A new, shorter option has been added to the 17th annual Otago Central Rail Trail Duathlon.
The event, which starts on Saturday, has traditionally taken place over two days, with competitors biking and running the 150km rail trail from Clyde to Middlemarch, staying Saturday night in Ranfurly.
Athletes get two options this year.
They can either take two days going the full length of the trail or opt for the one-day event, from Clyde to Ranfurly on the Saturday.
‘‘This is an iconic event and we thought we'd give people the chance of a shorter version of it, run over the same course,'' race controller Graeme Duncan, of Wedderburn, said
.‘‘Just like the main event, people can either compete as teams or as individuals and the one-day event would be ideal for rugby clubs, for example, to use as pre-season training.''
About 400 competitors were expected this year and the school categories were particularly strong, he said. Four Lions Clubs join forces to run the event.
About 80 people from the Alexandra, Omakau, Maniototo and Strath Taieri clubs were involved behind the scenes and any proceeds went back to the cycle trail in some way, Mr Duncan said.
The duathlon organisers planned entertainment for when athletes arrived in Ranfurly, before the 3pm prizegiving.
