Kei nga ihoiho o nga maunga whakahi kei nga wai whakatere taniwha nau mai tahuti mai ki Te Hui. Ko Mihingarangi tenei e mihi atu nei ki a koutou katoa. Welcome to The Hui ` Maori current affairs for all New Zealanders. E taro ake nei... IronMaori has transformed the lives of thousands of ordinary people. Now it's time for one of its founders to have his life transformed. Every year, Ironman select a few people globally to race at the Ironman World Championship, and you, my friend, you are one of them. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) Wayne has been awarded entry to compete at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. Dreams do come true, and it's happening now. We join Wayne Skipworth as he realises his dream of competing in Hawaii amongst the world's best. Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2019 Karahuihui mai. Every year, the ultimate endurance race we know as Ironman invites a handful of global ambassadors to compete ` individuals recognised for their physical and mental strength. This year, New Zealand's IronMaori founder, Wayne Skipworth, is one of them. The Hui's Rewa Harriman and Tofilau Arthur Rasmussen followed him to Hawaii as he embarked on the race of his life. (EXPECTANT MUSIC BUILDS) The Ironman World Championships in Hawaii is an event like no other. It's just the conditions ` the wind, the heat ` just the buzz around the event. For first-timers, it's so much to cope with. So on all counts, it's massively challenging. And amongst its competitors ` IronMaori legend Wayne Skipworth. Whoo! Hey! This is the 10-year dream. Now Wayne is getting ready to put himself to the test ` competing against the world's best in Hawaii. Dreams do come true, and it's happening now. (CHEERING, WHOOPING) At the foot of the Heretaunga Ranges lies the sleepy village of Pakipaki, home to IronMaori founders Wayne and Heather Skipworth. I'll just write you a receipt. It's a busy morning for the couple, with another IronMaori event to prepare for. Tahi. Timata! 10 years on from their first competition, the kaupapa behind IronMaori is still the same. It's about whanaungatanga and manaakitanga, and it's about like-minded people getting together to achieve a goal that they've set for themselves. And once they've achieved it, feeling that sense of achievement, transferring it into their everyday lives ` that's IronMaori. IronMaori was established in 2009 with 300 participants. It now attracts 6000 competitors, making it the largest half- and quarter-triathlon in Aotearoa. Iron is the warrior instinct in us, and Maori is who we are, so that was going to be the magnet to attract our whanau, which it did. While it's a kaupapa Maori competition, it's open to everyone, and they all come. Did you ever think it would be as big as it is today? No, never at all, did we, Heather? I thought we were just looking after Kahungunu, you know? I just thought, 'All right, it's the whanau around here,' and it just grew exponentially, so, yeah, it blew our minds. So, we're gonna have them stop here. While Heather runs the ship in their humble office in Hastings, Wayne is in charge of merchandise and training. 34 seconds, then we're gonna pick up the pace. He leads by example. He's approachable. And that's the difference with IronMaori; you're never too good to not ride with the slowest. Waiora Rogers is an IronMaori ambassador and a regular at Wayne's spin class. It's the most wonderful thing you can belong to, and seeing our people, you know, all shapes and sizes ` it's... it's wonderful. It's something that's really done a lot for our people. The 72-year-old has run in over 30 marathons and competed at all the half IronMaori events plus some of the quarters. When we first started, Aunty was 62, and we'd go for a run out in the Havelock hills, and I'm, like, trying to catch Aunty Waiora, and I was, like, 30, mid-30s. And I'm thinking, 'What's wrong with this picture?' And at first, it was embarrassment, and then it was like, 'No, that's actually admiration and inspiration that when I get to 60, I should look forward to that, 'cos I can still do what Aunty's doing.' IronMaori has transformed the lives of thousands of ordinary people, like Albie Hawea. This is Rawiri. Rawiri. Kia ora, whanau. I needed something to help me, and IronMaori was the vehicle I used to help me. It's led on to good health. It's led on to people believing in themselves. And I just want to say that it's given me an opportunity