EVENT 4 – PIHA, WAITAKERE REGIONAL PARK

Woohoo!!!  The wild west coast will have a trail run/walk event in the Waitakere Ranges again!!! Join us on Sunday 27th November.

We’ve all been locked out of the Waitakere Ranges for a few years, due to Kauri Dieback, but our courses will tempt you back!

Using recently opened tracks, you’ll enjoy the range of what Piha and Anawhata have to offer – bush, beach, farm, stunning views and everything else we’ve all missed about running or walking in the Waitakere Ranges!!

Here’s a sneak look at the park and its terrain!

The Hillary – Te Ara Tūhura

Karanga mai ko Te Kawerau ā Maki

Mai Ōtakamiro ki Paratūtai

kei reira e takoto ana a Nga Rau Pou ā Maki me Te Wao Nui ā Tiriwa

Na Maki te mana me te rangatiratanga!

Te Kawerau ā Maki and Lactic Turkey Events welcome you to participate in Wild Auckland Series event 4 at Piha, including the 50km ultra distance which follows The Hillary – Te Ara Tūhura trail running event. This annual trail run around the coastal perimeter of the Waitākere Ranges will push your body while rewarding your soul with the beautiful vistas and nature on offer. Follow in the footsteps and spirit of exploration of Sir Edmund Hillary and the people of Te Kawerau ā Maki who call the trail ‘the pathway of exploration.’

Te Kawerau ā Maki are the tangata whenua (indigenous people) of the Waitākere Ranges which they know by the proper name ‘Nga Rau Pou ā Maki’ (the many posts of Maki). The great forest that covers the ranges is known as ‘Te Wao Nui ā Tiriwa’ (the great forest of Tiriwa). The trail is made up of several traditional trails that run from Arataki, through Nihotupu, Karanga ā Hape (Cornwallis), Huia, Whatipu, Karekare, Piha, Anawata, Te Henga, to Muriwai. Many of the resources and landscapes along the journey are considered taonga (treasures) or wāhi tapu (sacred) to Te Kawerau ā Maki. In addition there is currently a rāhui (customary prohibition) and government closures over the forested area to protect and heal their precious kauri trees and wider environment from a kauri disease (Phytophthora agathidicida) and other impacts.

Te Kawerau ā Maki asks participants to take on the ethic of kaitiakitanga (guardianship) when in this space and to respect their tikanga (customs) by:

  • acknowledging the forest before entering it (or at the start of the race)
  • keeping strictly to open tracks only – it is a cultural and legal offense to leave the track for any reason
  • keeping all footwear and equipment spotlessly clean before entering, during the event by using the provided wash stations and upon leaving tracks
  • respecting the environment and cultural sites by not littering or toileting
  • avoiding arguments particularly when within areas of forest
  • considering cleansing with clean water at the start and finish of the event to whakanoa
  • give back to the environment – a proportion of event proceeds will be directed to local community and environmental groups, but consider other steps you could take to give back to the mauri (health) of the Waitākere Ranges

Te Kawerau ā Maki and Lactic Turkey Events hope you enjoy the event and our wonderful environment, and thank you for helping us protect this taonga for the future.

DIRECTIONS

  • The event base is at Piha Domain.
  • The event base will be here HERE
  • Refer course map below for parking and event centre locations.
  • Allow 50mins to get there from Central Auckland
  • Please drive slowly and be aware of runners and walkers

The 50Km Ultra event base is at the Karamatura Carpark with carparking HERE

Please note there is no shuttle service for the ultra event.  This year the ultra is an add on distance to to our more low key Wild Auckland Series but next year when it’s the full premium Hillary event we’ll have shuttles.   This means you need to carpool from the finish at Piha to the start in the morning or vice versa in the afternoon once you finish.

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)

The ULTRA(50km)

Registration at the venue
 From 8am
From 8am
From 8am
From 8am
From 6am @ the Karamatura carpark

Race Briefing
11:45am
10:15am
9:45am
8:45am
6:45am

Start
12noon
10:30am
10am
9am
7am

Prizegiving
1pm
1pm
1pm
1pm
2:30pm

THE COURSES

KIDS DASH

TOUR

DISCOVERY

EXPEDITION

ULTRA

Courses will be clearly marked with course marking and marshals where necessary.  At registration you will be provided with a course map to use as a backup.  The courses are very public, so unfortunately course marking may get interfered with, hence this map will guide you and it’s your responsibility at junctions, to ensure you take the right route if there is no markings/marshal.

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

A map which shows all courses is below – everyone follows the same route with the turn around points for each course marked with relevant coloured arrow.  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!

ULTRA COURSE MAP – same applies. Courses will be clearly marked with course marking and marshals where necessary. At registration you will be provided with a course map to use as a backup.  The courses are very public, so unfortunately course marking may get interfered with, hence this map will guide you and it’s your responsibility at junctions, to ensure you take the right route if there is no markings/marshal.

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

A map which shows all courses is below – everyone follows the same route with the turn around points for each course marked with relevant coloured arrow.  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!

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.

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.

For the Ultra there will be aid stations at 11km Whatipu (basic), 21km Karekare (full sha-boodle) and 35km Piha (full sha-boodle).  Because this is a casual low key ultra as part if our Wild Auckland series (and hence lower priced), we won’t be having a huge smorgasbord of food and drink like you’d expect at premium ultras. We’ll have water/Tailwind/jet planes, gingernut cookies and chips.  Anything else you need you should pack yourself.

Once you join into the area with the other course distances you’ll have an aid station with water and jet planes at 41 and 48km.

OFF COURSE REFRESHMENTS

We’re lucky in Piha because right near the event base is the famous Piha Store – an institution in Piha!!

Make sure you pop across the road and say hi to owner – Pete! and get a yummy coffee and delicious food

FRESH, FREE RANGE, ORGANIC, FOOD, COFFEE

RACE NUMBERS

If you have a named race bib from the three 2022 Wild Auckland events from Tawharanui, Tapapakanga & Te Arai 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 morning.
  • 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. 

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.

For the Ultra – it is compulsory to have whistle, wind and waterproof seam sealed jacket, thermal hat/Thir, at least 1 litre of fluid, some food, a survival blanket, a charged mobile phone and a first aid kit.

CUT-OFFs FOR THE ULTRA

We want to get as many people to finish the ultra as possible but also can’t have our marshals out there all day so will have cut-offs in place to ensure everyone is finished in approx 9 hours.  Therefore you may not pass the event base at Piha (approx 35km), to do the Anawhata section after 1:30pm noon (6.5hrs).

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 or for the ultra at 2:30pm.

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!

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

As well as many individuals volunteering for this event we also have a group helping us out 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!