This year’s 2023 Kathmandu Coast to Coast Academy prize pack has been awarded to Queenstown’s Wakatipu High School, heading off a string of high school entries from around the country.

The team of three, which includes Josh Watson, Pete Davis and Tom Schenk, have won a Two-Day School Team entry into the sold-out event, a kayak from Barracuda Kayaks for their school, a $1000 clothing pack from principal partner Kathmandu, and coaching sessions from Kathmandu Coast to Coast Ambassadors.

“Queenstown and the Lakes District are known for their multisporters. Recent winners Braden Currie, Dougal Allan and Simone Maier are all based within the region, so it’s great to see their influence rubbing off on the next generation,” says Currie.

The Academy's primary goal is to provide young people with knowledge and equipment to encourage them to participate in multisport activities and complete the Kathmandu Coast to Coast event.

“Making the Kathmandu Coast to Coast accessible to all ages has been a top priority for many years. We are able to provide this opportunity to secondary school students thanks to the ongoing support of our race partners, including our main partner Kathmandu,” Currie added.

Watson, who will be tackling the kayak section of the race, has enjoyed getting into multisport while still at secondary school. “I love the challenge, especially the mental side. I keep pushing myself to overcome any barriers I encounter while racing. I tell myself it's not a sprint; it's about managing my energy levels to enable me to keep going.”

Watson will be joined by Davis, who will be tackling the three bike sections, and Shenk, who will be running up and over Goat Pass. With a joint love of multisport and having previously competed in races together, it was an easy decision to form a three-person team and enter the Kathmandu Coast to Coast. “We’re all super excited to compete together and look forward to getting out on the course,” says Watson.The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.