WITH rahui in place on the Waioeka River, Motu Challenge organisers have removed the 27-kilometre kayaking leg from Saturday’s race.

It means the race will be remembered for two reasons – having no kayak leg and being the final Motu Challenge.

Ōpōtiki’s Barry Hennessy says he’s sad to see the Motu Challenge era come to an end but will enjoy taking part in the swan song.

“I first took part in the competition in 1995, which was the second year it was held,” he said.

“It was David Towersey, Kieran Hickey, me and Pat Theobald – we signed up as a challenge to the police who entered two teams the first year.”

Fast forward 29 years and Hennessy will do the mountain bike component of this weekend’s race with runners Adina Stewart and Jenika Redpath, original member and support crew Kieran Hickey, road cyclists Liz White, Michael Carrol and Ōpōtiki Mayor David Moore.

Hennessy said Redpath was the daughter of Theobald and White was the sister of Hickey.

“The fact I am doing it with Liz and Jenika make the last hurrah that much more special.”

Hennessy said he had done about half of the events over the past 31 years as a competitor and had volunteered in most of the others.

“I have always enjoyed the team aspect of it,” he said.

Most of the time he has done the mountain biking stage, but he has also tried the road cycle and kayak stages, along with the Motu 160.

“I have been up training on the Motu Road a couple of times lately and realize how age catches up on you and those hills are a lot harder to climb than they used to be,” Hennessy said.

“I promised myself after this weekend I will never ride a bike up there again.”

The removal of the kayak leg has seen some corporate teams pull out, but plenty of competition is still expected for the race with a good field signed up, including some big names.

Four-time champion Sam Clark is back to tackle the individual leg along with race veteran Brad McNamara and Elina Ussher who is hoping to go home victorious in the women’s division.

With the rahui in place, the road bike has been extended with individuals carrying on cycling and riding a full 83-kilometres, stopping at the dairy factory. Teams can opt to swap out if they like and let someone else do the final 25km bike. The mountain bike and run remain the same.

The changes only affect the multisport competitors and the long duathlete’s and 160 riders will continue as normal.