed.

All new competitors must send a copy of their Grade 2 Kayak Certificate prior to the event.

Competitors who have successfully completed the river section in the Kathmandu Coast to Coast event, in a single kayak or as the steering member of a tandem, in the last 5 years need only state on the entry form the year(s) they have competed in the Coast to Coast rather than send in another kayaking certificate. If your certificate is older than 2 years and you have not completed the race for 5 years you will need to either complete a refresher Grade 2 course or apply for an exemption supplying evidence of your recent and relevant kayaking experience. We highly recommend people re-certify every 5 years especially if not regularly involved in grade 2 or greater kayaking.

In the Tandem Section, the steering is at the front of the supplied boats and the person steering the kayak MUST have a full Grade 2 Kayak certificate. The second non steering paddler must have a MINIMUM of a river safety certificate which is the completion of the safety section of the Grade 2 Kayak certificate . We also highly recommend you complete a river trip in a double kayak. If the steering kayaker is injured the team member will not be allowed to swap positions and steer the kayak unless they also have a full Grade 2 Kayak Certificate.

It is the competitor’s responsibility to have adequate skills to negotiate and avoid the hazards on a grade 2 river. Officials have the right to withdraw any competitor that in the official’s opinion does not have the skills to safely complete the river section Competitors must put training time in on grade 2 rivers and ensure their choice of kayak is matched to their ability.

Compulsory Kayaking Equipment:

• Air bags / foam pillars 20 litre minimum.
• Paddle, repair tape, spray skirt, kayak helmet, life jacket (50n of buoyancy type 406 with whistle attached).
• Gloves, hat.
• Long sleeved paddle jacket, seam sealed.
• Thermal long sleeved top, long leg thermal bottoms.
• Foil survival bag.
• First aid kit.
• Any medication you require.

Competitors may use any type of kayak except wave riders, inflatable or sit on kayaks. Pods are not allowed on kayaks. River-specific surf skis may be used but must gain clearance from the River Safety team at least two weeks prior to the race to ensure suitability. Surf skis must satisfy the following criteria to be considered:

• Dedicated over-stern rudder.
• River specific, single skin construction on hull.
• River specific venturis – highly recommended to have bailer style drain (venturis must have bungs for venture ports in case cowlings are damaged in shallows).
• Competitor must also have an extra lower body layer – either dry-pants, wetsuit, Sharkskin or similar lower body garment.

All kayaks must have pillars and two floatation/air bags or extensive watertight sealed compartments that are drainable. The minimum requirement is two rear floatation/air bags of 20 litres each – correctly inflated and secured in the kayak. Wine bladders are not acceptable! Kayaks must have a grab loop at the nose of the kayak. Tandem kayaks supplied by organisers (and most sea kayaks) have large watertight bulkheads for storing gear which also act as a buoyancy aid if capsized, so no additional floatation is required if using these boats. Kayaks using storage bulkheads as floatation MUST HAVE waterproof hatch cover FITTED before entering the river.

Competitors who withdraw must not leave the riverbank. They must wait for the river officials to officially withdraw them from race.

Kayak Hire for Challenge Wānaka Multi

Don’t have your own kayak for the Challenge Wānaka Multi? No problem — Paddle Wānaka have you covered.

Paddle Wānaka are proud to supply quality kayaks for competitors who aren’t travelling with their own. To secure your kayak, bookings must be made in advance and pre-paid — no exceptions will be made on the day.

To book your kayak or make an enquiry, please contact: [email protected]

Make sure you’re sorted early so you can hit the water with confidence on race day!

Portages may be used to avoid hazards – they may be recommended or compulsory. Specific information will be given in the Race Briefing. Anyone failing to follow an official’s instruction may be withdrawn from the race.

To help prevent the spread of freshwater pests we encourage you if you’re out on the water, on the boat, the kayak, or swimming take a moment to:

your gear for stowaway pests and remove these either or by putting them in the rubbish bin,

your gear thoroughly, and

it for 48 hours before relocating to another waterway!

Check, Clean, Dry, vastly reduces the risk of aquatic pests hitchhiking from one waterway to another aboard our vessels and gear.

For more information see following handouts or visit Otago Regional Council Guidelines 

• Clean Check Dry Pocket Guide

Compulsory Biking Equipment:

All bikers must wear a helmet as per the specifications in the tab below and carry a repair kit.

We recommend a bike check with our mates at Racers Edge or a local bike shop before competing. Each participant is responsible for the state or repair of his/her own bike. Bikes must have been serviced within three weeks of the event and be in a safe and roadworthy condition. Assistance by anyone other than event officials will be grounds for immediate disqualification. This disallows the use of spare wheels and back-up bikes and requires that each competitor be prepared to handle any possible mechanical malfunction.

The following helmet standards are required: ASTM – F1447-1994, Australia and NZ Standards – AS/NZS 2063:1996 or NZS 5439 or AS2063.2, Snell-B90 or B95, CE European Standards-EN1078, US Consumer Products Safety Standards – USCPS.

• No drafting is permitted, with the exception of teams of two in the ‘Tandem’ who can draft on the cycle leg. The cycle draft zone is a ten metre long by three metre wide rectangle between the front wheel edge of the lead cycle and the front edge of the following cycle, extending each side of the cycle by 1.5 metre, measured from the leading edge of the front wheel. Another athlete has 20 seconds to pass through that zone. Likewise, once an athlete is passed they have 20 seconds to drop back out of the draft zone.
• Vehicle draft zone (including motorbikes) will be a rectangle thirty-five (35) metres long by five (5) meters wide, which surrounds every vehicle on the cycle segment. The front edge of the vehicle will define the centre of the leading 5 metre edge of the rectangle.

• Competitors must obey all traffic laws, traffic rules and the directions of Event officials and the Police. The road is open to normal traffic at all times, please be careful when running on and crossing roads.
• Hiking poles are permitted on the run but please do not obstruct other runners.
• Slower competitors must keep to the left with other competitors overtaking on the right.

You must wear the race number and transponder as directed by the Event officials.

You acknowledge that:

• if the transponder fails, you may not receive a time record and will have no claim against the Organiser or be entitled to a refund of your entry fee;
• you must pay $150 for any transponder that is not returned to the correct Event official.

No individual support vehicles or non-participant escort runners or cyclists are allowed. Friends, family members, coaches or supporters of any type may not bike, drive or run alongside competitors, may not pass food or other items to competitors and should be warned to stay completely clear of all participants to avoid the disqualification of a participant.

All race numbers and transponders will be provided at registration on Friday only. Competitors must not alter the size or appearance of the race number and must wear it clearly and visibly on their front. Failure to do so will result in a disqualification.

View full race rules here
View terms and conditions here