Organisers are praising the “fantastic spirit” and performance of more than 850 competitors at this year’s Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) Oceans ’21 event in Mt Maunganui, despite Covid-19 level changes forcing a cancellation of the final day.

"The team has had to make the incredibly disappointing decision to cancel the 2021 event."

More than 800 Junior Surf members from around Aotearoa New Zealand will make their way to Mt Maunganui’s Main Beach on Thursday for one of the country’s largest children’s sporting events.

The Brad Richards Building Sea2Sky Challenge 2021 will boast a stellar line up this year with the top of Triathlon NZ High Performance (HP) Squad racing the iconic

At just 17 years old Greymouth’s Emma Wilson became the youngest competitor to win the individual women’s two-day Kathmandu Coast to Coast, crossing the finish line in New Brighton in 13 hours 26 minutes and 54 seconds.

Dougal Allan and Simone Maier have won todays 243km Kathmandu Coast to Coast Longest Day across the South Island, West to East coast.

The timing mat stopped at exactly the same time for Christchurch’s Rob Lord and Kirwee’s Richard Greer as the pair reached the halfway mark of the Kathmandu Coast to Coast men’s 2-Day individual.

Despite the New Zealand borders remaining closed due to Covid19, the 2021 Kathmandu Coast to Coast Elite Women’s field will have a distinctly international feel to it.

The former All Black captain turned adventure racer Richie McCaw will take on the tandem section for the third time in a team alongside long-time friend and teammate Rob Nicol

There are more rewards on offer for the minor placings at the 39th Kathmandu Coast to Coast, but achieving one of those places just got a whole lot harder according to Race Director Glen Currie.