Adventure racing continues to grow and the Maxis Projects 6+6 Adventure Race based in Invercargill is a wonderful example of that trend.

This year’s race is scheduled for Anzac weekend of April 24-25 and was fully subscribed in less than 12 hours with 45 teams of four entered plus a waiting list.

Based at the Teretonga Park motor racing circuit, the race is a two-day multisport event for teams of four – either male, female or mixed – with a six -hour stage each day.

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It is an entry level event for all, from corporate teams to school students and consists of mountain biking, trekking, orienteering and kayaking.

Nick Hamlin, Managing Director of Maxis Projects, said the race is celebrating five years as a local event that continues to grow.

A special Anzac memorial service will be held on the Sunday morning before leg 2 starts.

Southland Tri Club spokesman Ginge Burnett has worked closely with Hamlin over the last five years to deliver the event and grow sponsors and supporters.

Burnett said the race came about the two had a meeting.

“Nick was keen to get in behind an event and we talked and looked for a theme we liked. We came up with the concept of overnight camping and teams of four. The 6+6 format made it suitable for new people and not too daunting with an opportunity for breaks and camping overnight with friends. We took the theme from other events and tried to make it quite social.”

Burnett said the event catered for “those quite good right through to someone new”.

“You are just out there doing it and other competitors don’t know how you are going. It is also about training for it and having fun together, getting off the couch.

“We don’t want the event to get too big. Teretonga Park has good facilities and is handy to town so is a good base. We wanted to show people cool places close to Invercargill and we have done that with places like Colac Bay and Bluff. It is great getting competitors coming south to see what we have to offer instead of us always travelling away,” Burnett said