to go and do Ironman in Taupo, which I would never have been able to do. And I can say to this day, if it wasn't for IronMaori, I wouldn't have be doing seven half-tries, I wouldn't be doing Rotorua marathon, and I certainly wouldn't have done Taupo Ironman. Heather believes it's because their event is for Maori by Maori. Maori initiatives work because they're values-based; they're not government-led, fed or box tickers. They're about what the whanau want out of it. So, when people come to IronMaori, it's a smoke-free, alcohol-free and drug-free kaupapa. But not once do we say, 'Oh, if you wanna come to a spin class, you must be drug-free,' da da da da. By association, eventually, people don't want to do that type of thing, because they enjoy the company, and that company doesn't come with that. So just by association, people stop smoking, they stop drinking. And in July this year, Wayne's contribution to the sport was rewarded with a golden ticket to the World Championships in Hawaii. Heather took the initial call from Ironman New Zealand. What he said was that the Ironman New Zealand team had nominated him and that he had been picked, and they'll pay for his flights and accommodation and his entry. And do I think he'll do it, and is he fit enough to do it? I said, 'Oh, he's gonna do it. 'And, yes, I think he'll be fit enough. 'We've got a good coach that'll get him there.' Ironman New Zealand surprised their new ambassador while teaching his spin class. OK, so, Wayne has no idea. So this is gonna be a huge surprise for him. We worked out how we could stage this without him knowing. So, it was about three weeks when I got told. (APPLAUSE, CHEERING) Kia ora, whanau. Come the day, I was just... I couldn't wait to get it out. Like, lying to Wayne was so hard. So, Wayne, this is the story, my friend. Every year, Ironman select a few people globally... to be ambassadors to race at the Ironman World Championship, Kailua-Kona. And you, my friend,... you are one of them. (CHEERING, WHOOPING, APPLAUSE) When he told me, the first thing I thought ` 'Is that for next year?' You know, the following year. He goes, 'No, it's in about 11 weeks' time.' And I went, 'OK. No, I can do this.' His community says there's nobody more deserving than Wayne. I was rapt for him. A Maori representing New Zealand at Ironman ` it's a worldwide event. He trains hard, and he promotes it hard, but he's always giving, and he's always talking to people and then he's sharing his knowledge and that. Plus, he's a great father, and he's a great husband, yeah. With only 11 weeks to prepare for the biggest event of his life, Wayne has put everything aside to focus in on his training for the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. Most of the week, I'm training twice a day ` gym work, swimming, cycling in the afternoon, spin classes. And the hours are slowly increasing as I get closer to the event. And then with my greens, higher in... iron, fibre. Just as important as training is Wayne's nutrition. Fuelling his body is essential for Wayne's intense training regime. (BLENDER WHIRRS) When you're doing training for Ironman, or doing Ironman, you've always gotta think two hours ahead. One thing you don't wanna do is hit the wall and run out of energy, cos once you hit that, it's hard to recover. So in Ironman, it sorta trains you to always think ahead ` not just in nutrition but everything, you know? But Wayne wouldn't be able to prepare like this without Heather, who's making sure her husband can commit fully to his goal. It's about making sure that his build-up is good, cos on the day, he's representing all of us. So if I can do all the mundane, hard stuff for him now, then he'll produce for us on the day. And that means Wayne can focus on the mammoth task ahead. I'm leaving 10 days out, just to go there and get used to the heat, and then go on the course, train on the course, swim on the course, run on the course... and get hyped up with all the other athletes. Next ` we join Wayne in Hawaii as he prepares to take on the world's best. I'm not a superstar, but I felt like I was a superstar. Just how I've been treated ` treated like... royalty. Kia mau tonu mai ra. E hoa ma ka hoki mai akuanei. IronMaori founder Wayne Skipworth is about to take up the greatest wero of his life as he competes in the global Ironman challenge. He's no novice to the mega-sport; the 56-year-old has nine New Zealand Ironman events under his belt. But how will he stack