Kiwiman Xtreme Triathlon is an arduous event that features a 3.8km swim under the cover of darkness in Lake Rotomanu, Followed by a 190km bike ride around Taranaki Maunga. With nowhere to hide from Tawhirimatea, this can be tough even if you excluded the four major climbs into Te Papakura O Taranaki. After climbing 2000m in total on the bike, participants then run 42km across sand, dirt, and road, back to Te Papakura O Taranaki, finishing at 1200m in elevation.
This year's competition was organized by the Taranaki Community Stadium Trust, which did an excellent job of ensuring that the event ran smoothly and safely for all participants. Their efforts, along with the volunteers and support staff, played a crucial role in the success of the competition. The trust's commitment to ensuring that the Kiwiman Xtreme Triathlon remained a challenging and memorable experience for all involved was greatly appreciated by both the athletes and the spectators alike. We were also blessed on the day to have clear skies all day long , highlighting even more the vast and picturesque environment the race is set in.
If you are already thinking this course requires a gritty performance, this is only half of it. Kiwiman also had two athletes complete the Kiwiman Xtreme Triathlon Double. Athletes Gerald Galmiche from Tahiti and Shane Kent from Australia completed this course back to back over two days. Both athletes gave impressive performances on each day. These two are the true champions of the Kiwiman Xtreme Triathlon, we take our hats off to them.
Billy Bowman from Auckland set a new Kiwiman Course Record in the Individual race. Local athlete Bruce Jordan completed his fifth and final Kiwiman, marking a significant achievement for him and his supporters.
Don't be put off by the difficulty of Kiwiman and all these amazing athletes. This course is achievable for anyone who can swim, bike or run with our unique Teams event. We had four successful teams finish the course this year by tagging in and out throughout the course as they see fit. This provides an exhilarating and interactive day among all competitors as athletes and support crew interchange along the course all day, sharing laps of the swim, sections of the bike and run course.
Overall, the event was a great success, with all participants displaying impressive levels of athleticism and perseverance. It is worth noting that all athletes who completed the high and low course options finished the competition fit and well, demonstrating the high levels of preparation and training that they put into their performances.
Despite the gruelling nature of the course and the challenging conditions faced by some competitors, everyone showed great determination and resilience to complete the event. The Kiwiman Xtreme Triathlon was a true test of endurance and skill, and all participants should be proud of their achievements.
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