Southern teams prepare for Surf to City
Some of Southland’s biggest employers have entered teams in the annual Wensley’s Cycles Surf to City.
The run, walk or cycle event takes place on March 10, with participants being able to choose 3km, 6km or 12km routes from Oreti Beach to Queens Park.
One of the businesses taking part is the New Zealand Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) at Tiwai Point, which has entered a team of 380.
Active Southland chief executive Vanessa Hughey-Pol said numbers like that were at the heart of what made the Surf to City so special.
“It really celebrates that sense of connection across the community.
“We’ve got a wide range of workplaces involved this year, including the likes of SouthPort, ILT, Agricentre, Anytime Fitness and Southern Cross.
“This really speaks to the value role that being active plays in the wellbeing of our community.”
NZAS employee experience specialist Nadine Hancock has been co-ordinating the smelter’s participation for at least five years but knows that the involvement stretches back even further.
“I’m not sure how many years we’ve actually had large groups taking part, but it’s been many years,” she said, adding that the business generally entered a team of more than 350.
The different distances meant everyone from the children of workers to the site’s longest-serving team members could find a distance they were comfortable with.
“It’s wonderful to be part of a big community event where all of our whānau get to be involved.”
The company provided a post-race barbecue for those employees taking part, which provided a great way for everyone to gather and mingle at the end, Hancock said.
“Because of our shift patterns, some people might not regularly see each other, so it’s a great way for them to connect and feel part of the team.”