Locals perform well in Mts to sea multi-sport

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 511, 9 November 1993, Page 15

Locals perform well in Mts to sea multi-sport

by

joan

Manson

What a beautiful river the Whanganui must have been in the days before man started messing about with it, taking its water for his own purposes, adding his own pollutants to poison its flow and generally turning it up-side down. But during the Mountains to the Sea Triathlon competitors and their supporters experienced the beauty of nature and of man. There were some supreme athletes taking part both as individuals and in teams. Alongside them were the teams from Ohakune. Not that our teams didn't perform superbly but when it's 'Gavus the tinnies' Johnson, Yeti Gardner and Froggie McGregor along with veterans Charles 'Kung-fu' Mareikura, Jake Manson and Ray 'Get your Gun' Spry against the Steve Gurneys and Alison Roes

of the world - well what more can you say! Nevertheless each individual gave the best he (or she) was capable of on the day. After the first day the teams lay second and third in the Iwi section but by the end of the sec-ond-day they were first and third, and that's the way they finished. What were the most enjoyable parts? For a nonparticipant like me they were: driving calmly and quietly through magnificent scenery, knowing that a few kms behind someone was slogging their guts out; being with the teams waiting for our participants to arrive ("Where the heck is Charles! He can't be lost! There' s no turn-offs on the river!") and enjoying their company during the evenings; finally watching them complete their section exhausted and red-faced, yet satisfied that in their chosen dis-

cipline they had done their very best. The teams, supporters and all others who helped on the way were thanked.