Queen Charlotte Classic 2013

On Saturday morning we awoke to a calm yet overcast Marlborough day. Perfect racing conditions! Starting the day with a 30minute cruise to Mistletoe Bay, Queen Charlotte Sound I had an added bonus with Rach and Zack joining me for the boat ride. Sidetracked by Zack for a few minutes I found myself scurrying with a 30second call for the start. Talk about easily distracted!

As it turns out the distraction worked well. I had a great day out there. Peter Jones from the Marlborough Express describes the day well with his following article......

Marlborough Express Queen Charlotte article


Pictures below are courtesy of the Marlborough Express also:

Ecomotion Brazil 2013

Prologue:
For Dougal and I the race couldn't have started much worse. The prologue consisted of 9 controls in rogaine format (aka you could get them in any order). Nath would get 5 in close, Dougal and I would get 3 on the far end of the course and Sophie would get 1 close to the start. The first control for us was down the far end of the peninsula so we planned to run the beach to the end. In the heat of the moment clouded by 5km of fast running I ran into the peninsula early immediately hitting CP4 but assuming it was CP2. From here as you would expect nothing made sense and a very quick unanswered 40minutes went by without finding the other 2 controls. Simply put we were looking on the wrong side of the  control. It was a schoolboy error with a schoolboy result......we ran out of time.

It wasn't until we got back to our bungalow that everything fitted into place. Talk about a backwards start.


The Race Begins:

At 5:30am on Sunday 11th August we boarded a bus heading for the race start in Largada, a small seaside village on the Bahia coast. Arriving at 8am the day was already cranking hot and we weren't starting for  hours. Cutting to the chase, the race start involved a run to our kayaks followed by a 4km paddle round an island of mangroves. As expected it was chaotic with many teams jostling for position. Within 2km we had reached the front but rounding the island hit shallow water. Following teams opted to portage early and snuck in front, a wise move. Back into TA we were neck and neck with 2 other teams but a hasty transition saw us lead comfortably onto the initial 65km trek. With a limited knowledge of the local trails we stuck to the coast initially. This definitely cost time on following teams but ensured we remained on the right track. The rugged coast was spectacular and definitely a high point om the course for me. Small channels to swim, exposed sea cliffs to traverse and the odd slalom through budgie smuggling beach goers made for an entertaining time.Occasional bush bashing also revealed the gritty and aggressive nature of local plant life cutting us to shreads.....Not fun!

CP4 saw the course head inland. Now we were totally reliant on the accuracy of trails marked on the map. Darkness was setting in, we were feeling good and held a narrow lead. Within a couple of hours Nath was finding that making sense of a 1:100000 map with indistinct trails had its difficulties. Trail junctions were virtually impossible to make out and the relationship between trails marked on the map versus contours and features was a weak one at best. So....after a few backtracks and some careful pacing we hit CP5. This was a warning of things to come as the approach to CP6 proved just as difficult. Within 2km of the CP we reached a saddle expecting to have a trail leading off down river right (according to the map). Assuming the map was correct we continued on the right of a small creek and soon found ourselves contouring through thick forest minus a trail. After what seemed like an eternity we intercepted a trail and made our way to CP6. It had cost us 2-3 hours of scraggly bush bashing. Not ideal.

The course now continued South to a lake where we would complete a 3.4km swim. Initially it was great to get the weight off the legs but after 65km of trekking and at 3am we soon found it was a battle to keep warm. With gear in drybags we kicked, splashed and floundered our way through the distance taking a lengthy 2 hours to complete the section. Day 2 dawned as we stumbled ashore fighting to stay warm. It was a real mental battle not to overdo our layers because in an our or so the day would be cranking hot again. The next section was a largely flat water section of river on the Almada river taking us back to the coast. It was a chance to get a steady rhythm going and give the legs a much needed break. CP10 was on the coast with an option to portage to the beach or paddle the remainder of the river to the sea. With the portage option looking shorter in distance we went for it. Breaking out through the waves was a great way to splash ourselves awake again and enjoy the salty air. Onwards we went to CP 11, the beach at Ilheus. Getting in through the break at Ilheus was really fun. Dougal and I had a great run and only capsized upon reaching the beach. Good times. Ilheus had a small orienteering challenge for us to complete of about 40 minutes before we portaged into the Esturary of the Rio de Engenho. CP15 was 10km up the Engenho and came rather quickly despite an oublisstgoing tide. We were now to ride our bikes for the first time. Awesome!

