A sunny, but blustery Thursday afternoon in Wānaka saw 8 volunteers and staff members from the Challenge Wanaka Sports Trust, don their gardening gear and head out to the Glendhu Wetland wildlife reserve to help Te Kākano plant over 70 native plants, all purchased from...
The Challenge Wanaka Sports Trust is excited to introduce our new Trust and Event Director, Jane Sharman. Jane has lived in Wanaka for the past seven years, although has been visiting her whole life, and has always had a passion for sports and events. Jane has...
18/2/2023 - Strong running performances in brutally hot conditions have earned Aucklander Jack Moody and Australian Grace Thek titles at the Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka half today (Feb 18). Thirteen men and five women made up the pro field sponsored by Ray White Wanaka. Moody was able...
Over 70 elite athletes from around the World will be heading to the streets of Wānaka to take part in the inaugural Integrity Homes Challenge Wānaka Showcase on Friday 17th February 2023 from 3.30pm. New Zealand Olympic triathletes Tayler Reid, Ainsley Thorpe and Nicole Van...
Three-time world champion, Sebastian Kienle (GER), has confirmed his place on the start line at the first Challenge Family race of 2023 – New Zealand’s Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka on 18 February. Challenge Wanaka marks the start of his year-long ‘retirement tour’ visiting his bucket...
The 3rd edition of the OSM Challenge Wanaka Multi took place on Saturday 29th October. The event saw its biggest ever field with over 160 participants kayaking, biking and running a total of 82km in and around the stunning Lake Wanaka. Blue skies and light...
The inaugural Earshots Challenge Wanaka Cross Triathlon has been confirmed as part of the Triathlon New Zealand Suzuki National Series. This event is the qualifying event for the 2023 World Championships, in Ibiza, Spain on the 29th of April to 7th of May 2023. “It is...
We are super excited to introduce our new Chair of the Challenge Wanaka Sports Trust, Jessica Garrett. Jessica joined the Board in 2021 and comes with a wealth of experience in corporate governance. She has worked with Boards across different sectors and countries, as well...
** Ride with Hayden Wilde Athlete!!** Yes we are going VIRTUAL with our friends from ROUVY & Challenge Family 🙌🚵 We hope you haven’t stopped training! Because we have been busy working with our friends at Challenge Family and our global partner ROUVY to bring you...
The Challenge Wanaka Sports Trust and Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka team are sad to announce the cancellation of the 2022 Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka Festival. This decision has been made due to the emergence of Omicron in the New Zealand community and the entire country...
The Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka team are excited to announce six Olympians will be racing alongside their High Performance teammates at the Design Windows Twilight Challenge in Wānaka township on Friday 18th February at the Wanaka Showcase. Olympic Bronze medallist Hayden Wilde and his fellow...
The incredibly fun and inclusive event, the Wanaka Medical Social Triathlon will be hosted for a second year on 13th February 2022. Wanaka Medical Centre and the Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka team are thrilled to be hosting this event, which everyone can participate in and...
The Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka team are pleased to introduce Orca New Zealand and Ruby Fresh Open Water Swimming, as the joint Challenge Wanaka Swim leg sponsors for the next three years 2022-2024! The awesome thing is that both businesses are based in Wānaka and have come together...
The second edition of the OSM Challenge Wanaka Multi was a sellout event on Saturday 30th October in Lake Wānaka. After the news of the Christchurch Covid-19 positive cases on Thursday, Race Organisers put in extra precautions and protocols to allow the race of 180...
Press Release – 13th September 2021 The fantastic team at Mitre 10 Mega Wanaka have been supporting the Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka Festival for many years now and have been the title sponsor of the exciting Secondary Schools racing, held on the Thursday of the Festival....
We are excited to announce our new Chairperson of the Challenge Wanaka Sports Trust, Julie Aitken. Julie held the position of Commercial Manager on the Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka team, before moving onto the Board last year. Julie is an avid multi sporter and triathlete....
With six months to go until the Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka Festival, it is the perfect time to announce our newest sponsor, OSM! OSM will be the title sponsor of the OSM Challenge Wanaka Multi event on 30th October 2021, which will see multi sport...
As we celebrate six months untill we are back out in beautiful Glendhu Bay, we are also looking for new trustees. Challenge Wanaka Sports Trust is a registered charitable organisation. Our purpose is to provide opportunities for people to participate, compete and excel in activities that...
