Athletics Tauranga Inc.

Welcome to the Aotearoa Relays Festival 2024!

Saturday November 9th 2024
Tauranga Domain Athletics Track, Cameron Road, Tauranga

The Aotearoa Relays Festival is a unique blend of competitive spirit and developmental opportunities, featuring a wide variety of track and field events.

The event welcomes athletes from ages 7 through to international seniors,
ensuring inclusivity and development across all levels.

What to Expect:
Diverse Competitions: From sprints and hurdles to medley relays and field events, the festival caters to athletes across various disciplines. Notable for its record-setting performances, including a national record in the women’s Under 20 4x400m relay during its debut, the festival offers something for everyone.

Community Impact: The festival not only showcases Tauranga’s exceptional sporting facilities but also aims to establish the city as a top destination for elite sports events. It provides a platform for youth and senior athletes to compete, train, and enjoy the city’s natural beauty.

Event Highlights:
Enjoy a range of creative and exciting track and field events.
Participate in unique competitions not found elsewhere in the country.
Explore Tauranga’s beautiful natural attractions before or after the event.

We look forward to welcoming athletes, spectators, and volunteers to an exciting weekend of sports
and community spirit!

Event Program

Children’s Events:
2:00pm – Track: Paarlauf Relay (U14) Teams of four (boys and girls) can select legs of 100m, 200m, 300m, or 400m. Declare your distance prior to the race for positioning.
2:30pm – Infield: Egg & Spoon Relay - A fun shuttle relay open to all interested participants.
2:45pm – Track: Seated Start Relay - Teams of six athletes split in half, sitting 20m apart. One athlete starts & runs to team partner 20m away, who is sitting upright, legs out straight, arms folded, and facing away from the incoming runner. The partner starts when the incoming runner taps them on the shoulder.

3:00pm – Track: Shuttle Sprint Relays + Shuttle Rope Relay. Sprint relays on the track, ideally in bare feet or flats. 40m distance with baton exchanges. Rope Relay - same teams as shuttle relay. Each team has a 10m rope. They stand facing the other members of their team, 10m away. The first runner holds one end of the rope vertical, and runs to their partner 10m away. Exchange the end of the rope, and the next runner runs to their partner 10m away, where the first runner started. Continue until all athletes are back at their starting positions, and seated.
3:15pm – Shot Circle: Throw Like Val. Shot put competition with distances marked for scoring. Under 10s use a soft shot, 11-13 year-olds use a 3kg shot, and 14 year-olds use a 4kg shot.
4:00pm – Track: U14 4x100m Relay. Relay event for boys and girls in the U14 age group.
4:15pm – Sandpit: Long Jump from Box. Jumping from a 10cm box, with points awarded based on distance past flags.

Senior/Adult Events:
2:00pm – Sandpit: Pole Vault for Distance – Open Grade. Open to all grades in pole vaulting for distance.
2:00pm – Track: Paarlauf Relay – Seniors & Over 14s. Teams of two with flexible leg distances and changeover points.

2:30pm – Track: 2x100m Hurdles – Open Women, U18 Men & Women. Hurdles relay.
2:30pm – Track: 2x110m Hurdles – Open Men Hurdles relay.
2:45pm – HJ Fan: High Jump from 10cm Box – All Grades 12 & Over. High jump event with a 10cm box, open to all grades from 12 years and over.
3:00pm – Track: 4x100m Relay – U16 Boys & Girls, U18 Boys & Girls, U20 Boys & Girls.
3:30pm – Track: Distance Medley Relay – 1200m, 400m, 800m, 1600m – Open & U20. Medley relay with one runner completing each distance.
3:45pm – Track: Sprint Medley Relay – 200m, 100m, 100m – U16 Girls & Boys. Medley relay with one runner completing each distance.
4:00pm – Track: Open 4x100m Relay. Traditional 4x100m relay for open age groups.
4:10pm – Track: “Devil Take the Hindmost.” A distance race where the last runner drops out every 200m if more than ten participants are present. With fewer than ten starters, two runners drop out every 200m after the first 400m.