Stage 3 Mountainbike: 73.6km

This bike ride would prove to be the crux of our expedition. Nath started great and we made a solid progress but after 20km it all stopped making sense. The scale of the map combined with the speed of travel was making junctions and features very difficult to decipher. Finding CP16 was a messy process but time and perseverance paid off. Nath was clearly becoming tired from a lack of accuracy in the map and reading the larger scale.CP 17 came uneventfully and was the small village, Vila Brasil. Here we found hot cheesy bread rolls and cans of drink. It was bliss, even just for a moment.

From Vila Brasil to CP18 (Vale dos Quatis, entrance to Parque Nacional Serra das Lontras) things really got challenging. There was a myriad of 4wd trails/ roads most of which were not marked. If you lost your exact location at any stage there was no ability whatsoever to relocate. At one stage we spent 30-60mins on a set of trails ending up where we began. This trend continued for a couple of hours until it was evident that we were not making any progress. Reality set in that Nath was really tired, it was raining, nothing made sense and we had started making mistakes on the greasy surface (wet, hard packed clay) with the odd crash. It was 2:30am and a call was made to sleep until daylight. We would slip behind the teams in front but there was no other option....we needed to work out where we were. At 5:15am dim light signaled the beginning of a fresh start and Nath went for an explore for clues. Finding an Argentinian team he gained vital clues that would get us out of our predicament. Soon we all hit the road again and started making steady progress. By now the rain had turned the surface to a sticky clay mud consistency quickly deteriorating our chains adding yet another challenge to the journey. But as we only know keeping consistent momentum is the only option. Slowly and steadily we chipped away and by 9:30am we were in TA. Next up......78km of trekking.


Stage 4: 78km Trek, Serra das Lontras to Cascata.

This section was to be the longest on the course. We had allowed 20 hours to complete but given the past two stages we started out with open minds that we could be trekking for significantly longer. The aim on this stage for Nath was to spend time getting to know the specifics of how the maps worked as to date this was our major challenge. It was likely that several teams had passed us while sleeping last night but our focus had to be getting back to smooth navigation and keeping our pace steady.

The section started well. Despite certain track junctions not making sense Nath managed to use a significant saddle to get us on the right track. This section was slightly unusual in that we had a race photographer shadowing us until CP21. A taped track lead us over the high point of the trek (about 800m) through steep thick atlantic forest. CP's 19 and 20 came and went uneventfully with some great navigation on Nath's part. Spirits were high as the progress felt good and the map was starting to fit into place for Nath. CP 21 was the town of Arataca and the plan of taking rest there was fitting well with us all. This CP would also give an indication as to how the teams ahead were performing and what margin we needed to chase down....We took 3 hours at Arataca, equating to just over 2 hours sleep. Conditions weren't great. Cardboard boxes for sleeping mats, people constantly coming and going and the noise of a street party outside the hall where we slept. Brazilians sure know how to celebrate the little things! Nonetheless I slept like a baby for 2 hours and woke up shivering like crazy but rejuvenated.  BNS had also just woken and has had 6 hours rest putting them 3 hours ahead. The Columbians were a further 4 hours ahead but we had no idea if they had slept. This entire trek would be a matter of chipping off small targets. Likely as not the length of this trek would dictate another sleep at some stage but in the mean time....one foot after another.....

The route to 22 was a 16km mix of sealed and dirt roads and came without drama. 23 proved more difficult. We had been following the Vale Perdido (lost valley) leading to a 600m climb up to the Serra Bonita. As was becoming a trend for this race the base of such climbs requires a combination of trail junctions that require tight navigation and don't necessarily make sense on the map. To make matters worse we had BNS in close proximity creating a disorganised sense of pace (as tends to happen when two teams are close, one team will influence the others pace and either raise or lower our teams pace). A smooth decision from Nath saw us ahead of BNS and headed towards the climb. Unfortunately the maps proved confusing yet again and we lost time getting back on track. The day by now was close  to 8 in the morning and was getting hot fast. The heat is my major nemesis in these races and the heat had me worried. A timely watering hole saw me shivering after a swim, water supplies replenished and an the awareness that the entire climb would be in the shelter of the forest. Dream result! The two teams remained locked until CP23 on the Serra Bonita where we decided to take a 3 hour rest. The presence of accommodation we could hire made the decision easy. Beds, a shower, a fresh start. It was a no brainer.

3 hours went like a flash but once walking again I felt a million bucks. It would now be 5 minutes to CP24, an hour to CP25 at the very top of the hill then another couple of hours to CP26 and the end of the stage. Without too much trouble we marched out the remaining CP's took a couple of stream dunks to cool off and found ourselves jogging/ shuffling the final 2km down the road to CP26 and the start of the races second mountain bike section.