Newsletter, Lake Wanaka, New Zealand – The Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka Festival team are excited to announce the Challenge Half and Garth Barfoot Aquabike will return to the traditional bike course through Lake Wānaka township, past Lake Hāwea and loop back around by Wānaka airport and...
Glendhu Bay, Lake Wanaka, New Zealand (20 February 2021) – The Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka Festival Challenge Half and Garth Barfoot Aquabike saw 800 happy competitors enjoy the new course out in Glendhu Bay on a spectacular day Wānaka day. 2019 winner Hannah Wells repeated her...
The Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka team and Board of Trustees have been meeting over the past hours to clarify a package for our Auckland Triathlon Community who cannot attend due to their Level 2 status, as we have had to review our current refund policy....
Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka Festival COVID Update 17 February 2021 5pm The Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka team and Board of Trustees are extremely happy to announce we will be moving ahead with the 2021 festival. The decision by the Government this afternoon to reduce the COVID...
Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka Festival COVID Update 17 February 2021 10am The Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka team wanted to update everyone this morning (Wednesday 17 February 2021 10am) that the decision on the events of the coming days will be now made after the 4:30pm Government...
Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka Festival COVID Update 16 February 2021 2pm The Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka team is monitoring the Alert Level situation and is continuing to prepare the event site in Glendhu Bay, Wānaka. After the 1pm announcement today that a decision on the Nationwide Alert...
Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka Festival Update 15 February 2021 10:30am The Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka team have been assessing the situation and working through scenarios since the announcement by the Government at 7pm last night on the revision of Alert Levels throughout New Zealand. A decision...
The Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka team can reveal it will have a new look course and event venue in February 2021. The 15th Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka three day festival will be hosted at Bike Glendhu and Glendhu Station in Wanaka. This exciting change will...
Top Tips for Challenge Wanaka Challenge Wanaka is just around the corner, and whether you are racing the AquaBike, half or full distance, and whether you are a complete newbie to the sport, or first timer to Wanaka, or even an established athlete who’s raced here...
IMAGE: Jesse Thomas (Photo credit: Red Bull) One of the USA's leading professional triathletes, Jesse Thomas, has confirmed his place in the already significant men's pro field for Challenge Wanaka 2018. He will take on three former champions, Kiwis Dougal Allan, Dylan McNeice and Braden Currie...
Three hip reconstructions haven’t stopped octogenarian triathlete and patron of the sport, Garth Barfoot, from embarking on a new direction. With running now proving difficult, Barfoot has now turned his attention to Aquabike, investing in the growth of the sport in New Zealand by supporting...
10 reasons to race Challenge Wanaka by Laura Siddall, Professional Triathlete Challenge Wanaka, what can I say… it’s an absolutely amazing place and race. Lake Wanaka is found about a one hour drive from Queenstown, over the Crown Range in the South Island of New Zealand. It’s a small...
Challenge Wanaka Triathlon has taken out the People's Choice award at the Ignite Wanaka Chamber of Commerce Awards 2017. Challenge Wanaka Sports Trust Chairman, Tom Pryde, received the award on behalf of the thousands of athletes, volunteers and supporters who have made the triathlon a globally renowned...
Challenge Wanaka are delighted to announce their expansion of the Festival of Triathlon as it hosts the New Zealand National AquaBike Championship on Saturday 17th February 2018. The race, which consists of a 3km swim and a 120km bike, will be a selection race for...
Yesterday [Tuesday 1st August] Challenge Family announced that the event known as ‘THECHAMPIONSHIP’, will again take place at the incredible x-bionic® sphere in Samorin, Slovakia on June 3, 2018, following its successful inaugural race this year. Challenge Wanaka will continue to be a qualifier for the...
We meet Anna Johnson, a working mum who has entered the full distance Challenge Wanaka. We will be following Anna through her training in the lead up to the 2018 race. Living in Methven, New Zealand Anna is a busy mum to two amazing kids as...
The Triathlon New Zealand Middle Distance National Championships are moving to the South Island in 2018 for the first time in 20 years. Previously held at the Port of Tauranga Half, the National Champs will now rotate between the North Island and the South Island to...
It was a day of records at Challenge Wanaka 2017 with Dougal Allan well and truly confirming his rise in the sport of long distance triathlon. He not only smashed his own bike course record in 4:27:37 but also broke the long-standing course record in...
