Inspired by her father's results over the past two years, Columba College year-12 student Bridget Thayer (16) will compete in the secondary schools team section, contesting the two-day event with Malcolm Gibson (17) from Riversdale, a New Zealand white-water kayak representative.
Lloyd Thayer (51), from Wanaka, had done very little in sport for 25 years and decided to enter the 2009 event.
He finished, but vowed never to do the mountain run stage again. He returned last year with family friend Alistair Gibson, from Riversdale, to compete in the team section. Gibson ran the demanding mountain stage.
This year both will be on the sideline, acting as members of a support crew for their children Bridget and Malcolm.
Bridget was bitten by the bug when Lloyd took part in the event two years ago, her mother Anita said from the family home in Wanaka.
She has been a member of her father's support crew in his two assaults on the course to date, and this year there was no holding back the talented young sportswoman from the start line.
Bridget hails from a very successful sporting family. Her eldest sister, Louise (22), has been a noted age-group track and field athlete and is a member of the Otago NPC netball squad, while Michelle (20) was successful in netball in her younger days before discovering the world of drama.
Bridget has also been an age-group representative in netball since primary school and is a member of the Columba senior A netball team.
She is also in the Otago women's development team for cricket and has represented Southland in tennis.
"I can't keep her still for five minutes," her mother said.
Asked what she thought Bridget would expect of herself in such a race, her mother said that it would be just to finish.
"But the competitive streak will come through. She's got guts, grit and determination - doesn't lack in any of those things."
Bridget will not lack in support on the course as along with her parents, Lloyd and Anita, sister Michelle and uncle Myles will also be out on the course cheering her on and acting as members of her support crew.
Bridget has been dedicated to her training over the past 12 months, adding to her workload of training for both netball and cricket over the winter months, while over the summer months have been countless bike rides to Cromwell and running up Mt Roy and Treble Cone.
"One of the main reasons for wanting to do this was to beat Dad's time on the run," Bridget said, of her goal for the event.
She is not so sure of beating her father's time on the 70km bike into Christchurch.
"I think Dad might have me on that one."
"But it's going to be an amazing feeling, running on to the beach at Sumner and crossing the finish line. I can't wait.I'll just be so ecstatic."
Inspired by her father's results over the past two years, Columba College year-12 student Bridget Thayer (16) will compete in the secondary schools team section, contesting the two-day event with Malcolm Gibson (17) from Riversdale, a New Zealand white-water kayak representative.
Lloyd Thayer (51), from Wanaka, had done very little in sport for 25 years and decided to enter the 2009 event.
He finished, but vowed never to do the mountain run stage again. He returned last year with family friend Alistair Gibson, from Riversdale, to compete in the team section. Gibson ran the demanding mountain stage.
This year both will be on the sideline, acting as members of a support crew for their children Bridget and Malcolm.
Bridget was bitten by the bug when Lloyd took part in the event two years ago, her mother Anita said from the family home in Wanaka.
She has been a member of her father's support crew in his two assaults on the course to date, and this year there was no holding back the talented young sportswoman from the start line.
Bridget hails from a very successful sporting family. Her eldest sister, Louise (22), has been a noted age-group track and field athlete and is a member of the Otago NPC netball squad, while Michelle (20) was successful in netball in her younger days before discovering the world of drama.
Bridget has also been an age-group representative in netball since primary school and is a member of the Columba senior A netball team.
She is also in the Otago women's development team for cricket and has represented Southland in tennis.
"I can't keep her still for five minutes," her mother said.
Asked what she thought Bridget would expect of herself in such a race, her mother said that it would be just to finish.
"But the competitive streak will come through. She's got guts, grit and determination - doesn't lack in any of those things."
Bridget will not lack in support on the course as along with her parents, Lloyd and Anita, sister Michelle and uncle Myles will also be out on the course cheering her on and acting as members of her support crew.
Bridget has been dedicated to her training over the past 12 months, adding to her workload of training for both netball and cricket over the winter months, while over the summer months have been countless bike rides to Cromwell and running up Mt Roy and Treble Cone.
"One of the main reasons for wanting to do this was to beat Dad's time on the run," Bridget said, of her goal for the event.
She is not so sure of beating her father's time on the 70km bike into Christchurch.
"I think Dad might have me on that one."
"But it's going to be an amazing feeling, running on to the beach at Sumner and crossing the finish line. I can't wait.I'll just be so ecstatic."
Bridget Thayer
At a glance
Born: August 6, 1994 (Gore).
Family home: Wanaka.
Secondary school: Year 12, Columba College.
Primary school: Waikaka Primary.
Sporting honours: Netball squads for Eastern Southland and Otago, tennis for Southland, cricket for Otago.
Life philosophy: When the world's your playground, there's no out-of-bounds.