CP26 wasn't all good news. Due to the race taking much longer than organisers anticipated they had shortened the following section by 3 CP's. If this trend continued we were running out of time to catch the teams ahead. Still possible but we didn't need any more reductions. Onto the bikes felt like bliss. Progress was good and we all felt strong. As a whole the section went well with fast riding conditions but where we came unstuck was with the locals. On one occasion a farmer motioned for us to go in one direction yet Nath was certain we needed to travel directly past him. The language barrier made this a confusing situation and while we reached the CP eventually, valuable time was lost in the process. Portugese speaking teams had the ability to solve these situations is seconds rather that several minutes not to mention achieve a more direct route as a result. Call it a home town advantage that would ultimately add up to hours. In this particular ride we were riding for just over 4 hours yet on the course for 7 demonstrating how much time was being lost.


PC34 was significant in that it was the start of the third and final trek. This trek would also include a caving section with a 100m vertical rope ascent to get out. Following another smooth TA complete with gear check and we hit the road again, literally as the first couple of k's was on the seal. Before long we climbed to 500m and entered the Lapao Cavern. I was  getting hot so the drop in temperature was welcome. There seemed to be a trend during the race that the hours after darkness and preceding dawn became very hot and sticky....a personal enemy of mine. Maybe it was just me but I tended to find these hours particularly uncomfortable. The cave was awesome. Cool, quiet and challenging bursts of rock scrambling and small gaps to negotiate between large open caverns. Not a place for the faint hearted. Not long after entering the cave I came across two ropes. Time to ascend. Harnesses on and up I went. The ascent wasn't particularly difficult until the top section where we had to negotiate a section of rock to exit the cave. A few awkward minutes later and I stood outside the cave panting madly. Good times yet again!

Soon after we were off again enjoying a mix of mud, bog and more mud en route to CP38. One CP to go. Feet were by now starting to kill. Dougal tried running the road in his socks to no avail. This section of sealed and gravel roads would have to rate as one of the most monotonous on the course. It could have made a great 17km bike ride yet we were confined to plodding it out on the hobnail express. Safe to say it dragged....alot.

Next up though.....paddling.....awesome! Time off the feet, rapids, water, great. Shuffling into TA opened up to a doubly pleasing view. Not only were the kayaks sitting there waiting but BNS were still in TA meaning we were now less than 15 minutes behind them. Another reason for a slick TA. This next 49km of kayaking would be on the Rio Pardo. Initially there would be a mix of rapids ranging from grades I to III. Most of these were great and good fun. They represented an awesome way for me to wake from what seemed like constant sleepyness. Alarm bells rang when an official directed me down a rather unorthodox line on a grade II section resulting in us bumping off a rock. On speaking with Dougal we decided to ignore the officials and trust my judgement. Next up was a larger drop. Despite our conversation I went with the officials line mainly due to my concern that he could see something I couldn't. As a turned out he sent us down a lousy line sending us sideways into a curling wave that flipped us and resulted in a hefty swim. What a bugger! Nath and Soph had suffered the same fate leaving all four of us swimming. A remount, regather and selection of expletives later saw us back on the river. Now I really was awake....

As the river continued the rapids thinned and the river shallowed out. We could see BNS in front and decided to start paddling with more conviction. Slowly but surely we pulled time in but ultimately ran out of river and transitioned just behind them. The TA was slightly unusual in that we put our bikes together, paddled them over the river then two teammates would return, drop a boat and hand paddle back to the bikes (hence leaving only one boat for officials to collect).

Stage 7:145km mountainbike (Rio Pardo TA to the towns of Belmonte then Canavieiras)

 Transitioning from the paddle I wasn't feeling myself. Typically after 4 days of racing I don't expect to feel a million bucks but for some reason I felf drastically low in energy. Its happened before and is usually down to heat exhaustion or poor eating. I'd been eating like a madman for the entire race and wasn't sick making food an unlikely explanation. After 6 hours paddling in the sun, the heat argument held more merit. I battled it out for the first 20km of riding but eventually I had to concede defeat and handed as much weight as possible over to Nath, Soph and Dougal. I then went on a mission to eat as much as possible over the space of an hour. What followed was a grim few hours in my camp. I zoned out and just did my own thing keeping the others in sight, always thankful of the extra load they were taking on my behalf. 60km went by relatively fast. Nath had the navigation dialed, the roads were smooth and BNS slipped away behind us. A ferry across the Rio Jequitinhonha changed everything. The trails became riddled with mud then cattle pugging and eventually sand. The going was slow and nasty on the bikes. By the time we reached Belmonte my energy levels were on the rise and we had the opportunity to take the final 2 hours of compulsory rest. All sprightly and energetic after more than an hours sleep we ripped into the last 30km of riding. We hammered down to the river jumped on the ferry,smacked back a bag of muesli and did a few stretches ready to tear apart the last 25km of riding for the race. Bring it on B#@ch! If this was a movie the following sound would be a screeching, whining sound of video tape grinding to a halt for on the other side of the river was 12inch deep pugging, knee deep bog holes linked together by kilometers of sticky mud. It was glorious. Soon after the combination of mud and sand had blocked all moving parts on the bike making riding near on impossible.

