Mud, sweat and tears | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

Muddy, wet, sweating and  near exhaustion is how the multitude of contestants in the annual Waikato Draught Tough Guy and Gal Challenge were left feeling.

The first leg of the two-weekend event was at Rotorua's Lakes Ranch on Saturday as torrential rain drenched the city.

Event organiser Troy Wilson said it was a "brilliant" day for those who took part.

There were 2300 competitors booked to take part in each of the two-day events, with the second to be held next weekend.

"It was absolutely fantastic - a lot of fun," he said.

Participants ran either a 6km or 12km event navigating obstacles through swamps, water trails, a spider's web net climb and hurdles racing for the finish line.
 Hamilton's Phil Murray, who is a previous repeat winner of the event, was the first man across the finish line of the "gruelling" event with a time of one hour, 24 seconds.

He will be defending  his title at next weekend's final.

The winners of each category were:

6km Female (13-39 age group) - Susie Artz, Whangamata

6km Male (13-39) - Hamish Townshend, Tauranga

6km Female (40+) - Michelle Middleton, Napier

6km Male (40+) - Ron Middleton, Napier

12km Female (13-39) - Gabby Rogers, Cambridge

12km Male (13-39) - Phil Murray, Hamilton

12km Female (40+) - Claudine Allan,  Waitakere

12 Male (40+) - Dion Hardy, Hamilton