November 05, 2012
IronMāori is jumping the ditch.
IronMāori is jumping the ditch.
A quarter Iron Maori was held in Napier on Saturday – including a 10.5km run, 1km swim and 45km cycle – to allow competitors in December's Iron Maori event to test their fitness.
Coordinator Heather Skipworth says creating a half ironman event for Māori was about changing lifestyles and that message needs to go out to Māori wherever they are.
"Our whānau have headed to Australia for better financial lifestyles but what we see is they spend a lot of time working, getting big money, but their health is being sacrificed so we are heading over there so we can support our people in Australia," she says.
Ms Skipworth says Iron Maori Australia will be launched at the Brisbane Waitangi Day celebrations and will be run in June or July.
Smaller lead up events are also being considered around Aotearoa.
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