Decision making gets hard at this stage of racing but thankfully this section kept it simple. With the bikes & mud now weighing in at 25+kg they were a suffer fest to ride and a suffer fest to carry. Too easy. For the most part carrying won the vote as it was quicker, averaging a respectable 4km/hour. Several character building hours later perseverance won the battle and we entered the final TA for the race. It was hot and despite a change in discipline I was a little worried about how hot the day would get as it was only 9am.

With a smooth transition into the boats we had to decide as to whether we take the mangroves or paddle along the coast. With Nath's paddling background I'm not sure he even registered the mangroves as an option. Feeling rather sleepy the breakers represented a chance for me to get a few cold slaps in the face and a following sea breeze. Things were picking up! By now the gap to Columbia (leading the race) was 90 minutes. If the paddled the mangroves the following sea breeze and current would give us the perfect chance to bridge the gap. Initially all went to plan until with 12km to go they took an option to paddle the sea. We lost our advantage and the margin stuck at about 30 minutes. Oblivious to this we were in good spirits for the final stretch, enjoying being on the sea and knowing that we were moving well. It had been a great finish to a race complete with it's fair share of frustrations.

Despite a last minute team change we had pulled together as a team and knocked back a good many obstacles. Nath, despite not navigating an expedition race in years had overcome challenging maps and tough ground conditions to guide us through to a more than respectable finish. Soph had been a great motivator and kept us moving when shopping for food seemed more appealing. Her inability to waiver in these long races is humbling to watch. Dougal was strong throughout the race and proved his worth several times over despite the fact that we were very pleased he made it in the first place. My race showed to me how much higher my performance needs to go. Its work in progress and luckily I'm surrounded by the best in the business to learn from. Bring on Costa Rica!

Ecomotion Brazil August 2013 - en route

Well here we are in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Yesterday was another decent travel day in the life of a part time adventure racer. The past week has been slightly more entertaining than the usual build up. Three days ago Chris managed  to puncture wound himself whilst racing in the Orienteering world games in Columbia. Soon realising that he wouldn't be able to meet us and race Eco motion another race began......the race to find a team mate.

Following a few persuasive pep talks (aka "harden the F@#k up talks) Dougal Allan to his credit jumped on board. With only a couple of days to pack Dougal will follow us on a later flight Thursday NZ time. Today we travel to Ilheus then on to the race HQ for final preparations. Dougal will meet us there on Friday.

Racing starts on Saturday with Nath assuming role of our new navigator in a 90min rogaine for the prologue. The main racing starts on Sunday. Race updates should be available on www.ecomotion.com.br. You may need to translate the page.

3D Rotorua, Queens Birthday weekend 2013

Its hard to turn down a weekend away. This time was even more exciting as Rach was racing too. She was primed for what I had described to her as a really fun race that won't interrupt your weekend too much!

Rotorua has quite the reputation for mountain biking and we needed no further reasoning to head through the mountain bike section before the race. Good times....

Racing 3D is slightly different to your typical NZ Multisport race. Start time is at a leisurely 10:45am, support crew are optional and its only 3 hours long. Following our Wenzhou race in China I vowed to take a month of lighter duties with respect to training. This also meant that 3D would not be a race I'd focus on, but use it more for some good hard training.

As the day unfolded I was pleasantly surprised at how good I felt after much needed recovery. I wasn't up with the pace of Rich or Dougal but I felt strong and in control, rather than the fatigue that had crept in after China and Godzone. The main thing lacking was speed but with only 3 speed sessions in my build up it was no surprise.