up against the world's greatest in Hawaii? Hawaii ` the picture-perfect backdrop for the toughest Ironman on the planet. So I got here. I got a hell of a fright, because the humidity and the heat was just melting me. With just over a week to adjust to the conditions before race day, Wayne has been getting stuck in to his preparations. So, when I got here, I was tapering. So, the biggest swim I had was a 40-minute swim. And then a couple of days later, it was a 30-minute swim. Then my biggest ride was three-hour ride out past the airport on to the lava plateaus. And then it went down to a one-hour bike ride. Alone for the week, it's not just the physical preparation that's challenging. Uh, mentally, it was quite intense. On my mind was 'I have to finish'. It wasn't just for me, but I had IronMaori whanau. I had Aotearoa New Zealand and Oceania, and that was a bit of weight to carry, and there was no such thing of not finishing. I had to finish. So, yeah, it was pretty heavy. It's the day before race day, and Heather is back by his side. Go, darling. Wayne is dropping off his bike and gear to the transition area ` one step closer to race day. Oh, here we have Wayne Skipworth, joining us from New Zealand. He started IronMaori. I felt like I was a celebrity. And they call your name out, where you're from. I'm not a superstar, but I felt like I was a superstar. That's how I've been treated ` treated like... royalty. Thinking about tomorrow and what it means to race is emotional ` the realisation of a dream. Coming down Ali'i Drive towards the finish line ` that's my dream. Completing the whole day, you know? This is the 10-year dream. (POIGNANT MUSIC) Very emotional. Yeah. Dreams do come true, and it's happening now. I've had so much support, you know, with Heather, my kids, my whanau, IronMaori, New Zealand Aotearoa ` they're all with me. It's race day, and even before the sun rises, the atmosphere is electric, with athletes and supporters buzzing around the venue. As anticipation builds, Wayne and Heather start their day with a karakia. Then it's off to prepare for the start line. Waves of competitors come through the lanes, awaiting the start of their race. The vibe's, yeah, amazing. One thing I regret is not bringing our tino rangatiratanga flag over. Amongst the 2500 competitors, living out his dream, is IronMaori king Wayne Skipworth. How are you feeling? You ready? Yeah. I'm ready. I just wanna get in the water now. The Ironman World Championships has been held annually in Hawaii since 1978, and Wayne's group is the last to head out to the start line. (HORN BLOWS) The sea was a bit rough. It was quite rolly. Some big swells were coming in. The swim is the shortest distance of the race before they get on the bike. MAN: Looking good, brother. Just as expected, Wayne has come through the swim leg in around the hour 20 mark, but not without some challenges. (WHOOPING, CHEERING) I lost my glasses! Oh. Lost his glasses. Yeah, that's about his normal Ironman swim time, so he'll be pleased with that. He'll be thinking about his glasses, and then he'll be like, 'Too bad. They're gone.' He's lost his glasses, but he can't stop. It's on to the cycle leg ` a massive 180km ` which will be even more challenging without them. He said he's looking at about seven hours. I reckon he'll do earlier, but he reckons seven hours. The competitors head north out of town towards the tip of the island, and then they make their way back to base. He'll be thinking, 'Take your time, pace yourself, 'make sure you have your nutrition on time.' Hydration's really important so he doesn't dehydrate. Thank you! Thank you, guys! Aside from the actual distance, it's the wind that will trouble the cyclists. But not Wayne. There was times when you were biking on an angle` you're leaning into the wind. So there's no goggles. You know, you got the bits of dust and insects flying around, but you just got to go with it. As Wayne makes it back to town, his support crew is waiting. Usually, we're on the outside watching, going, 'Oh,' you know, 'it would be so cool.' And we had someone on the inside. So we kind of felt like we were on the inside. Hey, darling. BOTH: Mwah. Oh, you're dusty and sweaty. I know. It's beautiful out there. (CHUCKLES) See you later. You've got a massive run! See ya soon! Bye! Heather, that's two thirds, I guess, of the course done. How will he be feeling now? He's amped. He's fizzing. I can see; he's pumping. He's happy as. He did