Moutere’s upper and lower strength facility
Julia Kelly and Kevin Ford have unleashed their inner warrior by constructing a leading New Zealand obstacle course in the Moutere Hills. Photo: Gordon Preece.
Nelson Obstacle Park in the Moutere Hills is climbing the walls and swinging into the growing world of competitive obstacle course racing in Aotearoa.
Personal trainer Julia Kelly and her builder partner Kevin Ford, who both live in Nelson, have transformed 104 hectares of bushland into a purpose-built obstacle park with 50 arduous obstacles over four courses ranging between 2.5 and 10km.
The couple have also revitalised the annual Wairua Warrior event at their Moutere Highway venue with the first under their ownership taking place in September last year, pulling in 540 international and domestic competitors.
The event was previously owned by Greg and Donna Witika and held at Cable Bay Adventure Park, before the pair moved up north.
Julia says it took three months of “hard slog” and “sleepless nights” in May last year to construct the “only permanent [obstacle] park in New Zealand” with assistance from local donors and sponsors.
“It has got over 50 obstacles, we’ve got something called a Valkyrie, it’s a great big scaffolding arch with hoops hanging off it and you go up and over with your hands,” she says.
“We’ve got a warrior ladder, which is two ladders, huge wooden ones against each other, and the competitor has to use their hands to go up the inside, across the top, and come back down again.”
Julia says to go from bush to a dedicated obstacle course and a platform for a bustling local sports event was “absolutely amazing” for her and Kevin, who is also a globetrotting obstacle course competitor.
“To see all that finally come to fruition was quite overwhelming, it was breathtaking, it was beautiful, and to be able to provide a service like that was incredible,” she says.
Julia says she and Kevin are also members of the New Zealand Obstacle Sport Association which arranges obstacle course athletes’ entries in major events like the OCR World Championships and the Olympics.
She says a group of Nelsonians are currently training for the world champs in Costa Rica in August, including her partner, Cody Scott, Roydon Hawks, Gareth Moore and Nathan Edwards, and the park is a game-changer for them.
“A lot of these guys will be the ones that will be applying for the Olympics,” she says.
“There’s a point system, each race gives you points, there are only four events annually in New Zealand, and we’ve got three of the points.
“The more points you get, the more likely you are to represent New Zealand and at some point the Olympics.”
Julia says the next Wairua Warrior event at the park will be held between 25 and 26 May.
Open days are also held at the park at the end of each month for anyone to unleash their inner warrior. They also offer private bookings for individuals and groups throughout the year.
Go here for more information and to register for the Wairua Warrior and individual and group use.