Tora event set to become annual

Hundreds headed to Wairarapa’s wild south coast at the weekend to pit themselves against the elements and raise money for a worthy cause.

The event, called The Tora, saw about 350 walkers and runners of all ages and stages take on part of one of the region’s best-loved walking routes on Saturday.

Participants came from as far away as Auckland and the South Island, as well as Wellington. Proceeds of the event will go to Catwalk, a charity that helps fund research into paralysis after spinal cord injury.

The one-day walk-run event offered three different routes over the rugged Tora walk.

There were options to run or walk either a 13.5 km or a 21 km route, with a shorter 5km spectator event available [the longest was the most popular].

A three-way collaboration between Catwalk, Total Sport, and the owners of the Tora Coastal Walk, organisers said the day was a resounding success.

Kiri Elworthy and her husband James own the South Wairarapa walk.

“Everyone came in at the end looking tired but happy,” Kiri said.

“It went really well. The atmosphere at the event village at the end was very buzzy. There were a lot of very happy people there.”

“The course was very tough. The countryside is really steep up here.

“Everyone that started finished. We had an injury-free day of it, which was great.”

Participants were mostly based in Martinborough.

“People were blown away by the scenery and local hospitality. People loved Martinborough and Greytown. It couldn’t have gone better, really,” she said.

Dry weather in the week leading up to the race helped the course.

“There were still some muddy people crossing the finish line.”

The event takes place over particularly scenic parts of the walking track.

“The important thing is to give the participants diversity,” she said.

This is the second year the event has been run, and it looks set to become a fixture on the sporting calendar.

“We will definitely have it next year. It is becoming an annual event.”

The Tora Coastal Walk runs annually from September to April. Now in its 28th season, this year, more than 2,000 completed the walk.