Moehau Multisport

Saturday, 14 January 2012

Since the moment we knew we were coming to NZ we timed our stay on the Coromandel Peninsula to fit with the Moehau Multisport race.  The plan was for me to paddle the 14km first leg then for Jon to do the mtb ride, 12k run then final mtb ride.  It's quite a complicated race as it goes from a) to b) to c) then to d) all on twisty narrow roads (some of which are specifically listed in our conditions of rental that we do NOT take our beloved camper van on).  I'd been trying since October to organise a boat (and boat transport) to use in the paddle but without any luck unfortunately.  Luckily the race also had a duathlon version which was just bike,run,bike  (and also a triathlon version with was swim, bike,run,bike) so at the last minute Jon entered the duathlon and I resigned myself to support crew. Although as soon as I realised the conditions of the road I actually divested myself of that role and talked a group of kiwi guys into taking Jon's bike & gear along with them so basically we all waved him goodbye at the start from the comfort of the van, and clapped him in 3 hours later with a beer out of the fridge for him and a slab of beer for his new support crew. 

The race was pretty low key, not heaps of people but lots of enthusiastic competitors.  Seas were really choppy so apparently lots of paddlers had a bit of a swim at some stage or another (my type of conditions as it happens).   Jon particularly loved the views from the run and was 3rd overall and 2nd in his category so he walked away with a $50 voucher to the next NZ multisport race which I promptly gave away to a local who was actually going to use it.

The picture above is of the turnaround buoy for the swim (which they seriously had on the beach as the conditions were so rough the swimmers went out 200m, turned, round the beach buoy, then out and back again.  The other photo is of Jett playing snakes and ladders while we waited for the start. sweet.