Challenge Wanaka offers $80,000 in Prize Money plus Age Group Champs go to Roth

Challenge Wanaka will offer New Zealand’s richest prize purse for both professional and age group athletes in 2013.

While the world’s top elite athletes battle it out for New Zealand’s largest and deepest prize purse (NZ$80,000 down to 10th place), age group athletes also enjoy a strong prize pool. Each age group winner secures a spot at the world’s largest iron distance triathlon, Challenge Roth in Germany, along with a homestay. These spots are unable to be secured any other way as Challenge Roth’s 5,000 spots sell out each year in less than two hours. In addition they receive a 2XU prize pack worth $200.

It’s also payday for successful Challenge Wanaka relay teams with a prize purse of over NZ$4,500 shared between those who place on the podium in the mixed, male and female categories.

Lake Wanaka Half athletes also take home the spoils of victory with each age group winner earning a free spot in the following year’s Challenge Wanaka (worth from $495) plus a $100 2XU prize pack.

“Challenge throughout the world has a strong focus ensuring the athletes have the best race experience possible and this extends from the pro athletes down throughout the field,” said race director Victoria Murray-Orr. “Being able to offer age group athletes the chance to go and race for free at the world’s largest iron distance triathlon is a fantastic opportunity. We also hope to play a small part in growing the sport of iron distance racing by encouraging those competing in the half distance to step up to the full distance Challenge Wanaka by offering the prize of a free place.”

Entries for both Challenge Wanaka and the Lake Wanaka Half are now open with early bird specials available until 29 February. For more information visit www.challenge-wanaka.com.

Challenge Wanaka is part of the Challenge Family series of long distance triathlons with 12 events throughout the world. For more information, visit www.challenge-family.com.