Starting with a 9km paddle I opted to paddle a K1 and had a solid paddle. It was a competitive section of the race leaving me in 5th/6th exiting the water. Dougal and James Pretto (Aussie) were 30 secs in front with Rich a further minute in front of them. Getting onto the bike is always a challenge after a short hard slog in the boat. My legs felt cold and smashed but I soon found a rhythm climbing out of the Blue Lake and into the Whakarewarewa mountain bike park. Before long I was into a groove with no real plan other than to smash as hard as possible and see what happened. This strategy caught me back to James Pretto but left no gas in the tank to get past him so I sat on his wheel for the remaining 30minutes (apart from one small incident where I tried wearing my handlebars as underpants....not recommended!). Into TA I felt good and was soon into my stride but with 7 minutes to Dougal and Rich my race was now for 3rd. James had gapped me by 10 secs through transition and was running well maintaining the gap. It wasn't until later in the first lap that I caught and passed him.

 It all happened so easily that I may be guilty of complacency and gave him a 2nd chance without knowing it. My slight drop in pace had him chasing hard but fortunately he ran out of time. I crossed the line more than 10 minutes behind an elated Dougal but 30secs in front of James for third also keeping the Aussies off the podium....always a good thing (sorry aussies).

I had a great day and really enjoyed racing with a more relaxed view on the outcome. Despite an average of 6-7 hours training a week Rach had a fantastic race proving she can race single track and had a great time in the process.

Bring on 2014....

Rollo's 8 Hour adventure race - Nelson!

Post China had been pretty mad at the gym but my decision to take a month of light duties training was paying off. The thought of racing just down the road and with Rach had me really excited. Keeping a long story short we had a great day racing from Pelorus Bridge to the Trafalgar Pavillion in Nelson. Given that Rach at best manages to train for an hour a day she was amazingly strong AND despite all her pre race talk about not racing and taking it easy she warmed to the competitive spirit very quickly and effortlessly. Rach commended me after the race for "listening" to what she wanted to do. Faster, slower, left, right, tow, don't tow you name it I did it. As a result we produced our first argument free race and I now have discovered a significant relationship tool moving forward.....just do what she says. Brilliant! I always was a slow learner.

Anyway, onto the race. Race director Chris James was organising his last Rollos. It will be sad to see him step aside after such a great service but he sums the race up perfectly below:

Rollo’s Nelson Adventure Race 2013 – The Journey Home

Anakiwa to Nelson is not that far isn’t it? That may have been the thought on most competitor’s mines once the 2013 Rollo’s Nelson Adventure Race course was release on the Friday night. Actually the course may have looked a little soft.

It had a bit of everything in it, the Marlborough Sounds Kayak Portage race, parts of the 2002 Southern Traverse, the Migym Musselman, The Rollo’s 3&6Hour and the Coppermine Epic.

Anakiwa was the start line for both the AR12 & AR24 sections of the race that started at 9.30am with a short jog to their waiting kayaks at Tirimonana Jetty for the paddle stage to Mistletoe Bay. Leading the charge to Mistletoe Bay were the best in the game, Team Seagate – Subway, who as they paddle past the Anakiwa jetty had already put 200mm on the field on what was a picture postcard morning.

Once at Mistletoe Bay there was a portage over the saddle to TeMahia Wharf for the 19km paddle to Kaiuma Bay. The day was warm, the scenery stunning and the pace was hot for those trying to keep up. However there had been a catch, those paddling non racing kayaks were given a 30 minute head start, it was going to be interesting who would arrive at CP2 first. It was the 2 person team Motueka High/ Coppins Cycles of Jake Stow and Andrew Read who arrived first. They had a plastic double and a trolley and they were paddling across TeMahia Bay when Seagate-Subway arrive, with Faavae doing a Colin ‘Pinetree’ Meads impersonation with  JKK Quasar on one shoulder while Richard Ussher, JJ Wilson and Sophie Hart followed behind. Auckland team True Adventure were next having been passed by Seagate – Subway before CP 2, while the Rollo’s Shuffle, Andrew Martin, Matt Ellery, Tony Bateup and Lynley Coventry were next onto the water.

Meanwhile at TA1 – Kaiuma Bay. Those doing the Adventure Duathlon’s AD12 & AD24 were getting ready for their start at 11.30am. They would ride to the Maitai Dam in the back of Nelson via the not often used Kaiuma Bay Road to Pelorus Bridge, up the Pelorus Valley then over the Maungatapu Track to the remote transition at the Maitai Dam. There was a bunch of 5 Adventure Duathlon teams that reached CP4 together, teams C&B Sessions, Fe Maidens, A Mixed Bag, The Mount Somers Panthers and Not another Bloody Hill. And it was another (first of many)Bloody hill that was to sort these 5 teams out as the ascended the Maungatapu Track to CP5 at its Saddle before the descent into the Maitai Dam and TA2.

