Come here anyway, Taranaki leaders say
An event that was set to bring hundreds of active Kiwis to Taranaki for the second year in a row is the latest ‘‘victim of Covid-19’’.
The Oxfam Trailwalker, which was set to take place in New Plymouth on March 26-27, has been moved online, meaning the more than 1400 participants can now take on the 50 or 100-kilometre feat from anywhere in the country.
However, New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom and Venture Taranaki boss Justine Gilliland are asking those signed up to still make the trip for the event.
‘‘If people want to still come here, that would be awesome,’’ Holdom said.
Last year, more than 1300 people took on the two separate routes, over 50km and 100km, making their way along New Plymouth streets, and roadways and across farmland.
It was the first time the region had hosted the event, and it was set to do the same this year.
However, organisers say they made the call to change the way the event was run because of the ‘‘Omicron outbreak and the current ‘traffic light’ setting’’.
Now, people can still start on March 26, but have until April 4 to complete their chosen feat.
While Holdom said the call was ‘‘disappointing, but not surprising’’, he hoped people would still come to town so Taranaki businesses would ‘‘still see some of the benefit’’.
It was something he had seen first-hand this week.
Americarna was set to start on Wednesday and run until Saturday but was cancelled late last month when the country moved into the red setting.
But Holdom said he had seen American cars in town, and assumed it was people who already had accommodation booked for the nowcanned event and had still travelled to the region.
Holdom also said a lot of people who come to such events have never been to Taranaki beforehand. ‘‘But, they always come back.’’
While he was hopeful there would be that small benefit on the trailwalker weekend, he knew the event being ‘‘another victim of Covid’’ would impact on the region, with several businesses ‘‘holding on by their fingernails’’. ‘‘We’re in for a lumpy ride for the next six to eight weeks.’’ Gilliland and her team have created a list of tracks people could do if they still came to Taranaki to take on the feat.
They named the Coastal Walkway, Lake Mangamahoe, and the Pouakai Crossing and Whitecliffs walkway for more advanced walkers, and more.
‘‘We encourage all of the teams to make the most of the challenge, and to keep their existing travel plans by coming to visit us,’’ Gilliland said. She said after taking on the walk or run, people could ‘‘reward themselves with some of our other unique sights, art, food and experiences’’.
The Oxfam Trailwalker was started in 2006, with teams of four taking on the feat in an attempt to raise money to fight poverty and injustice in the Pacific.
Last year, New Plymouth set an event record when $1.1 million was raised and donated to the cause.