If you’re female and have never been in a triathlon, now is your chance to give it a go.
The Heretaunga Women’s Centre (HWC) has teamed up with Triathlon Hawke’s Bay and Harcourts to host the Harcourts HB Women’s Tri on September 25 at the Hastings Mitre 10 Sports Park.
The event is for women of all ages, shapes and sizes and participants can enter a short triathlon which is a 100 metre swim (2 laps of the new aquatic centre’s 50 metre pool), a 7.5 km cycle (2 laps of the Sports Park), and a 2.3km run (1 lap of the Sports Park).
If that doesn’t challenge you, choose the middle and longer distance courses. There are also aquabike, aquathlon, duathlon and run and walk-only categories and all events can be entered as teams or individuals.
Manager of HWC, Amanda Meynell says the aim is to give women a chance to try a triathlon in a safe and supportive environment with all entry fees going to the Centre (HWC).
“The event has specifically been designed for first timers,” says Amanda. “So even if women or girls have not ever considered doing a triathlon before, this event will be 100 per cent achievable for them, and we are definitely putting our money where our mouths are by entering a team from our Women’s Centre Board too.”
It is hoped women will ask their besties, workmates, or families to join together, make up a team, take the plunge, get on that bike, get training, and get entered.
“It would be great to see businesses competing with each other, and not for profits encouraging a team to enter, to join in the spirit of the event. It is even hoped that perhaps the two women mayors from Napier and Hastings might enter a team,” says Meynell.
[Stop press! Mayor Kirsten Wise has just confirmed she is entering a team!]
“We are encouraging women to get together and try something new and we want women to finish.”
Get training now
Ngaia Richardson, general manager of Triathlon Hawke’s Bay which is supporting the Women’s Triathlon, says in terms of preparation, the best thing to do is to enter now.
“That means you are committed and you have a goal to work towards,” she says.
“If you are a complete beginner then perhaps enter in one of the shorter distances and feel good that you are beating everyone else that is sitting on the couch.
“If you have gone for a triathlon option then do get yourself to a local pool and try to swim your distance a few times before event day. It doesn’t matter how slow you are or how many times you need to stop, the important part is getting in the water.
“It will also pay to do some kilometres on a bike. Check your bike is safe, the brakes are working well and you can change gears and that you have a suitable helmet. Then hop on and bike around the streets. Again, try and do the course distance that you have chosen a few times before event day. The same for the run course. It’s ok to walk, jog, run to that finish line.
“Remember,” says Ngaia, “this isn’t just about the event day, it’s about feeling good about yourself and your achievements”.
Sign up here for the Women’s Tri
https://events.onetime.sport/event/1177
Heretaunga Women’s Centre
The Women’s Triathlon is part of the Heretaunga Women’s Centre’s annual celebration of women earning the right to the vote in New Zealand in 1893.
This year Suffrage events include a special forum with the opening speech and address by the Minister for Women, the Hon. Jan Tinetti and guest speakers Jackie Clarke and the Aunties. Another Suffrage event is a private screening of Muru, a new film about the Tūhoe raids of 15 Oct 2007.
The Women’s Centre’s purpose is to enhance and advocate for the wellbeing, and empowerment of Hawke’s Bay women. In 2021 the Centre provided 101 activities, courses, workshops, support groups and alternative therapeutic supports for more than 800 Hawke’s Bay women.
The Centre also provides a counselling service delivered by one paid counsellor and a team of volunteer counsellors. According to a 2021 activity report, approximately one third of the women seen for counselling support were experiencing intimate partner violence.
In 2021, as well as providing a regular counselling service, the Centre instigated an urgent counselling service enabling women to access immediate support. As the year progressed there was an increase in women accessing urgent counselling. (Statistics show 59 women attended 604 regular counselling sessions in 2021 and a further 110 urgent counselling appointments were provided. )
In March 2021 the Centre launched SuperGrans Heretaunga, a programme providing one-on-one mentoring and workshops to women to support them to develop and implement life skills such as CV writing, job searching skills, English language skills, growing food, cooking and budgeting.
For more on the Heretaunga Women’s Centre see: https://heretaungawomenscentre.nz/
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