A little later at CP4 was the start for the AD8 – the Eight Hour Duathlon started at 1.30pm. They would also ride to the Maitai Dam, have a short trek, there continue onto TA4.

Yes another start, you haven’t missed anything, the race had 3 starts. This made the race interesting as the AD 8 would start last, but finish first, the AR12, AD12 & 24 would also be able to finish before most of the AR24 teams. So there were races within racers and course within courses. Teams would see the leading teams in the other racers during the day & night. Normally at an adventure race you would only see the favourites at the start line, not today and the leading teams would pass the others during their race to the finish. With 3 minutes of the AD8 starting team Seagate – Subway arrived with the Rollo’s Shuffle only 15 minutes back. It was going to be interesting what would happen once they caught the AD8 race as Team Seagate’s - Trevor Voyce had elected to race with wife Rachel in her comeback race since adding to the population of the Voyce house. At the top of the climb to CP5 at the Maungatapu Saddle Voyce’s Team Migym Truck & Trailer were 5 minutes ahead of Seagate – Subway unaware that they were so close and at this stage only 20 minutes behind the leading Adventure Duathlon teams.

The plan with the staggered start was to have all the teams at TA2 doing the treks at the same time. Yes treks, as the AR12 & AD8 had a shorten trek CP6, CP7 & CP11. AR24 & AD24 had the full trek to complete while the AD12 had a ½ trek CP6, CP7, CP8 & CP9.

The Maitai Dam was a remote transition, no crew allowed, so team had to self-supported, so once they arrive at TA2 they grabbed their team’s transition bag before heading into the wilderness. Teams in the full race would be required to trek to CP6, CP7, CP8 – Dew Lakes, CP9 – Dun Shelter, CP10 – Wooded Peak before heading to CP11 to then return to TA3. There is a lot a lot of climbing between these CP’s.

TA2 & TA3 were the same spot and it was busier that a railway station as team came and went.

Leading the charge back into TA3 were Migym Truck & Trailer of Trevor & Rachael Voyce. It was still daylight as they headed out on the pipe-line and dun mountain walkway ride to TA4 at the Brook Motorcamp they looked well clear of the rest of the field. The Forsyth Barr Trillseekers of Ken Page, Reid Forrest and Robyn Dunmore & Euan MacIntosh now had the AR12 lead and left TA3 ahead of the leading AD12 team Brenda Clapp & Chris Burr of the C&B Sessions. However the night was but young.

CP12 could have been a game breaker, a lonely picnic table on the Dun Mountain walkway, with an option. Either descend down Bullock spur, a nationally ranked downhill MTB track or face to the valley below or take the longer and safer route to the crossroads above the Brook Motorcamp to TA4 – Cabin 23? Many took the spur option, maybe it was because it was dark and all the danger may have been hidden it the shadows. How they ride down this is amazing, just walking it is a mission.

At TA4 teams were given a new map they needed to get the 7 checkpoint numbers on their way to the Trafalgar Park Pavilion finish line. This was to take teams on foot over the Grampians behind Nelson, before descending (for the last time) then across Nelson city via the church steps and the Rollo’s shop window to reach the finish to complete their journeys home.

As predicted the first team home was the AD8 winners Migym Truck & Trailer in 6hours 19 minutes and the Waimea College Hillary Challenge teams in 7hours & 41 minutes.

The AD12 winners were C&B Sessions in a very smart 10 hours and 54 minutes ahead of Fe Maidens all women’s combination of Ingird Ritcher, Jane Orbell & Meg Bichard who were 12hours even with a Mixed bag 3^rd in 12hours & 25 minutes.

Poppy’s Choice of Leigh Champion & Mike Kyle claimed the AD24 title in 14hours and 27minuntes

The AR12 title went to the Forsyth Barr Trillseekers in a respectable 13hours & 8 minutes, with Team Kamakazi Joe & Jackie MacIntyre with Brian & Jacqui Nathan in 14hours 12 minutes and Hobbling But Hot & Awatea B&B 3^rd in 14hours 45minutes.

However in between all these teams finishing, on the stroke of Midnight, the 2013 Rollo’s Nelson Adventure Race champions team Seagate-Subway arrive in 14hours and 18 minutes leaving all behind them in their wake. The Rollo’s Shuffle were second in 15hours & 38minutes and the Wombles (yes that 70’s TV program) of Ash & Naomi Whitehead, Gilbert Robinson & Gerald Malcolm took the bronze in 18hours & 2 minutes.

As the church bells rang out across Nelson that Sunday morning, 13 years earlier I had started the first of the 12 Rollo’s Nelson Adventure Races on Tahunanui Beach and this morning I had brought the race home. My journey home was now complete.

