Challenge Family Season Kicks Off at Challenge Wanaka

A full weekend of international triathlon and grass roots sport featuring just under 3,000 athletes will kick off the 2024 season for Challenge Family at the world’s most scenic triathlon, Integrity Homes Challenge Wanaka in New Zealand, on 15-17 February.

On Thursday and Friday, it’s the turn of triathlon’s next generation as over 1,200 youngsters take part in Puzzling World Junior Challenge Wānaka. On Friday night the action moves to the streets of downtown Wānaka for the Tri NZ Oceania Cup. This sprint distance race features a full field of international elite short course athletes as they vie for placings in this thrilling highspeed showdown.

There’s also a strong international elite field lining up for the flagship middle distance event on Saturday 17 February. Defending champions, Jacky Moody (NZL) and Grace Thek (AUS) will both face stiff competition if they want to reclaim their titles. In the men’s field, Moody is joined by a strong line up of homegrown talent including Mike Phillips and Kyle Smith, as well as Australian Nick Thompson, fresh off his win in Tasmania.

In the women’s field, Thek is up against, amongst others, Els Visser (NED), ranked second in the Challenge Family World Bonus and coming off a strong 2023, local Bec Clarke and Laura Siddall (GBR) returning for her sixth Challenge Wānaka.

Also taking place during the weekend festival of sport is Cross Tri and Duathlon, Aquabike, Bay to Bay Swim as well as Challenge Wānaka Adaptive.

The start gun for Integrity Homes Challenge Wānaka goes off at 7:05am local time with live timing and race updates available at www.challenge-family.live and on Challenge Family social media channels.

For further information, visit www.challenge-wanaka.com.