This weekend (17-18 March), Whakatane will host the Whai Ora Spirited Women’s Adventure Race and many local women are taking part.

Over 14 Whakatane and Ohope teams have entered the popular women's event, and one team is solely a family affair. The Beating Harts team is led by Sophie Hart (two-time Coast to Coast winner), her sisters, Katie and Rebecca, and mum Sue.

Katie says they thought it would be a fun thing to do together and she hopes having Sophie on board will give them an added boost.

"We thought it would be a fun challenge to do as a family in our home town,” she says. "We're competing in the medium-distance course, so we're hoping that Sophie might attach a line to each of us to pull us along!"

The Whai Ora Spirited Women Adventure Race is a social event catering for all levels of fitness and experience, where teams of four women take part in a short, medium or long-course adventure in Whakatane’s great outdoors. Traveling together, each team must navigate around a secret course by foot (walking/jogging), mountain biking and kayaking, and complete a few mystery activities along the way.

Event Director Neil Gellatly says the event aims to strengthen bonds and relationships, bringing family, friends and work colleagues together for a weekend of fun. "The Spirited Women challenge is far more than creating an unforgettable event experience shared among girlfriends; it's about women making time for themselves, and their health and fitness.

"For many participants, the journey to the event is the most cherished part. The regular getting together as a team to train, learning new skills, and supporting one another to push their boundaries, often ending up in cafes enjoying a coffee and sweet treat and having a good laugh," he says.

The model is proving to be a good formula, with the event selling out just days after registrations opened. 380 teams from around the country, and three from Australia, are taking part this weekend, bringing more visitors to the district during a busy events season. Whakatane District Council Events and Tourism Advisor Nicola Burgess says hosting large events showcases what our district has to offer.

"Many people competing this weekend have never been here before so it's a great way to highlight our district as a holiday destination, or to encourage people to move here."