Chris ‘the Sheriff’ James

Wenzhou adventure challenge, April 13-16th 2013

This race had me a little nervous when I committed in January due to its proximity to several other races this year. From February I had the longest day followed in March by Godzone and then Wenzhou a month later. It would be a tough ask and require good recovery from the two preceding events.

As it happened recovery went as well as could be expected from both Coast to Coast and Godzone. I knew the effects of Godzone could still be lingering but all things being equal I was pretty happy as I began the 24 odd hours of travel to the start. Wenzhou is a moderate size prospering city in China with a population of 9 million small to medium sized people. From a racing perspective we had a great schedule for Wenzhou; arrive a day prior, leave immediately after, 8 days total so this was a short and focused trip. Our hotel sat on an island in the middle of the river sharing the space with a retro style theme park.

China has some crazy ideas about social media. Facebook is blocked nationwide as is my blog site making daily blogs rather difficult. What follows are my daily email summaries sent to Rach after each stage....


Day 1:

Day 1 complete. Bit quicker than expected. All done in 3.5hrs. You may have read Dougal's blog so have been updated but here's a run down anyway:

- 5km run, 4km paddle, 3km orienteering, 17km paddle, 26km bike, 25 flights of stairs then a 80m abseil.

The run went pretty much as expected (although despite Nath's worry about his pace I got dropped a couple of km into it and red lined the whole way). We entered the boats in 3rd or 4th but quickly cleaned up a fast running Chinese team and pulled into the island (middle of river) 2nd but overtook Braden and Dougal in transition. Nath showed his class for the orienteering but unfortunately there was no chance at losing the Wanaka boys or the Aussies who had a trouble free guided trip through the course.

Back onto the boats for a 17km upstream paddle to the next TA. With three boats all paddling similar speeds it was impossible to get a gap so we all took turns at leading so the others could enjoy the wash. The GPS showed we were paddling faster on the front but not enough to drop them off the wash.

Into TA together we were ready for another fast TA but Nath's front tyre was completely flat so we lost 4-5minutes with a tube change. The bike went pretty well I thought and caught the Aussies who also got a flat. Then it was up the stairs, and the 80m abseil. A little disconcerting with Chinese officials shouting at me what to do in Chinese but we got it sorted and abseiled to the finish.

Definitely disappointed about the flat as it was the bike transporters who damaged Nath's valve but such is life racing in China. On the ups is that we are both feeling good and ready to have another smash tomorrow. A new day and new opportunity!

Will try to update you tomorrow but it'll be brief as it may be late.

Hope all's well at home

Trev


Day 2:

Bad luck definitely doesn't come in ones when racing in China. After day 2 of taking our share its time for a clean day of racing....fingers crossed.

The day started with a 40km mountain bike so the bikes were waiting for us off the bus. Nath soon discovered his rear deralier had been damaged in transit. With time to spare he worked with Marcel and managed to improve the shifting to a satisfactory state. These races are filled with racers limited in bunch riding so getting racing off the front can is a great move if you can manage it and is exactly what Dougal and Braden did. The rest of us were left madly chasing to keep them in sight but they were racing strong and soon had a small gap. A small chase bunch had developed that we were sitting in comfortably (within reason!) but another dose of bad luck was looming. Nath had sliced his back tyre on something and wasn't sealing. It needed changing so within 10 minutes of starting we were off the road. Four and a half minutes went by along with the entire field making us dead last. On hindsight both of us were rather pessimistic at our chances of pulling back a respectable finish but as normal we said nothing and quickly got into chase mode. A puncture at the start of a day is worth much more to the opposition at the start of the race versus the end as everyone is fresh and travel much further in 4.5mins.

On the road again we rode like maniacs the entire way. When one of us would fade the other would set the pace. After 80mins at TA 1 we had passed 2/3 of the field and were just behind Jess Simpson and Stu Lynch who were third in the mixed section. Ahead lay a 17km run and there was plenty of chasing to be done. Luckily the red bull Chineese team were immediately in front of us and were great on their feet so we used them to keep us at a solid pace. After plenty of sweat and heavy breathing the highest point of the run of 700m came and went with the pace still respectable. One by one teams were ticked off fading behind us. At TA2 we sat in 5th position with 3 minutes up to 2nd. Dougal and Braden sat in a league of their own 12 minutes ahead. A good paddle could get us on the podium.

