Perfect weather for event
It was perfect conditions as nearly 500 entrants ran, walked, or got on their bike in the Geraldine Multi Challenge Race on Sunday.
Director Kevin Johnston said he did not yet know the amount raised but was confident it would be more than last year’s $10,000.
Held at the Orari Racecourse, about 350 entrants competed in the 18, 32, and 52-kilometre mountainbike races, including a new high school-age section.
The remaining 150 entered the 13.8km and 21.8km running race and the 5.8km run/walk.
The ages of entrants varied with one contestant taking part with a baby in a frontpack, Johnston said.
Sharon Prutton won the 52km mountainbike veteran-2 women’s race. ‘‘She’s probably won her age group every single time. She’s a really good, strong mountainbiker.’’
This year the challenge welcomed electric bikes in four races. While the 32km veteran men’s race had four competitors, the others – 32km veteran women, 18km senior men and senior women – ended up being oneperson affairs.
‘‘I think there were five or six e-bikes, and they were quite fast.
‘‘Obviously easier on the uphill but not quite as good on the rougher bits, because they’re heavier,’’ Johnston said.
‘‘I imagine there’ll be a few more next year.’’
The event’s second first was the recently-formed Bike Geraldine, a combination of the Walking/Cycle track and the Cycle Track group, coming on board to help the Geraldine Lions and Lioness Clubs run the event.
While not a Lions member, Johnston said he knew the clubs wanted to ‘‘allow the event to continue on, and just evolve’’, and bringing in ‘‘younger’’ people could help with that.
One of the Timaru Boys’ High School team’s bike chain broke halfway through the race but they were able to borrow a mother’s bike to finish the race; and another cyclist also found themselves needing to borrow a nearby farmer’s bike, in Pleasant Point, in a different race, Johnston said.