Boost for tourism expected

Press, 18 December 1985, Page 8

Boost for tourism expected

PA Wellington New Zealand’s image as an adventure tourist destination could be boosted by significant news media coverage of the 1986 Steinlager Coast to Coast endurance event in February. Three American sports magazines and a reporter and photographer of the “Australian” newspaper would cover the event on February 1 and 2, said the organiser, Mr RobinT'Jud-

kins, yesterday. “New Zealand is the adventure holiday playground and the press who are coming from overseas all see the event as an amazing pictorial spread,” he said. The Hawaii Ironman event had become a tourist hit because its course around the island was unique. “Our event is headed the same way because it goes right across an island,” Mr

Judkins said. The San Francisco-based "Tri-Athlete” monthly magazine and the Los Angeles-based “Triathlon” monthly both planned to run six pages of photographs and editorial about the event Both have circulations of about 200,000 and readerships of about 600,000. The third largest United States, triathlon magazine, “Ultraßport,” will also

feature the Coast to Coast through an article written by a professional triathlete, Dave Homing, who will compete. Competitors will leave Kumara on the West Coast with the aim of reaching the beach in Sumner, Christchurch. On the way they will have to cycle 145 km in three stages, run 26km of mountain terrain, and kayak 67km down the Waimakeriri River. -I