A record 800 women will take to the streets of Mount Maunganui on Sunday for the 2018 Generation Homes Women's Triathlon.

The event was originally going to be capped at 700 participants, but the huge interest led to an increase of the cap to 800 in November 2017.

'It's so popular that I actually offered refunds for cancellations and I ended up processing 120 cancellations which were filled by people on the wait list,” says event director Miranda Clark.

The ‘have-a-go' event includes a 400m swim, 10km cycle and 4km run or walk and attracts girls aged 11 years and older.

Miranda, who is taking part in the triathlon herself this year, attributes the popularity of the event to the fact it is the only ‘women only' event in the top of the North Island and that the course is 'totally do-able”.

More than 80 women have joined Miranda at Pilot Bay on Tuesday nights over the past four weeks to practice the swim leg of the triathlon – often the biggest barrier for some participants.

'We've had four swims now and many of those ladies have commented on how they've overcome their fear of the critters and swimming in salt water.

'It's been so great for their psyche as well as the physical side of things.”

Spectators can catch all the action at Pilot Bay from 8.30am on Sunday, February 25.