1st July 1989

The basic concept of the event and initial outline of possible courses was conceived by Ted Sapsford and Colin Tait.

3rd July

Macpac was approached regarding possible sponsorship.

10th July

Bruce McIntyre of Macpac accepts on condition it can be organised in a competent manner. The event would be a trial, and further sponsorship would be reviewed after it.

17th July

Hawkes Bay Orienteering Club Committee authorise Ted Sapsford to set up the event and it to be held in February 1990.

18th - 22nd July

Heretaunga Tramping Club and Amateur Radio Emergency Corps agreed to combine with the HBOC to organise the event.

July to October.

Ted Sapsford, David Fisher, Philip Mardon, Brian Crawford and Ross Berry physically checked all course routes. Ross Berry and AREC personnel checked radio reception at proposed check points. Sponsorship and all necessary permits in place. Entry form ready for Labour weekend distribution.

December

All event personnel organised and race map prepared.

10/11 Feb.1990

1st Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Ted Sapsford

Course 1: Length 44 km - Climb 3000m

Day 1 : Start Lakes car park, up Rogue Ridge, North along Kaweka main range, down Ihaka Spur, Middle Hill Hut (overnight camp site).

Day 2 : Start Middle Hill, South along Kaweka Flats, Makahu Saddle, Matauria Ridge, cross Donald River to Mackintosh / Kaweka track, finish at Lakes car park.

Course 2: Length 28 km - Climb 2060m

Day 1 : Start Lakes car park, up Rogue Ridge, North along Kaweka main range, down Makahu Spur to Makahu base (overnight camp).

Day 2 : Start Makahu Saddle car park, South along Matauria Ridge, cross Donald River and up to Mackintosh / Kaweka track, finish at Lakes car park.

Course 3: Length 30km - Climb 2000m

Day 1 : Start Lakes car park, up Kuripapango to Radio mast, turn South down track to Taihape road, East along road to marked route leading through young pine trees to river crossing and to the main firebreak at the base of Kuripapango. Follow firebreak to Lakes track, finish at Lakes car park.

Day 2 : Start Lakes car park, up Rogue Ridge, North to Mackintosh Spur, down spur to Mackintosh / Kaweka track, finish at Lakes car park.

306 competitors (153 entries) actually competed in the event.

March - 1990

Macpac committed themselves to sponsorship for a 1991 event. Sponsorship to be reviewed on an annual basis. HBOC & HTC authorised Ted Sapsford to form a Committee and organise an event to be held in February 1991. Due to a potential fire ban situation in the area which affected all forestry roads leading to Lakes car park, all courses had to be revised. New routes had to be found and all courses had to be field checked. Due to the start moving 5km South and adopting the Kuripapango, Kiwi Saddle and Castle Camp route for all courses and keeping the number of overnight camps to two, the Middle Hill section and camp was abandoned.

16/17 Feb. 1991

2nd Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Ted Sapsford

Course 1: Length 59km - Climb 3900m

Day 1 : Start River car park, up Kuripapango, turn North West and follow ridge via Kiwi Saddle, Castle Camp to Kaiarahi. North over Kaweka J to Dick’s spur. Down spur to Kaweka Flats Bivouac, turn South to Makahu Base (overnight camp).

Day 2 : Start Makahu Saddle car park, follow road to Littles Clearing, turn South along Black Birch Range, East down to Lotkow road and South to Lookout track junction on hill top just South of Cable Creek. Down track to Donald river, up to Mackintosh Plateau and to Mackintosh Hut. South to Tutaekuri River crossing (3 wire bridge), down Lakes Road to Lakes car park. Follow base of Kuripapango to finish at River car park.

Course 2: Length 38km - Climb 3040m

Day 1 : Start River car park, up Kuripapango, turn North West and follow ridge via Kiwi Saddle, Castle Camp to Kaiarahi. North over Kaweka J to Makahu spur. Down to Makahu Base (overnight camp).

Day 2 : Start Makahu Saddle car park. South along Matauria ridge, cross Donald River and up to Mackintosh Plateau, follow the Mackintosh / Kaweka track around to Lakes car park. Follow base of Kuripapango to finish at River car park.

Course 3: Length 29km - Climb 2160m

Day 1 : Start River car park, up Kuripapango, turn North West and follow ridge via Kiwi Saddle, Castle Camp to Kaiarahi and to top of Mackintosh spur. Down spur to Mackintosh Hut (overnight camp).

Day 2 : Start Mackintosh Hut, follow Mackintosh / Kaweka track to Lakes car park. Follow base of Kuripapango to finish at River car park.

Medals: Specially designed and engraved medals were presented to members of the fastest team on each course. These were to be presented annually.

364 competitors (182 entries) competed.

15/16 Feb 1992

3rd Kaweka Challenge : Event Controllers, Ted Sapsford & Stan Woon.

All courses started on the Taihape road 800 metres South of River car park. This was to spread the field and reduce competitor congestion going up Kuripapango. It worked.

Courses 1 & 3, same routes as 1991.

Course 2 went to Kaweka J and down Dons spur to Makahu base. DoC had reservations regarding competitor impact on Makahu spur track.