The world’s leading professional triathletes will race alongside a record age group field at the bucket-list Challenge Wanaka in New Zealand’s Southern Alps on 18 February. Defending men’s champion, Dougal Allan (NZL), renowned for his biking skills, will face one of the best in the sport...
As part of its commitment to the local community, Challenge Wanaka has announced its support for the Te Kakano Aotearoa Trust as one of the event's official charities. Te Kakano (The Seed in Maori) is a charitable trust that has been operating in Wanaka for nine years. For...
Spring time is well and truly upon us meaning that for those of us that hibernate over winter, it's time to jump back into some consistent training. Here are some pointers to get the most out of your training and nutrition from the team at...
Challenge Wanaka is delighted to welcome PURE Sports Nutrition as nutrition partner for 2017 – 2019. As a New Zealand based business, PURE is passionate about only producing the highest quality and natural sports nutrition products. PURE takes a common sense view to healthy sports nutrition, identifying a gap...
Victoria Murray-Orr, who has headed the internationally acclaimed Challenge Wanaka Triathlon for the past nine years, has been named New Zealand’s Event Professional of the Year at the annual New Zealand Event Awards in Auckland. Challenge Wanaka is New Zealand’s largest long distance triathlon festival, involving...
Challenge Wanaka has been announced as a finalist in two categories of the prestigious New Zealand Event Awards. Challenge Wanaka 2016 is a finalist in the Best Major Event of the Year category and former race director, Victoria Murray-Orr is down to the final three...
New Zealand’s largest annual triathlon festival, Challenge Wanaka, today announced both the half and full distance races will come under the Challenge Family banner for 2017. Previously the half distance was known as the Lake Wanaka Half and while run concurrently, was a separate brand...
It was a day that threw everything at the 1,640 athletes racing in the 10th anniversary event of Challenge Wanaka. But it was Wanaka local, Dougal Allan and Yvonne van Vlerken (NED) who beat Mother Nature and a strong field to take victory in 8:31:53...
Challenge Wanaka announced today it has been awarded National Championship status by Triathlon New Zealand and will host the 2016 New Zealand Ultra Distance Championships at its 10th anniversary event on 20 February. Internationally renowned as the world’s most scenic long distance triathlon, Challenge Wanaka will...
Challenge Wanaka has announced its Roth Rewards programme, providing athletes with an opportunity to secure a guaranteed spot at the world's most sought after long distance triathlon, DATEV Challenge Roth 2016 which sold out in under a minute. Athletes who missed out on buying a spot...
Image credit: Getty Images Dylan McNeice of Christchurch and Whanganui resident Gina Crawford today extended their phenomenal record at Challenge Wanaka by scoring their third and sixth victories respectively at what is regarded as the world’s most scenic long distance triathlon. McNeice became the first man to...
New Zealand’s largest annual triathlon festival, Challenge Wanaka, is once again set for a record field of both amateur and professional athletes. Numbers have already surpassed 2014 levels over the full (226km) and half (113km) distance events in both individual and relay team entries. Challenge Wanaka...
Dion Phair has a very good reason why he chose to run for the cystic fibrosis charity Breath4CF – he lost his little brother to CF. “I grew up with my brother who had CF and just the sheer fact they can’t do these sorts of...
Image: Steve Gurney The non-profit trust that runs Challenge Wanaka, the world’s most scenic long-distance triathlon, has appointed internationally renowned adventure athlete, Steve Gurney to its board of trustees. The Challenge Wanaka Sports Trust made the appointment at the same time as announcing a 23 per cent...
Image credit: Getty Images Challenge Wanaka 2014 race highlights are coming to New Zealand TV screens this month. Enjoy all the best action from the world's most scenic long distance triathlon on SKY TV at the following times: Tue 18 February – 7am on SKY Sport 2 ...
Image credit: Getty Images Challenge Wanaka, the world’s most scenic long-distance triathlon, will take place on Sunday 22 February 2015, a month after its traditional race weekend for the past eight years. Challenge Wanaka race director, Victoria Murray-Orr made the announcement at a relaxed Awards Brunch this...
Image: Candice Hammond. Photo credit: Getty Images Ideal conditions for long-distance triathlon turned into a perfect day for Christchurch’s Dylan McNeice and Candice Hammond from Cambridge as they won the men’s and women’s races at Challenge Wanaka 2014. McNeice became the first man to achieve back-to-back victories...
