Media Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, 22 October 2015

Record numbers to compete in upcoming Mitre 10 MEGA Tough Kid®

The annual event that kicked off the region’s growing Tough Kid® phenomenon is back – and it’s bigger than ever before.

With entries now closed, around 1600 children from more than 30 schools are set to flock to Cooks Gardens on Friday, 30 October to take part in Wanganui’s Mitre 10 MEGA Tough Kid®.

Now in its fifth year, the exciting 1.5km obstacle course challenge sees Year 3-8 schoolchildren competing for placings across several categories, including ‘toughest kid’ and ‘toughest school team’. Organiser Sport Whanganui’s events manager Rachel O’Connor says the event focuses on getting kids of all abilities involved.

“An important focus of Tough Kid® events is growing kids’ confidence through encouraging them to get involved and get active – and to push themselves to achieve their personal best while also having a whole heap of fun.

“We’re delighted that kids, schools and the community have once again come together to help make the event a success and, in particular, to make this year’s event the biggest yet. The event will see kids crawling, sliding, squeezing and jumping their way around the ‘tough’ course. Obstacles we have planned include old favourites, such as the infamous Mitre 10 MEGA slide, and there’ll also be some new surprises along the way too!”

Dub.Dee.See. Youth Committee will be on-hand giving out free hot dog pops to entrants. A contingent of service groups, such as NZ Police, NZ Army Cadets and NZ Fire Service – as well as volunteers and marshals from the Wanganui community – will once again be there supporting the event.

First, Second and Third place getters will each receive a medal and a ‘Sport Whanganui Toughest School Trophy’ will be awarded to the overall best performing school. These will be awarded at a special prize-giving ceremony taking place at the end of the event (about 2pm).

Spectators are welcome to come along and watch from designated spectator areas. Event caterers will be on-site selling hot food and other refreshments on the day (cash only). The action kicks off from 10am.

A professional timing team (‘The Timing Team’) will be timing the event and results will go live at the event’s conclusion at: http://www.thetimingteam.co.nz/results/index.php?thread=1718948622

To find out more about Wanganui’s Mitre 10 MEGA Tough Kid®, visit: http://www.sportwhanganui.co.nz/events-new or contact Rachel on (06) 349 2318, or via email: Rachel@sportwhanganui.co.nz.

Tough Kid® initially began as one annual event held in Wanganui, which served schoolchildren across the Whanganui, Rangitikei and Ruapehu districts. However the event’s huge popularity has since led to Sport Whanganui establishing an additional two events serving schools in the individual districts.

The third annual The Downs Group Rangitikei Tough Kid® was held in September this year and attracted more than 700 entrants from around 25 Schools across the Rangitikei district. The first ever Waimarino Tough Kid® – the latest Tough Kid® newcomer – was held in June and attracted 300 kids from around 21 schools across the Ruapehu district.

Mitre 10 MEGA Wanganui is supporting Wanganui Tough Kid® as naming rights sponsor for the fourth-year-running.

Sport Whanganui is a charitable trust working to develop, build and promote sport in the Whanganui, Rangitikei and Ruapehu districts.

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