Tough Mudder to return to New Zealand after inaugural event success

Having attracted 6,000 competitors to North Waikato over the ANZAC Day weekend, the Tough Mudder adventure challenge is due to return in 2015.

Held at the Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, New Zealand's first Tough Mudder event saw participants threw themselves over a 20 kilometre course littered with obstacles including mud, fire, ice-water, a greasy quarter-pipe and live electrical wires.

Since being founded by a former British Special Forces counter-terrorism agent in 2010, Tough Mudder has seen more than a million participants across three continents muddy up and complete the challenge.

Tough Mudder Asia Pacific Senior Vice President Drew Ward said that the first New Zealand event exceeded his expectations and he was certain to return next year.

Ward explained "it's the first time we've come here and based on the feedback we've received, we will certainly be back."

Calling itself 'Probably the Toughest Event on the Planet',” Tough Mudder demands its ‘Mudders’ undertake a challenge designed to test all-around strength, stamina, mental grit and teamwork.

At the Hampton Downs event, Ward said participants had to dive under the iced water, measured on the day at one degree Celsius, for up to 20 seconds and the looks on their faces when they emerged were "priceless."

He told Fairfax New Zealand "(the event) does strip people back to what you would describe as some very, very raw emotions.

"They are pretty confronting and no-one can really maintain the poker face throughout."

Ward concluded “Kiwis have a reputation for being hard core so we thought it was about time we got down here, organised an event and let the Kiwis prove what they're made of.

“In many ways New Zealand is the home of adventure sport but Tough Mudder is something completely different. Our events are not just for die-hard adventure sports fanatics – they’re for anyone who has the will to train and the guts to take it on. Tough Mudder is not a race, but a personal or team challenge to test strength, stamina and camaraderie.

Click here to visit the Tough Mudder website.

Click here to watch the Tough Mudder video.