Mrs Sharman, her husband Adam and their family have lived in Wānaka for seven years, during which time Mrs Sharman has worked in a variety of event roles, including assistant event manager at Warbirds Over Wānaka, Relay for Life and setting up Wānaka’s parkrun in 2018.
She has also held various positions on trusts and committees.
She replaces former event director Bill Roxburgh, who has been involved with Challenge Wānaka for 17 years in a variety of roles.
"I am so excited to be joining the Challenge Wānaka Team. I am passionate about this event and what it means for our community. I love the inclusivity of Challenge – ranging from the pro athletes to the primary children and even preschoolers. The recent addition of the Adaptive event and the Cross Tri mean that nearly anyone can take part. I’m looking forward to learning from the many experienced team members involved and also exploring new ways to further develop Challenge Wānaka in our community," Mrs Sharman said.
Mrs Sharman participated in the Challenge Wānaka Half this year after years of cheering her children on from the sideline of their sports events.
"I thought it was about time I gave it a go."
Challenge board chairwoman Jessica Garrett said Mrs Sharman had an exceptional track record in event management, governance and community engagement.
"We were encouraged by her forward-thinking approach to the role of the trust and our events , and her obvious skills and experience as a leader and motivator. We very much look forward to welcoming her to the Challenge Wānaka Team."
Mrs Garrett said the board wanted to thank Mr Roxburgh for his hard work and dedication to Challenge Wānaka.
"Bill ... has been instrumental in growing the event into the largest triathlon festival in New Zealand with events for all ages and abilities," she said.
