Round the Bays helps kids into healthy lives

Auckland secondary students at low-decile schools will have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Olympic Games triathlete Hayden Wilde, through financial support from Ports of Auckland Round the Bays.

The fun run is marking its 50th anniversary, and to mark the milestone it has created a Youth Sports Fund of $50,000 – donating $10,000 for five years to support young people in their health and fitness ambitions.

Round the Bays has named Hillary Outdoors as its first recipient, and the $10,000 cash boost will be used to offer two lowdecile Auckland schools the first step towards the North Island Regionals of the Hillary Challenge, through a two-day training camp for Year 11-13 students.

The fund will also cover the cost of entering the North Island

Regionals for the two teams of 20.

Two low-decile schools chosen by Hillary Outdoors will provide teams of eight competitors and two reserves for a weekend boot camp that covers all facets of the national competition.

It is an event that can be transformational, says Wilde, who won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. At age 14, he was a member of the Trident High School team that made the national finals in 2012, and he competed again at Tongariro in 2014.

‘‘Hillary Outdoors cemented my love for racing,’’ Wilde says. ‘‘I hope it spurs on the participants as much as it did me.’’

Each regional event sees up to 240 students from Year 11–13 competing as teams in running/trekking, mountain biking and rogaining, as well as teamwork and problem-solving tasks.

Hillary Campbell, chief executive of Hillary Outdoors, says: ‘‘People are empowered to do extraordinary things by growing through adventure and connecting through participation. So we are incredibly grateful to have been chosen to receive this first-ever fund.’’

‘‘All youth, regardless of their finances or ability, should have an equal opportunity to enhance their lives through outdoor education and active recreation.’’

Henry McLernon, Round the Bays event director, says the organisation is a worthy grant recipient.

‘‘Hillary Outdoors is a charitable trust that also aspires to help people achieve their goals, and it was a natural choice to be the recipient of our first-ever Youth Sports Fund. That Hillary Outdoors is also celebrating 50 years in 2022 made it even more fitting.’’

The 50th Round the Bays will be held on March 6, 2022, and is open to all ages, from people wanting to achieve personal-best times through to work teams and walkers in fancy dress.

Round the Bays is supported by Stuff Events, a division of Stuff, which also owns the Sunday StarTimes.