Last year, descendants of Ngāti Ruamahue in Ngāpuhi hoped to establish their own version of the popular IronMāori event.
That hope came to fruition as yesterday marked the start of the inaugural Ironmahue event.
The event consisted of a 1km swim and a 10km run from Wainui Bay to Mahinepua Bay and back.
An estimated 300 keen competitors turned up to the event in Wainui where they prepared themselves for the challenge ahead.
According to Sailor Morgan, “The beauty of this event is that it's for everyone."
“It's not just for those who are expert swimmers and runners. It's for everyone, families and their children and grandchildren.”
The organisers of this event want Ironmahue to grow even more in the years to come.
Sailor says, “An invitation has been sent to various marae who want to come and participate in this event and support their people.
“They can come here and represent their iwi and their desires.”