EVENT 2 – TAPAPAKANGA REGIONAL PARK

The Tapapakanga Regional Park is on Auckland’s South-East coast, a little south of Clevedon, is a working farm of rolling paddocks broken with patches of native bush.  Large Pohutakawa line the beautiful stony beach.

Tapapakanga has the prestigious Green Flag award which is an international award which assesses the quality of parks across a number of categories, including their safety, quality of the facilities, management of the environment, historical features and as great places for people to play and relax.

This is the third time the global programme has recognised the regional park as being among the best in the world.

From the council website – Franklin Ward Councillor and Deputy Mayor Bill Cashmore says Auckland’s regional parks are an absolute treasure.

“Tapapakanga Regional Park is well used by locals and visitors alike. Whether it’s for casual recreational use or organised events like Splore, bike riding or exploring the heritage, there is something for everyone. This Green Flag award is very well deserved. Caring for and maintaining our parks is a huge team effort.

And it’s through our rangers and community volunteers hard work that Tapapakanga is kept up to the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award,” he says.

Here’s a sneak look at the park and its terrain! In the order you’ll see them during the courses.

DIRECTIONS

  • The event base is at Tapapakanga Regional Park.
  • Allow 1 hr to 1 hr 15 to get there
  • When you arrive follow the signage to the main beach carpark
  • You’ll be greeted at a gate ( HERE ) and if you are displaying a parking pass (download it from here), then you’ll be directed through the gate and along the beach to the parking area.
  • Please drive slowly and be aware of runners and walkers
  • AND JUST SO DON’T MISS IT – YOU NEED TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THIS PARKING PASS TO DISPLAY ON YOUR DASHBOARD PLEASE

CARPOOLING

We’ve set up a group associated with the Wild Auckland Facebook Page to try and facilitate carpooling to our events.

People will post to here looking for rides and if you have space and want company head on over and offer some space in your car to the events.

Check out the Wild Auckland Carpooling Group here

TIMETABLE

If you’re looking at this on a mobile device you might need to swipe left to see the details of the table

Kids Dash (2-3km)

The Tour (7-10km)

The Discover (12-15km)

The Expedition (18-25km)

Registration at the venue
 From 8am
From 8am
From 8am
From 8am

Race Briefing
11:45am
10:15am
9:45am
8:45am

Start
12noon
10:30am
10am
9am

Prizegiving
1pm
1pm
1pm
1pm

THE COURSES

KIDS DASH

TOUR

DISCOVERY

EXPEDITION

Courses will be clearly marked with course marking and marshals where necessary.

As a condition of our permit with Auckland Council, courses may be subject to change due to weather and ground conditions.

A link to each course is in the table above but below is a map which tries to show all courses.   We put km markers in the various course colours too so you can try and follow the route on the map?!

Maybe click on the image to see a higher res version you can print out for peace of mind on the day!

RACE NUMBERS

If you have a named race bib from the first 2022 Wild Auckland events from Tawharanui events then:

  • Bring along this race bib/number, as we’ve allocated that number to you for the series.
  • If you’ve lost that bib, then please get in touch shaun@lacticturkey.co.nz so we can allocate a different number to you.
  • We will confirm what number we have allocated to you (if you’re done a Wild Auckland this year) in the final details email due out Tuesday.
  • If you have a number from the past 2022 Wild Auckland events that you’re using you still need to register on the morning so we know you are starting. 

Please keep your race bib from this event for future Wild Auckland events.

ON COURSE REFRESHMENTS

Please ensure you have enough nutritional supplies and water for your needs.  Saying that, we will provide a water stop on the course at the distances indicated above for each course.  This water station will have water and jet planes!  These will be served to you due to COVID-19 restrictions.  Please be patient.

At the finish we will have water and Tailwind electrolyte drink.

Don’t forget your reusable cup if you attended our first event. If this is your first Wild Auckland event then you’ll get a cup for free when you arrive.

OFF COURSE REFRESHMENTS

The event base is quite far away from any shops or anything so we’ve got a coffee vendor but there is no food available for sale at the venue.

COVID PROCEDURES

We are so lucky to be able to have events after the unusual times we’ve all experienced in the last couple of years. However, we still need to be vigilant so please:

  • If you or someone you are in close contact with have symptoms of cold or flu, are unwell or who are waiting on test results for COVID-19 you must stay away
  • If you are in self isolation you must stay away
  • If you are an at-risk person or you live with or have regular contact with an at-risk person(s) then you should stay away
  • There will be a hand sanitizer stations at in various locations around the event base. Please use these as required.

COMPULSORY GEAR

For this series of events, due to the nature of the courses we do not insist on any compulsory gear.  However we recommend the longer course participants take the basics as it’s good practice to carry this type of gear anytime you hit the trails!

We recommend the following: Whistle, wind and waterproof seam sealed jacket, thermal hat/Thir, at least 1 litre of fluid, a survival blanket, a mobile phone and a first aid kit.

You will also need your reusable cup as we will not have paper cups at aid stations – these are provided in your race pack if you are doing your first Wild Auckland or bring your one from last time if you did the event last month.

RESULTS

Results should be available live on the day on our event website RESULTS PAGE HERE

PRIZEGIVING

We’ll be handing smaller spot prizes out during the day randomly as people cross the finish line.
The main prizegiving for some token merit prizes (fastest male and female on each course) and major spot prizes will be at around 1pm.

PHOTOS

Photos4sale will be on the course taking photos on a PWYW (pay what you want) basis.  Go to photos4sale.co.nz and enter your bib number and all the photos taken of you will be displayed.

MASSIVE THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!!

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REUSABLE CUPS

Lactic Turkey Events tries to do our bit for the environment and we’ve been #paperplasticcupfree for our trail runs for years now.  We’ve sourced a 220ml foldable/crushable reusable cup as per below.

Thanks to IronOak Financial Services, everyone will get one of these free for their first event, to use at our events or any other event that is cupless!

If you lose your cup for some reason then you can purchase replacements for $4.  These can be purchased at registration on the day.

There will not be any paper/plastic cups at the aid stations throughout the day or at the finish line, so you will need to take this on the run with you to use.

OUR VOLUNTEERS

For this event we have a cheerleading group, Allstar Infinity, who are our volunteers/marshals in return for a donation.

Allstar Infinity based in Silverdale is part of New Zealand’s largest Cheerleading company, Allstar Cheerleading.  As a club we are sending teams to Hawaii in May 2023 to defend winning titles that we won in 2019.  Having had a break from travelling and interrupted cheer programs for two years this will be our first time able to take on teams from countries such as America, Japan and China.  Our athletes have are currently working very hard to get to Hawaii and we are very grateful for this fundraising opportunity.

facebook.com/allstarinfinity

DO YOUR BIT FOR KAURI DIEBACK

The idea of the Wild Auckland series is to introduce you to new parks and trails now that the Waitakere Ranges and increasingly more parks close due to Kauri Dieback.  The parks we take you to may not be closed but best practise dictates that we use the same principles of Kauri Dieback management in all regional parks.

We continue to work with the Auckland Council to ensure that we mitigate the risk of the event spreading Kauri dieback.  Through these measures and education of participants and supporters we ensure that we are using best practice to minimise the risk of spreading the disease that is affecting New Zealand’s greatest and most majestic native trees.

The event also aims to help raise awareness of the Kauri dieback issue to the wider public.

Please ensure you read all the information on Kauri dieback here which outlines what the issue is and what you can do – whether part of the event or in your training.  Lets all help raise awareness of the issue!