34 Touch teams, from across Auckland, battled it out in the Annual Waiheke Touch Challenge. This was the most number of teams participating in the event, since it started running in the 90’s. The Waiheke Local board, Fuller Ferries, touchrugby.co.nz and Waiheke Island Rugby Club all came to the party to make the event a huge success and hopefully an annual highlight to be enjoyed by locals and visitors every year.
In keeping to strict event gathering rules and separating the competition into 6 sections, made the “logistics” very challenging. The 6am and 7am ferries into the island were packed with masked teams and supporters all with the grand ambition to run out champions! The return ferries were full of stiff, sunburned but otherwise happy participants vowing to make 2023 their year!
In the end the following teams ran out champions of the respective grades,
Mens A – Pearl Jam
Mixed A – JAGS
Mixed B – Revelations Girls
Mens B – Can’t Touch This
Mens Masters- Howick Old Boys
Mixed Social – Tap N Gap
At 2:10pm, instead of taking a LUNCH break, 1 sadistic representative from each team was required to compete in the “HILL Challenge”. This simple “up and down” run of the massive hill at ONETANGI SPORTS PARK has become great fun for spectators. Keeping all the teams entertained in their bubbles and socially distanced, when not playing Touch of course, was DJ Manchoo playing the perfect social Sports music and mixes.
Any local teams or organisations wanting to get involved in the 2023 event are welcome to get in touch with the event organisers masssporttrust@gmail.com or touchrugby.co.nz