Bucking the current economic gloom, New Zealand’s most popular triathlon sold out in a little more than an hour this morning.
The individual field for the 21st Port of Tauranga Half Ironman set for Saturday 9 January in Mount Maunganui filled in just 66 minutes after online entries opened at 9am this morning with team entries selling out in under three hours.
“We are absolutely thrilled with the response,” said Sport Bay of Plenty CEO, Wayne Werder.
“The race filled in a day last year but we anticipated that in this current economic climate that it may be a more challenging situation.
“So we are pleasantly surprised and delighted that it filled up in an hour. That is really unheard of for any sporting event in New Zealand, especially one with 1200 participants.”
Mr Werder said that Sport Bay of Plenty had organised the Port of Tauranga Half Ironman since its inception in 1987 but five years ago interest had dropped to a point where the commercial viability of the event was questionable.
“We had less than 500 entries five years ago and prompted the organisation to make some changes. We brought on board Jane Patterson and her organisation – the same company that organise Ironman New Zealand, SPARC Real Women’s Duathlon series and the Tinman Triathlon, also a Sport Bay of Plenty event.
“They have led a turnaround that has positioned the Port of Tauranga Half Ironman as the must-do triathlon event in this country.”
Last year there were 400 people on the waiting list and organisers expect more than this number to join the list hoping for a slot to open up before the race next January.
