New Zealand Lake to Lighthouse Race
By Sue Clark on Nov 23, 2008 in The Light Side 
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Wow. New Zealand’s first Lake to Lighthouse Race is quite the challenge. Taking place this weekend (November 20-23), the 196 km race from Lake Waikaremoana to Wairoa is harder than any triathlon. And it was won by a New Zealand husband and wife team who signed up sight unseen (for the course).
Richard Ussher (Nelson), rated the world’s best multisport athlete, took the men’s title and his wife Elina took out the women’s race. The former Finnish adverture racing star finished a remarkable seventh individual overall, just over an hour behind her husband.
The challenge:
The first day was a 15km mountain bike, 14km kayak and tough 45km run, split into two legs, that includes the spectacular climb over the Panekiri Range.
The second day was 60km mountain bike from Tuai to the Waiau River at Ardkeen, a further 25km mountain bike across private land to the Wairoa River, a 26km kayak from Frasertown to the mouth of the Wairoa River and 5km run to the final at the historic Wairoa Lighthouse where a street party was put on by the local Wairoa community.
Wow again. That certainly was a lighthouse challenge I do not want to take part in!
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