For more information on the event and those interested in the National Relay Camp the following day, 10am til midday. Please contact Kerry Hill on khill92@hotmail.com or 021 588 174

Enter here!

Aotearoa Relays Festival Overview

Athletes can form teams by joining with athletes from other clubs, but their entry must state the athletes’ names, age level, and club. All participants will receive a Participation Certificate.

Children’s Relays: For relays, children can enter for the event online or on the day, and they will be placed into teams if they have not entered as a team.

Paarlauf Relay, U14: This event features a children's Paarlauf with four athletes in a team, which can consist of boys and girls. Teams can be made up of U10, U12, or U14 athletes. Athletes will be called to assemble on the infield near the finish line for a four-lap race. Athletes can choose 100m, 200m, 300m, or 400m relay legs and must declare to officials prior to the race which distance they will run, so they can be placed in their starting positions before the race starts. A hand-touch is required for the changeover, and a specific change zone is not necessary. An athlete can run more than one distance (i.e., take two or three legs for their team).
Egg & Spoon Relay: This is a shuttle relay with teams of six athletes, made up of those who register and express interest in participating. It is primarily a fun event.
Seated Start Relay: Teams of six athletes are split in half and sit 20m apart. One athlete starts and runs to their partner 20m away, who is seated upright with legs out straight, arms folded, and facing away from the incoming runner. This continues until all teams finish. The partner can only start when the incoming runner taps them on the shoulder. The winning team must all be seated to show they are finished, so the first team to have all their runners seated is the winner.
Shuttle Relays: Sprint relays on the track, consisting of teams of six athletes, preferably in bare feet or "flats" for safety. The distance is 40m, with two lanes per team. Batons are exchanged, and runners may not start until their teammate arrives and the pass is complete.
Rope Relay: This relay uses the same teams as the shuttle relay. Each team has a 10m rope and stands facing their teammates, 10m away. The first runner holds one end of the rope vertically and runs to their partner, exchanging the end of the rope. This continues until all athletes have returned to their starting positions and are seated.
Throw Like Val: This shot put event requires participants to throw from a line past flags marked at 2m, 3m, 4m, etc. Points are allocated according to the distance thrown. Teams are in pairs, and medals are awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in each age group, combining boys and girls. Teams of two can mix a boy and girl if desired. Athletes under 10 use a blue (indoor) soft shot, while those aged 11 to 13 use a 3kg shot, and athletes aged 14 years use a 4kg shot.
Long Jump off Box: Another quick-fire event in pairs, jumping for points off a 10cm box. The maximum length approach to speed up the event is 12m. Points are scored by jumping past flags set at 3m, 3.5m, 4m, 4.5m, 5m, and 5.5m. Medals are awarded to the top pairs. Teams can consist of a boy and a girl if needed.

Middle Distance Relays:

Paarlauf Relay, Seniors to Over 14s: Teams consist of two athletes. Athletes can take over from their partner at any point on the track. A hand touch must occur (e.g., the first athlete runs 200m, and the second athlete runs 300m) while the first runner jogs to the 300m start for the next leg. Athletes can be creative in their strategies.
Medley Relay: For grades U16 up to Open. The order is 600m, 600m, 500m, and 500m. The start line will be at the 200m start area, finishing at the normal finish line. All grades will start simultaneously.
Devil Take the Hindmost: Open to all participants; everyone starts together at the finish line. If there are more than ten starters, one (the last) will drop out every 200m. If fewer than ten starters are present, no one drops out after 400m, but two drop out after each successive 200m.

Sprint Relays:

4x100m Relay: This follows the standard race format, using the 30m change zone on the 400m track. Teams consist of U16 up to seniors. Teams can include younger athletes; for example, a U20 team can have U18s and/or U16s. Teams must be single-sex, consisting of all boys or all girls. Teams can comprise athletes from more than one club.
Medley Relay (200m, 100m, 100m): The first leg is 200m, starting from the 400m mark and using 4x100m change zones. Teams consist of three athletes of the same age or younger, with the same eligibility criteria as the 4x100m relay. Medals will be awarded per age group.