Competitor Janine Cotton, of Wakouaiti, is bought home to the finish by supporters.
Entrants line up for the 6.30 am swim start.
The swim begins.
The swim begins.
The swim begins.
Swim section.
Competitors leave the water.
Eventual men's winner Jaime Whyte, of Southland, leaves Hawea township during the 180km cycle section on Saturday morning.
Paul Davies, of New Zealand, climbs out of Hawea township.
Motivational signs at Hawea.
Chris Yeats, of Hokitika, tackles one of the steeper climbs.
Nathan Dunkley, of Britain, crosses the Red Bridge at Luggate.
Christe Syms, of Australia.
Susi Koellmann, from Germany, helps out by passing food to competitors
Half-Challenge competitor Trish Jones, of New Zealand, on the marathon section
Sue Scott, Steph Burgess, Kim Dodds, Sally Kerr and Lindsay Dey, all of the Catlins, make their support heard.
Chris Hutchinson, of New Zealand, on the marathon section.
Madeline McIntosh, of Christchurch, is cooled off by Chris Menzies of Dunedin, while Highlanders rugby player Ben Smith looks on.
Madeline McIntosh, of Christchurch, is cooled off by Chris Menzies of Dunedin, on the marathon section.
Kate Roughan, of Christchurch, attended by event physio Jo Wilson of Invercargill, at the finish line.
Kate Roughan, of Christchurch, is looked after at the finish line.
Simone Maier, of Wanaka, cools off during the marathon section.
Chris Yeats, of Hokitika.
Cancer survivor and now multisport competitor George Konia, of Wanaka, on the marathon section.
Cancer survivor and now multisport competitor George Konia, of Wanaka, on the marathon section.
Jamie Whyte, of New Zealand, wins the men's Challenge Wanaka on Saturday morning.
Jamie Whyte, of New Zealand, after winning the men's Challenge Wanaka on Saturday morning.
Spectators light sparklers to welcome the last few competitors to the finish.
New Zealander Belinda Harper's chances of a Challenge win were blown when she crashed her cycle in the wind and blew a 6 minute lead as she was overtaken by a bunch, seen in the distance.
A bloodied Belinda Harper works on her bike.
Belinda Harper completes her bike repairs just as Challenge winner Belinda Granger, obscured at rear, overtakes.
Wanaka 'Otago Daily Tims' journalist Marjorie Cook in her happy place at the top of Gunn Rd.
Challenge 2009 (2) and 2010 (3) place-getter Keegan Williams pushed too hard this time and collapsed on his second lap of the marathon.
Another view of Jamie Whyte's men's win.
Jamie Whyte gets a hug from his mum Glenda on the finishing line.
Wanaka ODT reporter Marjorie Cook takes on some hydration as she heads out on a second lap of the marathon for the Challenge race.
Simone Maier, of Wanaka, ran home in a fast time to place second in the Challenge Wanaka.
Dunedin woman Tamsyn Hayes climbs the Luggate Cutting to finish as the top-placed age-group competitior.
Belinda Granger, of Australia, at her second Wanaka win after she won the inaugural race in 2007.
Belinda Granger, of Noosa Heads, Australia, on her way to winning the women's Challenge Wanaka.
Scenes from the Challenge Wanaka multisport event on Saturday.
Photos by Gregor Richardson and Matthew Haggart; prints available from otagoimages.co.nz.
