Fun at Puzzling World Junior Challenge

Over 270 children from throughout New Zealand marked the opening of the Challenge Wanaka Triathlon Festival with the Puzzling World Junior Challenge Wanaka.

The children, aged between six and 15, swam, biked and ran through Lake Wanaka and around Pembroke with not only personal pride at stake but also a spot as a balloon kid, running down the finish chute behind the winners of Challenge Wanaka next Saturday.

“Wow, those kids were tough today,” said Challenge Wanaka director, Victoria Murray-Orr. “I can’t believe we woke to snow on the hills this morning but that wasn’t going to stop these guys – it was awesome to see so many youngsters having so much fun.”

The Challenge Wanaka Triathlon Festival continues tomorrow (Monday) with the Radio Wanaka 5km Charity Fun Run followed by Swim the Course on Wednesday morning. Some of the world’s top short course athletes will race in Tri NZ’s Contact Cup on Friday night before the flag ship iron distance triathlon, Challenge Wanaka on Saturday 21^st, along with the Lake Wanaka Half. For further information, visit www.challengewanaka.com.

The results from the event are as follows:

Boys – 6-7 years
1^st Sam Idiens (7) – Christchurch
2^nd Ian Pugh (6) - Tauranga
3^rd Caleb Dixon (7) – Cromwell

Girls – 6-7 years
1^st Ella Landreth (7) – Landreth
2^nd Grace Creighton (7) – Wanaka
3^rd Olive-Coco Verkerk (7) – Oamarau

Winning team – 6-7 years
The Rock Stars – Georgia Bailey, Rachel Scovey and Goergia Thomson all six from Queenstown

Boys – 8-9 years
1^st Jack Keen (9) – Hokonui
2^nd James Suddaby (9) – Wanaka
3^rd Jack Findlay (8) – Wanaka

Girls – 8-9 years
1^st Jessica Ekroyd (9) – Wanaka
2^nd Jaide Dixon (9) – Cromwell
3^rd Anneke Philip (8) – Balclutha

Winning team – 8-9 years
WOW – the Women of Wanaka – Ruby Burke, Meg Harroway both 9

Boys – 10-12 years
1^st Gregor Findlay (11) – Wanaka
2^nd Callum Hancock (10) – Wellington
3^rd Roger Kerbus (10) – Wellington

Girls – 10-12 years
1^st Mia Pugh (10) – Wanaka
2^nd Petra Hartley (11) – Winton
3^rd Ellesse Andrews (12) – Wanaka

Winning team – 10-12 years
Zarifah – Kate Zarifah (9), Harry Zarifah (10) Charlie Murray (10) – Wanaka

Boys – 13-15 years
1^st Matthew Adams (15) – Rangiora

Girls – 13-15 years
1^st Molly Wheeley (12) – Winton

Winning Team – 13-15 years
The Muzzarifs – Jackson Murray (12), Jack Zarifah (13), Samuel Murray (10) – Sumner and Wanaka

For full results, please click here: Junior Challenge Results 2012. This post from Challenege Wanaka on January 16th, 2012