ARCHIVED RACE: Cigna Round the Bays @ Wellington’s Waterfront, Wellington, New Zealand on 22 February 2015

Cigna Round the Bays is the region’s premier community event, hosted annually by Sport Wellington, which attracts a diverse range of people from within the Wellington region and further abroad. The 2014 Round the Bays saw over 14,000 people walk and run their way around the beautiful waterfront bays of Wellington.

The event includes a 6.5km fun run, walk and wheelchair option, popular with participants of all ages and abilities. Also included is a 6.5km Buggy Walk, 10km distance option for those looking for a bit more of a challenge, and an officially measured and sanctioned half marathon.

All three distance options start at Frank Kitts Park and make their way around Wellington’s picturesque inner city bays before converging on Kilbirnie Park for post-race festivities. Participants are met by a fun-filled festival atmosphere complete with live music, food & BBQs, spot prizes and plenty of fun activities for the whole family. Corporate teams are invited to hire their own marquees and BBQ sites to relax and unwind after their success of crossing the finish line.

Amongst the 14,000 participants that took part were over 500 social and corporate teams, with many local businesses using the event as an opportunity to get active with their workmates.

This year Cigna Life Insurance New Zealand Ltd have been welcomed on board as official principal sponsor and naming rights holder. Wellington-based Cigna has a strong affinity with the communities in which Round the Bays operates, and the partnership fits well with the company’s focus on health and wellbeing.

Participants are invited to raise funds for the official charity partner Achilles International New Zealand. Founded in 1983, Achilles provides New Zealanders with disabilities the opportunity to participate in events alongside an able bodied athlete. The charity operates with the mission to ‘enable people with all types of disabilities to participate in mainstream athletics in order to promote personal achievement, enhance self-esteem, and lower barriers to living a fulfilling life.’

While Wellington Round the Bays dates back to 1978, the event has been organised by regional sports trust Sport Wellington since 1999. The charitable trust organises the event in a bid to align with the organisations vision that ‘everyone in the greater Wellington region has a life-long involvement in sport and active recreation.’

The event is the largest participant sport and recreation event in the lower North Island and the third largest in New Zealand. Despite a continuous increase in capacity, the event has sold out every year since 2012 well before the crowds gather at the start line.

The 2015 event will take place on Sunday, 22nd February and promises to be bigger and better than ever with the capacity once again extended to 14,500 participants. Registrations open on Monday, 3rd November with special discounts and offers for “early bird” registrants.

To keep up to date with essential information, dates, competitions and promotions, follow Cigna Round the Bays on Facebook and Twitter.