a massive bike ride, especially in the 30-degree heat. We were tracking him. He was passing people, and let's hope that's to his advantage. But, um, he's never looked like that coming off a bike at a normal New Zealand Ironman, so I'm happy for him. Awesome. (APPLAUSE, CHEERING) This truly is one of the toughest Ironman on the planet, with the conditions ` 30-degree heat ` and the terrain. The other challenge for Wayne is finishing in the allotted timeslot, which is 17 hours for the entire event. He's tracking well, though. After the swim and the cycle finishing just over eight hours, he's now on to the final stretch with the run. And it's Wayne's whanau and friends that will carry him through his last leg. You know, having them there, that's a huge boost, cos they're... they're you. We're one. Yeah. Very proud. Very honoured. And, um, everyone knows Heather. She's a super supporter, and just having her there encourages you even more. (APPLAUSE) Very good! As night falls, the wait begins. It's now 14 hours since Wayne started the race, but Wayne is savouring the last few kilometres. About three K's out. You're heading down towards where we first started, and you can hear Mike Reilly in the background calling everyone an Ironman. OVER SPEAKER: You... are... an Ironman! And then you know... you know you're going to finish. So as I got down, further down, and probably the last 500m, 600m, there's just thousands of people screaming out to you, 'You're an Ironman!' It was like waiting at the altar. Yeah. That's how it felt. It was like I was waiting for my man to come through... and, um, marry me. (CHUCKLES) It felt like everyone was there, you know ` a wairua. And it was like, 'Kona, meet IronMaori.' That's how it felt. It was like an introduction to a new relationship. After weeks of sacrifice, thousands of hours training and hundreds of kilometres raced, Wayne is a Hawaiian Ironman for the first time. Let's welcome Wayne Skipworth! You... are... an Ironman! Wayne, you are an IronMaori! They say that there's nothing like your first Ironman. But this one here in Kona was like my first. This is the pinnacle of all Ironmans. You're around with the top athletes in the world. And I felt part of that. (UPLIFTING MUSIC) I felt like I was in my realm. When I do something, I like to think I do the best that I can be and be with the best. And I just felt like I was with the best, being the best that I could be. Yeah. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) (GENTLE PIANO MUSIC FADES) Uh, kei a koe, Wayne. You are the best. Na Rewa Harriman tera purongo. After the break, we check out new music from one of Aotearoa's brightest gospel talents, Kaaterama Pou. Before we hear the sweet sounds of Kaaterama Pou, next week ` hei tera wiki ` we meet the Kapea siblings who are making their mark on the arts scene in Poneke. Music... and modelling are just two of the Kapea kids' many talents. This is about as far from a rugby field as you can get, right? (CHUCKLES) Yeah, I would say it's about the polar opposite, yep. They're the creative former kapa haka performers who are now on the fashion stage, wowing a new audience. When people ask about the show, I say it's a really interesting combination between fashion, art, circus, theatre and dance. And together, Rawiri and Tarikura Kapea are realising their artistic ambitions. For the last two months, we've worked together and lived together, so, yeah, there's been a lot of time spent where it's just us two ` us two rolling against the world. Kua hikina te hui mo tenei ra. But before we go, we'd like to leave you with this rendition of 'Te Whetu Marama', sung by one of Aotearoa's brightest gospel talents, Kaaterama Pou. Pai marire ki a koutou katoa. (WOMAN SINGS IN MAORI) (WOMAN SINGS IN MAORI) (WOMAN SINGS IN MAORI, CHOIR JOINS) (WOMAN SINGS IN MAORI) (SINGS IN MAORI) (PIANO CONTINUES) (SINGS IN MAORI) (SINGS IN MAORI) (SINGS IN MAORI) (CHOIR JOINS) (ALL SING IN MAORI) (WOMAN SINGS IN MAORI) (CHOIR JOINS) (SONG CONTINUES, MUSIC BUILDS) (ALL SING HARMONIOUSLY) (ALL SING IN MAORI) (CHOIR STOPS) (SINGS IN MAORI) (SINGS SOFTLY IN MAORI) (SINGS IN MAORI) (ALL SING HARMONIOUSLY) (CHOIR CEASE) (SINGS SOFTLY IN MAORI) (SINGS IN MAORI) (CHOIR REJOIN, MUSIC BUILDS) (MUSIC SOFTENS) Captions by Able. Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2019 (MUSIC CONTINUES) (ALL SING HARMONIOUSLY) (SONG ENDS) ALL: He mea tautoko na Te Mangai Paho. The Hui is made with support from NZ On Air.