A POPULAR Eastern Bay multisport race is on its way to heaven.

After 31 years, the Motu Challenge has come to an end – for now anyway.

With all the organisers opting to step aside, the time felt right to send the race off into the wilderness.

For the final event on Saturday,  the weather gods played ball, after a chilly mountain bike the sun came out and stayed out for the rest of the day.

It was the first time in the race’s history that the back-up course was needed and, fittingly, it was the final edition of the race.

Due to a rahui on the river, the kayak leg was replaced with an added bike leg.

Motu Challenge race organiser Jarrod Teddy said everything went well.

“It was great. The weather was beautiful. Everyone had a good time at the prizegiving and we just enjoyed ourselves.

“I am excited. We are all happy. Happy for a new chapter. We’ve done our thing for the community.”

Teddy said it had been an awesome race to be involved with, but it was time to move on.

“I said at the pre-race briefing this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the last race ever, it’s just the last Motu the current group will ever be part of.”

There were no hiccups, everyone enjoyed the extra 20-odd kilometres they were forced to bike and it made for some quick times.

“If you look at Sam’s (Clark) time, the times were about an hour-and-a-half quicker. It meant we were all at the finish line quicker, lazing around in the sun, drinking beer and just enjoying what had been an awesome event for 31 years. Prizegiving was also earlier.

“It was a good send off for an iconic event that has been run by the same people for the last two decades.”

Whakatāne’s Clark took out the final edition, finishing in five hours and 49 minutes, while stalwart Elina Ussher, who first tackled the race in 2006 and has won it 11 times, claimed the women’s grade with a time of six hours and 56 minutes. .

The first male team home in the two-person category was the A team in six hours, two minutes and seven seconds.

Maystreet Boys were the first four-person male side to cross the line, while the female teams were the Dabchicks comeback in the four-person and Mummy and me in the two-person, while Jarra took the mixed division.

Isaac Morris was the victor on the men’s short course, with Tesh McIntosh winning the female equivalent.

Oliver Christie took out the secondary school leg, with his brother Xavier in second.

The Riverlock 160 was won by Quintus Vermeulen, and Shelley Friedrich bagged the women’s class. Crazy Horses from Hamilton and Dazza and Kezza were the best 160 teams.

Thomas Bulkeley claimed the long course duathlon for the men, with Charlotte Baken the women’s winner.

Clarkeworthy and Tall and Old were the two best teams in the duathlon.

Its demise now leaves a big hole in the multisport calendar for North Island athletes and it is a race that’s going to be sorely missed.