Trident High School is aiming to reclaim its place at the top of the Get2Go challenge this December when the national championships take place at the Hillary Outdoors Centre in Tongariro.

The team secured first place at the Bay of Plenty regional championships, finishing 22 points ahead of second-placed Rotorua Lakes High School, the competition’s defending regional champion.

Trident will now look to repeat its national victories from 2010 and 2014 when it takes on the country’s best teams at the 2026 Get2Go nationals.

Get2Go is an entry-level outdoor education adventure challenge for year 9 and 10 students. Teams of eight must work together to overcome a range of challenges, testing their skills in climbing, orienteering, mountain biking and water-based activities.

Each task is scored, with success relying not only on physical ability but also on strong teamwork, smart decision-making and the ability to adapt under pressure.

Coach Marc Camburn recently led the team through a raft-building exercise, encouraging students to explore different options and work out what did and did not work.

“We are working on good decision-making as a team and reflecting on what’s been done.

“The main issue we face is that we don’t know exactly what the challenges will be, so we take them to places they are not used to so we can see how they adapt,” Camburn said.

The team began training in April, with students enjoying the preparation and looking forward to competing at the national championships.

For Camburn, coaching is about giving students the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and assess how they can improve.

“Coaching means letting the team learn from their mistakes and then evaluate what went wrong.

“We spend a lot of time watching who works well together because the best athlete may not always be the best choice.

“We have two extra team members than needed and will finalise the spots two weeks before,” he said.

Team members Harper Thompson and Emily McGougan were delighted with their regional victory and are excited about the next stage of the competition.

McGougan said the variety of activities and opportunities on offer attracted her to Get2Go.

“I have a background in rock climbing but wanted to branch out into new things. It has been an eye-opener, with our coach not allowing us to work as a team without his input.

“For me, mountain biking is a challenge, but I have found it a lot of fun. Winning the regionals made me so happy, and I am looking forward to the next stage,” she said.

Thompson, already a familiar face in Trident’s sporting circles, said balancing Get2Go with triathlon and surf lifesaving training had been challenging.

“So far, it is a bit of a juggle, with this, triathlon and surf lifesaving training all on at the same time, but I am doing what I can at the moment.

“I enjoy multisport events, so this suits me. If there is a challenging part, it is that most of what I do is more of a solo effort, whereas this is a team-coordinated event.

“I really wanted to do this as it’s a great step up into the Hillary Challenge at some stage,” Thompson said.

The team has also had opportunities to learn from sporting experts, including three-time world adventure racing champion Sophie Hart and Land Search and Rescue specialist Daralyn Hill.

Further preparations include brain-training workshops, a mini Toi’s Challenge and mountain biking excursions. Alongside their training, the students will need to raise funds to help cover the costs of attending the event at the Hillary Outdoors Centre.

Locals can keep an eye out for the team’s sausage sizzles or support the students by offering odd jobs to help them reach their fundraising target.

With a regional title secured and national success in their sights, the Trident team hopes to put Whakatāne and the Eastern Bay of Plenty back at the top of the Get2Go record books.