Steve Tripp (Leith) took out the Innovation in Sport Award at the Otago Sport Awards held June 9th 2023.  Steve is a passoniate trail runner and has created many interesting events over the years.

If you have ever wondered why people get into trail running, have a read of the following taken from Leith Harriers Facebook page & Steve's Speech on the night.

I got into trail running for my own mental and physical wellbeing but very quickly found a like-minded community of people who love adventure, exploring and pushing the boundaries. I love the community. I also love getting out there and seeing nature in all its wild and unpredictable beauty.

To keep getting out there I need to keep training and sometimes, as many of you know, training can get monotonous. So I sit around in the pub with mates and think of ways to make training fun. It started with Crush the Cargill 24 Hour Challenge and now it’s lead to this. Who would have thought that sitting around in the Inch Bar could be so productive?

It’s really awesome to get the recognition of this award. It’s also really awesome to see trail running get the recognition. I take this on behalf of the trail running community and event directors and those that have come before me.

There are giants… and then there are those who get to stand on their shoulders. Sometimes it’s only those who stand on shoulders who get noticed. I am one of them. I want to acknowledge a few of the ‘giants’ in trail running who have directly inspired and supported me in what I do in trail running in Otago.

Leith Harrier and Athletic Club have been organizing 3 Peaks Mountain Race for many years. It’s not a conventional athletics event but Leith have made it their baby. I feel incredibly proud and humbled that they have trusted me to help them look after that baby! 3 Peaks isn’t something I could ever do on my own. There’s an army of volunteers. Thanks especially to Siobhan, Gaya and Mark especially for the work you do in making it happen.

Chris Sole, the president of Leith Harriers, has kept me putting one step in front of the other. As a physiotherapist he’s kept me relatively unbroken so I can keep running and exploring. His enthusiasm and encouragement of anyone that wants to try running in or out of shoes has been something I’ve admired and it’s also kept me extending myself and dreaming. You are a wonderful statesperson for running in Dunedin, Chris. Thank you.

Ed Stevens was one of the previous Race Directors of 3 Peaks. Between that and a handful of other challenging races he put on, he went before me in putting Dunedin on the trail running map. He is a giant that has gone before!

Terry Davis of Highland Events was partners with Ed until Ed died a few years ago. Terry is an inspiration. I’ve just run the Mt Difficulty Ascent which is one of his babies. I’ve done the race 8 times but while climbing off-trail up 50% gradient mountain sides and descending even steeper rocky outcrops I still wonder at the kind of mad genius that would put a race over such terrain. Terry, you are a giant! I’m still trying to channel my inner Terry.

Malcolm and Sally Law are also giants. Since getting to know you when I joined you on a hill or two in 2017 I’ve appreciated your passion for trail running and community. The Wild Things trail running club you created from thin air is an epic beast – and a great way to keep our marketing costs down.

Special thanks to Chris Taylor. My good mate and Inch Events business partner is always keen to dream and collaborate on a new idea. Nothing seems to be off the table. Some of our ideas are really bad. It’s still fun – and somehow it just makes the good ones even better!

Huge thanks also to my best friend and life partner, Wendy. You put up with the sleepless nights when an event is approaching. You put up with my alarm at any hour of the night as I go out for a training run. You put up with (mostly) my piles of stinking shoes and constantly dirty car. Love you.

Thanks also to all those who help out and keep turning up to our events. I love this community – there are those that make memes, take photos, design shirts, stand on trail corners in fancy dress, share their pizza, help someone they just met change their socks or just enthusiastically come along to an event in the rain with minimal prizes and no glory.

I really do believe that Dunedin is the best city in New Zealand for trail running. I want to make this city a destination for trail running and I want trail running to be fun and inclusive. We will keep on sharing the joy. Keep coming along for the ride!”

Article added: Tuesday 13 June 2023