‘Big Day at the Office’ just got bigger

A popular Canterbury multisport event used for Coast-to-Coast training has upped the ante this year, with changes to routes, the addition of an extra discipline and more flexibility for entrants.

The Big Day at the Office, organized by Multisport Events Ltd, is held every November and has grown from around 70 entrants to 180 from all corners of New Zealand.

This year the multisport course has replaced the canal paddle with a river paddle to make it even more like the Coast to Coast.

As well, the addition of a mountain run and a new duathlon course has organizers hoping to draw more competitors.

Multisport Events Ltd race director Simon Hampton says this is the first change of course since the event began almost six years ago.

“The multisport race has been quoted by competitors are being the best lead up to the Coast to Coast. We usually get around 45 competitors in the ‘Open Male’ section so it’s great for guys wanting to test themselves against New Zealand’s best. The Open Female field of around 13 has been strong competition over the past three years also.”

Hampton says the Big Day at the Office isn’t just for the elite.

“It’s also good for people considering their first Coast-to-Coast giving them a taste of a true multisport event with the conditions they are likely to face.”

Replacing the usual canal paddle with a river paddle down the Rakaia River was a key change and would make the race more challenging, he says.

“The Rakaia paddle has more volume than the Waimak so it will be a good training ground. On the other hand, if Coast to Coasters just want to do a part of the event, we will have the infrastructure to accommodate that. We expect two-person team entries to be up this year.”

The multisport race consists of a 40km bike ride leaving from Methven, a 24km run through the Mount Somers sub alpine walkway, followed by a 25km cycle to the Rakaia Gorge Bridge. A 17km kayak is followed by a 2km run up Lowers Cutting and a final 10km bike ride to the Blue Pub in Methven.

The duathlon, which is the same 40km bike ride, the Sub Alpine walkway run and then a 33km cycle to the Blue Pub, will have gender and age categories and is 7km shorter than last year to make it attractive to a wider range of athletes.

The events on the day can be done by a single competitor or a team of up to 4 making a big day out of the office a team building exercise for fit bike and running lovers. A provision for newcomers entering the team category allows an extra person, making it a 5-person team effort if desired.

“Also this year we have added a separate run event which is a 24km mountain run through the sub alpine walkway. This race is likely to attract people who like to run in great scenery but maybe not compete in more than one discipline like the multisporters.

“We are noticing an increased interest not just in fitness but in people who are wanting to push their boundaries and compete in different terrain. The beauty of this event is that they can have their times officially recognized in a professional event that is part of a regional series.

“The aim of the Big Day at the Office is to meet the athletes needs, not to have them meet our agenda, so we have worked on our infrastructure to ensure maximum flexibility.

“People can do the tough multisport event, or just parts of it, the duathlon, or just the mountain run. They can compete solo or in teams so it should be an incredibly satisfying day.”

The Big Day at the Office event on November 27 is preceded by the first multisport race of the Spring Canterbury Multisport Champ series - the Frost Buster on Saturday October 16.

ends

© Scoop Media