Challenge Wanaka Triathlon Festival – January 11-17 2009

The Challenge Wanaka Team is building up to their triathlon festival:

Challenge Wanaka, the world’s most scenic iron distance triathlon, has grown into a week long festival of triathlon for 2009, featuring events for all ages and abilities in one of the most spectacular settings possible, the shores of Lake Wanaka.

The festival kicks off on Sunday January 11 with the Puzzling World Junior Challenge for budding triathletes aged six to fifteen. There’s also a 5km Fun Run and Swim the Course during the week before the two highlight events.

The streets of downtown Wanaka turn into a high speed race circuit on Friday January 16 when New Zealand’s top triathletes, including Olympians and national champions compete in the Contact Tri Series. This thrilling criterium style racing is a huge hit with spectators and provides exciting race conditions for the athletes as they compete in this, the first of four national sprint races to decide the national championship.

The week culminates with the flagship Challenge Wanaka race on Saturday January 17 when top professional ironmen and women from around the world join hundreds of regular athletes to take on the gruelling 226km course which features a 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42.2km run. Thousands of spectators line the route and finish chute cheering on these inspirational contenders as they compete in the most arduous of the triathlon disciplines. The finish line is in the heart of the Lake Wanaka township and in true ‘Challenge’ style, there’s a fun finish line party with music and fireworks to welcome the athletes home late into the night.

Author – Challenge Wanaka is part of the global TEAMChallenge Series that includes six events in Germany, France and Spain as well as New Zealand. For further information visit www.challenge-wanaka.com.

Enjoy the Crunch and Credit

New Kitset Vegetable & Herb Garden Makes Growing Your Own Easy:

As rising living costs bear down on household budgets, one green-fingered Queenstown entrepreneur is offering locals a way of enjoying the crunch and the credit.

Easy Veg, a new one-stop kitset vegetable and herb garden, is now available www.easyveg.co.nz.  Display gardens can be viewed at Queenstown’s Mitre 10 store and the Shotover Garden Centre and will soon be accessible in Wanaka, Alexandra and Cromwell.

The brainchild of longtime local and experienced viticulturist Mick Palmer, Easy Veg is a cost-effective, easy to assemble garden, perfect for those wanting to grow their own produce to save money, eat healthily and savour the flavour of super-fresh organic vegetables.

“Vege gardens were a way of life for our older generation but have lost momentum in the last few years,” he said.

“Now that times are tighter there’s been a massive increase in people getting back to basics and growing their own veges.  It’s a win-win situation because they avoid high supermarket prices, guarantee their produce is organic, and have the satisfaction of eating what they grow straight from the garden.

“Imagine walking out to your Easy Veg garden and picking your own organic tomatoes and salad – tomatoes that smell like tomatoes, look like tomatoes and taste like tomatoes!  Within five minutes you’re inside, slicing the still-warm tomatoes and laying them on a slice of toast.

“Easy Veg isn’t rocket science but being able to have your vege garden delivered, installed and planted within four hours will make others green with envy.

“You can install it yourself or we can do some or all of it for you.  We leave the best bit of planting the garden up to you and through our gardening, organics and natural pest control guides we supply you with all the information you need to be a successful gardener, from a novice to producer.

“Best of all, if you follow my advice your garden will be low maintenance and weed free!”

Easy Veg kitset vegetable gardens come in four sizes – Getafix (0.5m x 1.2m x 0.3m herb garden, Herbie (1.2m x 1.2m x 0.3m vege garden), Alfresco (2.1 x 1.2m x 0.3m vege garden) and Gourmet (3.0m x 1.2m x 0.3m vege garden) with options to install on lawns, decks and patios.

Growing time can be extended with Easy Veg’s custom-built greenhouse and frost protection kitset at a fraction of the cost of a glass or greenhouse.  The kitset framework is environmentally friendly and made from sustainable non-toxic Macrocarpa.

Mick came up with the Easy Veg idea through his love of gardening and knowledge of soils, nutrients, irrigation and plant growth.

“People spend a lot of money on buying veges when they could be getting them straight out of their garden.  I was getting a lot of questions from people who want to grow and eat great produce but did not have the time, knowledge, or ability.  I’ve established several raised vege gardens around my house which are all organic and weed free so I wanted to pass on my knowledge to make it fun and easy for people to create their own bit of Eden.  As part of the Easy Veg service I also do a monthly service check on all gardens.”

Mick believes that it’s never too soon to learn how to garden so has donated one of his gardens, with materials and plants supplied by Mitre 10 Frankton, to Queenstown’s ABC Childcare Centre.

ABC director Pip Walsh said it would be a great learning opportunity for the children.

“It’s absolutely fantastic and provides a great opportunity for the children to get back to basics and learn about responsibility, caring for their environment and healthy eating.  Mick was great with them – he spent ages answering all their questions and showing them how to care for the garden.  We couldn’t tear the children away!  We’ve already set up a water roster and I can see it’s going to be a great summer project for them.”

Author - EasyVeg  – To order an Easy Veg garden or get more information, visit www.easy-veg.co.nz