The Cook Islands Triathlon Association is gearing up for its mammoth Ariki Adventures Raro Challenge multisport event which will be held this Saturday, September 14, 2024. This is the Cook Islands’ longest team event, with an average five to six hours to complete entire course.

For the fourth year in a row, teams of two will line up on the start line for what will be a battle, not only between themselves, but also personally as they test their mental and physical limits in a massive endurance race.

The race starts at 8am sharp with a 5.9km Stand Up Paddle Board from Tikioki to Vaimaanga. Competitors then leave the water and head up and over the island on the Cross Island Track which they will complete as fast as they can as a run, scramble or walk. Once they arrive on the northern side they head down towards town and into the second transition zone where they will pick up their mountain bikes. Already weary from the epic paddle and cross island run they will then start the longest part of the day with a 48km mountain bike race which takes in many of the steepest parts of the island, including many off road sections, water intakes and rugged terrain.

It is anticipated that the leaders will cross the finish line at Enua Manea Hell in Tikioki after about five hours with other teams taking up to eight hours to complete the whole course.

Many competitors from last year’s inaugural event return this year, although the team members have switched around. The race record set by Roland Neururer and Jason Moorfield, 4:45:25 hours in 2021, still stands, but sure will be challenged again.

CITAI president Neururer explained the team’s element to the race: “It is important for safety that we have teams of two together all the way. The course covers such a vast area it is impossible to have marshals everywhere, so the teammates must look after each other.”

“At various stages of the course teams must take selfies to show that they have passed through important checkpoints.”

Throughout the day, competitors will be tracked by GPS so that race control will be able to see at any point where all the teams are. 

Neururer added: “The race itself is not for the faint hearted, you need many hours of training to be able to do this. It will be an exciting and really hard day for everyone.”

CITAI wishes to thank event sponsor Ariki Adventures for their support, as well as The Bond Store, the Raina Family. 

• CITAI