Whanganui Kids and Teens test their toughness

Close to 3,000 tamariki and rangatahi from across the region tackled the annual Mitre 10 MEGA Whanganui Tough Teen and Tough Kid challenge at Cooks Gardens on Thursday 30 November and Friday 1 December.

View a full list of 2023 placeholders

980 Year 9 – 10 students from Whanganui secondary schools registered for the Tough Teen event on Thursday afternoon, which featured a range of obstacles including the Plumber Dan giant inflatable ducks, the Pak n’ Save trolley run and the familiar fire hoses wielded by the Whanganui Fire Service.

Thursday also saw a record number of participants take part in the ‘Quiet Hour’, a chance to try out the course in a more relaxed environment. Close to 100 children and young people enjoyed exploring the 18 obstacles with support people in tow. This year’s event saw the option for people using wheelchairs to move around an adapted course.

“Both days were a total success with an amazing atmosphere brought about by our excited tamariki and rangatahi,” said organiser Quinn Hemingway.

“We couldn’t have done it without all our fantastic sponsors and volunteers who cheered on our participants as they made their way around the course.”

“Seeing so many smiling faces and hearing the laughter as people came down off the Mitre 10 MEGA water slide into the finish line was priceless!”

Whanganui High School were the winners of the Tough Teen School prize, lifting the trophy from 2022 winners Cullinane College.

Invited winners from Rangitīkei and Ruapehu Tough Kid events held earlier this year were well- represented in the top placings at the Mitre 10 MEGA Whanganui Tough Kid event.

In the Year 5/6 Girls race, Ella Transom from St Joseph’s School in Taihape took out the double, winning on the back of a top placing in her age group at the Rangitīkei Tough Kid event in August.

St John’s Hill School and St Georges School were the winners of the Toughest Junior and Senior Schools respectively.

Sport Whanganui would like to thank all the local businesses and volunteers that sponsored or helped to build obstacles, or gave up their time to help at the events.

A link allowing participants to search their time will be sent to Tough Kid schools this week.