2026 Riversdale Beach Triathlon

Saturday 10 January 2025

What’s happening?

Our annual Riversdale Beach Triathlon is taking place on the morning of Saturday 10 January 2026.

There will be three different age group sections, providing for kids from ages 5 to 17 (including wade – bike - run for younger age groups), plus the adult teams section.  We encourage all surf club nippers and any other kids visiting the beach to participate, and hope others from further afield will also make a day or weekend trip out for the event. We thank our major sponsor Spencer Holmes. Once again, the Wairarapa Multisport Club will be supporting us with their event equipment.

As has been the case for the last 14 years, the focus of the day will be on participation and fun, so some encouragement from parents to get the kids involved w ill be great start. It will be a fun-day. For those kids involved in the surf club programme, a good opportunity to warm up for the surf carnival on Anniversary Weekend.

How far is it?

Three different distances for the kids, this should enable all kids to complete the triathlon as individuals.

In the spirit of fund – team entries for the adult section.

Note: age groupings are based on age on the day of the event.

Registration - Friday 9 January          

5.00pm - 7.00pm:       Registration & event numbering at Riversdale Beach surf club.  For those kids pre-registered kids in RBSLSC nippers programme you need to get your still need to come down to the surf club and get your race number.

Event times - Saturday 10 January    

8.00am – 8.45am:  Final registration   

9.00am:                  Event briefing (compulsory attendance for all entrants please)

9.15am:                  5 - 8 years event starts

9.45am:                  9-12 years event starts

10.15am:               13 -17 years and adult teams event starts                                  

Notes for competitors,  mums & dads etc:

• All kids (and adults) are welcome - the event is all about getting active and having fun. Please encourage kids to enter irrespective of ability. Adults can accompany the really young ones on their way.
• Enter at the Surf Club on Friday evening or early Saturday morning per Registration details above,
• Trained lifeguards will patrol the swim leg. 5- 8 year and 9 -12 year age groups will be at a depth which allows less confident swimmers to “wade” with a few compulsory ‘duck dives’.
• NOTE – THE ‘SWIM’ MAY BE CHANGED (SHORTENED OR REMOVED) DEPENDANT ON SEA /WEATHER CONDITIONS TO ENSURE MAXIMUM SAFETY AND ENJOYMENT.
• Parents / caregivers are responsible for making sure that bikes are road-worthy. While the routes will be well marshalled, the roads will not be closed to traffic, so kids will need to abide by road rules and watch for traffic. Helmets are mandatory. Please ensure all competitors are competent and careful riding over judder bars!
• We will have a number of helpers to act as marshals, but extra support is always appreciated. Call or text Andy Matthews 027-2768913 if you can help out with marshalling for a couple of hours during the event.
• There is no postponement day for the event – so we will be making every effort to ensure the event can go ahead on the day in some form.

What is the course (so I can get some practice in)?

The start line will be on the beach in front of the surf club at the end of Bodle Drive. The order will be swim, bike, run. Each leg will end at the transition / finish line on the road directly in front of the surf club.

Swim

The swim will start with a short run from the start line on the beach in front of surf club down to the sea/lagoon to the swim; 5-8 years (30 metres) and 9-12 year (50 metres) age groups will be at a depth which will enable them to wade if less confident swimming in the waves; although the lifeguards will be making sure they do a duck-dive or two! The 13-17 year and adult teams swim will be approximately 75 metres. The swim leg will finish with a run up the sand and back up to the transition area. Note that organisers may make changes to the swim leg if sea conditions on the day are unsuitable.

Bike

Bikes will be racked against the wooden guide rails that run along the roadside approaching the surf club on the beach side of the road opposite the surf club.

5 – 8 years: Parents/helpers can assist with transition for this age group. The course goes out of Bodle Drive and completes a 2km anti-clockwise loop, down Riversdale Road, left in Pinedale Crescent, left at the golf club and left again into Blue Pacific Parade down past the shop and back to the transition area at the front of the surf club.

9-12 years:  The course goes out of Bodle Drive and completes the 4km anti-clockwise loop – heading out on Riversdale Road, left into Pinedale Crescent, left at the golf club, right onto Blue Pacific, all the way down to the end of Blue Pacific (south end), before turning right into Harapaki, right into Tamarisk and right into Palm Parade, and back onto Blue Pacific, and returning all the way back down Blue Pacific past the shop and back into the transition area. Ensure all bikes keep left. Bikes heading north, back up Blue Pacific have right of way, over bikes turning right from Pinedale Ave into Blue Pacific (heading south).  Note this runs on the ‘new bike course’ introduced in 2024, to manage risks and avoid the additional judder bars on and at the base of the Terraces.

13 -17 years:  An 8km ride. Two circuits of the loop above completed by 9-12 year age group.

Adult teams: A 12km ride. Three circuits of the loop above. E-bikes permitted for gold-card holders only 😊

Run 

5-8 years: From the transition area, the kids will complete a 600 metre run to finish their triathlon, heading up over the rise and down the path along-side the stream/lagoon before crossing the footbridge and turning left into Riversdale Road, turning left again at the shop into Bodle Drive and down to the finish line outside the surf club. This course is all off the road and marked with tape.

 9-12 years: A 1.5km run, up and over the rise and down the path alongside the lagoon/ stream, over the footbridge and left into Riversdale Road, then right into Pinedale Crescent; turning left down the walkway half way along Pinedale and then left again onto Blue Pacific Parade, turning right at the shop into Bodle Drive and down to the finish line outside the surf club. Keep to the road verge and footpaths – beware of traffic – remember roads are open to traffic.

13-17 years: A 2km run, as for the 9-12 year age group, but instead of turning left down the walkway half way along Pinedale Cres, continue on turning left at the golf club and left again onto Blue Pacific Parade, turning right at the shop into Bodle Drive and down to the finish line outside the surf club.

Adult teams: A 4km run – as above, but instead of turning left at the golf club, turn right up Otararia Road (heading towards the Terraces subdivision), keeping left, until heading down the hill into Palm Parade, left into Blue Pacific and all the way back down past the shop to the finish outside the surf club.

Afterwards:

Each competitor will receive an event drink bottle and there will be a free sausage sizzle and drink stand for all competitors at the end of the event, with a brief prize giving and completion certificates available for all participants to collect at the Surf Club at the conclusion of the event.

Questions to Andy @ andymatts@xtra.co.nz or 027-2768913.