Course 2: Length 41km - 3060m.

352 competitors (176 entries) competed.

20/21 Feb 1993

4th Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Ross Berry.

Course Ø introduced. Length 54km - Climb 3440m.

One day course for solo runners. Same route as Course 1 but start at River car park and drop down off Kaweka Range via Dons spur.

Courses 1 - 2 - 3 as previous year.

Due to 24 hours of continuous heavy rain 19th / 20th, all courses were altered to avoid riverbed crossings of Tutaekuri and Donald rivers, Mackintosh 3 wire bridge got all competitors.

320 competitors (177 entries) competed.

19/20 Feb 1994

5th Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Ross Berry.

Courses Ø - 1 - 2 - 3 as previous year.

282 competitors (154 entries) competed.

18/19 Feb 1995

6th Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Ross Berry.

Courses Ø - 1 - 2 - 3 as previous year.

Course 1 changed from pairs to solo runners.

291 competitors (180 entries) competed.

17/18 Feb 1996

7th Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Alan Berry.

Courses Ø - 1 - 2 - 3 as previous year.

A new Course 4, a one day course for solo runners was introduced.

Length 28km - Climb 2150m.

Same route as Course 3 (pairs) but turn South West at Kaweka / Mackintosh track junction at base of Mackintosh spur and continue to river car park finish.

272 competitors (181 entries) competed.

15/16 Feb 1997

8th Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Alan Berry.

Course Ø deleted from program due to dwindling competitor support. Course 1 now a one day course for solo runners, using the same route as course 2. Black Birch spur and Lotkow section of course no longer used. Course 1 now starts at the event centre.

Course 1: Length 41km - Climb 3060m.

Course 2 as previous year.

The original Course 3 (pairs) reprogrammed as Course 4.

The 1996 Course 4 (solo) reprogrammed as Course 3.

A new Course 5, a one day course for solo runners was introduced. Length 13km - Climb 950m.

Start River car park, up Kuripapango to track junction North West of radio mast. Turn East and follow track down to Lakes car park, Turn South and follow base of Kuripapango to finish at River car park. This course was introduced to give supporters and family of competitors on the four other course's something to do while waiting.

Medals: Medals were presented to the fastest female team and the fastest male team on each course. These were to be presented annually.

313 competitors (230 entries) competed.

21/22 Feb 1998

9th Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Philip Mardon.

Courses 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 as previous year.

334 competitors (253 entries) competed.

20/21 Feb 1999

10th Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Philip Mardon.

Course's 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 as previous year.

Course 2 introduced a section for solo runners.

327 competitors (260 entries) competed.

19/20 Feb 2000

11th Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Max Kerrison.

Courses 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 as previous year.

Special inscribed glasses were presented to competitors who had competed in the event 10 times.

These to be presented annually as competitors became eligible for the award,

231 competitors (292 entries) competed.

17/18 Feb 2001

12th Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Max Kerrison.

Courses 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 as previous year.

Medals were discontinued and replaced with inscribed glasses, which were presented to the fastest female team and fastest male team on each course. The glasses were to be presented annually.

243 competitors (296 entries) competed.

23/24 Feb 2002

13th Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Max Kerrison.

Course 1 - 2 change: At Kaweka J, down Makahu / Trials spur track to Makahu Base instead of Dons spur as previous years. DoC had revised their opinion regarding competitor impact on track.

Courses 3 - 4 - 5 as previous year.

359 competitors (305 entries) competed.

22/23 Feb 2003

14th Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Max Kerrison.

Courses 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 as previous year.

340 competitors (288 entries) competed.

28/29 Feb 2004

15th Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Max Kerrison.

Courses 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 as previous year.

310 competitors (261 entries) competed.

26/27 Feb 2005

16th Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Doug Matheson

Courses 1 - 5 as previous year.

Courses 2 - 3 - 4 start at Event Centre.

Due to OSH requirements a traffic plan had to be in place and complied with. It was easier to implement this by shifting the start 800 metres to the Event Centre.

395 competitors (351 entries) competed.

25/26 Feb 2006

17th Kaweka Challenge : Event Controller, Doug Matheson.

Courses 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 as previous year.

Course 4 introduced a section for solo runners.

Specially inscribed glass and framed map presented to competitor who had competed in the event 15 times. These to be presented annually as competitors became eligible for the award,

256 competitors (230 entries) competed.

23/24 Feb 2007

18th Kaweka Challenge : Event Director, Doug Matheson.

Courses 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 as previous year.

Course 5 contained a School Pair category. No entries.

New course 6 (Duathlon). One day solo and team.

Length, foot 13km, cycle 16km (29km) - Climb, foot 950km, cycle 350m (1300m). Same route as course 5 to Lakes car park, from there a 16km mountain bike course using Kaweka Forest tracks and roads returning to Lakes car park, follow round base of Kuripapango on foot to River car park finish. Competitor sections are solo, pair or trio.

Course 6 had 24 entries.

304 competitors (268 entries) competed.

23/24 Feb 2008

19th Kaweka Challenge : Event Director, Lex Smith

Courses 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 as previous year.