For the first time in the event’s history a paratriathlete will take on the Lake Wanaka triathlon tomorrow on a course recognised as one of the toughest in the world. Nick Ruane, 39, from Wellington joins more than 1,200 other athletes tackling the Lake Wanaka Half...
Image: Women's champion Gina Crawford. Credit: Getty Images With less than three days to go before Challenge Wanaka 2014, the world’s most scenic long-distance triathlon, both winners from last year say they’re in great shape after introducing new training regimes for this season and are aiming...
Image credit: Getty Images A record number of swimmers, bikers and runners of all ages and abilities are about to put months of training to the ultimate test as the Challenge Wanaka triathlon festival gets underway this coming weekend. The flagship event, Challenge Wanaka on Saturday 18...
There’ll be more than a touch of love in the air during next weekend’s Challenge Wanaka and Lake Wanaka Half with three overseas couples travelling to the region to get married and compete in what is widely regarded as the world’s most scenic iron distance...
Image: Nicky Samuels. Credit: MMPro This year’s Lake Wanaka Half, part of the Challenge Wanaka Triathlon Festival, has attracted a record number of entries with three world champions amongst a field of more than 1,200 athletes. US long-distance legend and 1988 World Champion, Scott Molina will line up...
This month’s eighth annual Challenge Wanaka Triathlon Festival once again includes several satellite events designed to give locals and visitors alike the opportunity to get active, have fun and take part in the world’s number one fastest-growing sport. With more than 1,600 competitors focused on the...
Lake Wanaka Tourism’s team is upping its game ahead of January’s Challenge Wanaka Triathlon Festival by entering the full distance race for the first time. The local Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO) has previously entered the Lake Wanaka Half every year since the first half-distance event was...
Image: Five-time winner, Gina Crawford (Getty Images) With entries closing at midnight tomorrow (Saturday), Challenge Wanaka has already attracted an exceptional line up of pro athletes ready to tackle one of the world’s toughest iron distance triathlons. The start list for the eighth annual event includes last...
Challenge Wanaka has launched a campaign to recruit hundreds of volunteers needed for its annual triathlon festival between 15-18 January by offering free training in first aid and traffic management. Registration for the Reservations and Accommodation Wanaka Volunteer Crew is underway with many long-time supporters already...
Profile Design has announced a new partnership with Challenge Wanaka, the first-stop on the 2014 Challenge Family global tour. The event, which is slated for January 18th, is the world’s most scenic iron distance triathlon, and one of the 22 events in the Challenge Family global...
Image credit: Getty Images Challenge Wanaka has announced leading local property manager and activity booking agent, Accommodation & Reservations Wanaka as its new volunteer sponsor. The company is also offering special rates for Challenge Wanaka athletes and their supporters as part of its sponsorship package. The agreement...
Challenge Wanaka is pleased to announce a new three-year charity partnership with Cystic Fibrosis NZ that will provide a new dimension to New Zealand’s largest annual triathlon festival featuring over 2,000 participants. Challenge Wanaka is the world’s most scenic iron distance triathlon (226km), set against the...
Challenge Wanaka, New Zealand’s largest annual triathlon festival, is teaming up with CLIF Bar as its official nutrition supplier for 2014 with on-course hydration supplied by the Nuun range of sugar-free sports drinks. CLIF Bar is the leading energy bar in the United States and Canada....
Image Credit: Getty Images Reigning Challenge Wanaka champion, Dylan McNeice, has again made his mark on the international triathlon circuit as he took his second major title in only his second long distance race at this weekend’s Challenge Taiwan. Meanwhile two-time Challenge Wanaka champion, Belinda Granger (AUS),...
Challenge Family and MarkAllenOnline have announced a partnership that sees the coaching company of one of triathlon’s greatest sporting legends partner with the world’s fastest growing series of long distance triathlons. In the partnership, athletes will benefit from tailored training plans through MarkAllenOnline.com for each of...
Image: Dylan McNeice wins Challenge Wanaka 2013 New Zealand triathletes Dylan McNeice and Gina Crawford are the 2013 Challenge Wanaka champions after setting commanding leads over the field in windy conditions. Crawford triumphed over a stomach bug suffered earlier in the week to set a new women’s...