Into the boats we were paddling well but the fat boats and shallow water made any gains tedious. Just before half way we caught Marcel and Martin, James and Jarrod, plus Jacky and Mimi who were having a great day in the mixed section. The problem now was getting away from these teams as the wave behind them creates a perfect draft. Several failed attempts were made on our part and its safe to say we got fairly frustrated. We were the only team in the group capable of moving things at a decent pace and eventually gave in to them sitting in behind.

TA3 came not a moment too soon as gas levels had hit an all time low. We ran to the top of the abseil, descended a decidedly uninspiring bluff into the river and began a 500m swim to the finish on the other side. What a slog. Swimming with full kit on wasn't pretty but we dug very deep to claim 2nd in the stage.

Today has been a hard fight to claim what we deserve.....right from the start. After the events of this morning we are pretty damned happy. The racing is tough enough without punctures so fingers crossed tomorrow brings better luck.

Time for sleep

Trev

Day 3:

Hi all

Pretty smoked so will try to keep this brief. Staggered start today in the boats. Tried to get away from the 2 chasing teams but after yesterday I was feeling well below par. The paddle ended up being 3 boats working together as in day 1. Dougal & Braden, Jarred & James (AKA the Aussies) and us lapping it out on the front. Safe to say I suffered like a dog but couldn't have had a better team mate under those circumstances.

Next up was a 12km uphill ride.

Onto the bike went all three teams together but not for long. The Wanaka boys looked as fresh as daisies and after toying with us for a few minutes they got bored and disappeared off up the hill. My good feelings from the boat soon caught back up and under the tow of Nath we faded off the back of the Aussies in third place. Fortunately a compulsory 15 minute rest broke up the climb and I had a chance to cool off and get some food in. All too quickly we on the bikes again but only for 20minutes of climbing into TA2. From here we basically separated. Nath went up to complete a 90metre abseil while I ran down to meet him at the bottom. The few minutes wait I had were crucial and once back running again I felt considerably better. The run was to entail 1 decent climb of 450m and 3 smaller climbs of 1-200m and by now it was getting really hot. Luckily for us the course designers managed to keep us clear of water and shade most of the time. Otherwise it would have been far too comfortable!

Discomfort however presents opportunity. By the base of the climb we had caught the Aussies and Jarred appeared to suffering. Nath was also suffering after dragging me round on the bike but we thought lets have a crack anyway. Without a response from the Aussies we got a gap and set about lengthening it with steady and consistent running. I found the heat pretty hard to handle but we were moving well so kept pace for the remainder of the 15km run to the finish. It had been another hard day with close racing but we had claimed another podium finish and a 2nd place to defend again tomorrow.

Things could have been much worse today. Luckily our collective strengths and ability to suffer consistently won through.

The final stage 4 is tomorrow.

Will update after

Trev

Day 4:

Hi all

2nd again today in another close finish to take 2nd overall. Pretty stoked considering the issues from day 1 and 2.

Will get blog finished over next few days

Trev

The last blog says it all. It had been a tough race and we had to fight tooth and nail for our second place overall. The last day started with a bunch ride. We were situated on some islands off the coast of Wenzhou and my main memories centre around feeling nautious all day with a bit of mud and haze thrown in for good measure. I'm sure the islands had been stunning in their day but didn't have much to inspire me on day 4. The bunch ride went well initially until a change in pace saw me off the back of the bunch. Nath saw the problem and had me back in the action in a matter of minutes but I was suffering away like on day 3. Next up was 25km of paddling split up with a mud sled activity which was a bit of a laugh. The mud sleds are used by the local fisherman to attend their nets at low tide. A burst out of transition saw us establish a small gap leading into the remaining 12km paddle. The Aussies and Thule went against the rules opting not to put spray decks on. A bit annoying as if they had we would have avoided a group paddle across the channel. 

To complete the day was a running section interspersed with 2 adventure/ rope activities. We thought the race notes had said a 1km run to the first AV then 5km to the finish so with this in mind we shot through transition leaving our life jackets on. Looking back we had at least 200m on Lone Star Wanaka(Dougal and Braden) and even more to the other 2 teams. What we hadn't factored in was our dyslexic course reading and that it was 5km to the first AV then 1km to the finish. Safe to say we were both a little concerned when after 15mins no AV had appeared.....it was a long kilometer! 

I quickly nominated Nath for the Tyrolean traverse over some sea cliffs. 80m of traverse would be no match for his guns of steel! Soon reunited we set off not entirely sure of how far there was to go but psyching up for 5km. Luckily for all involved there was only 1km to go, and a 30m abseil to the finish line. I say lucky as Nath by now had ripped a sizable hole in his shorts creating significant glare. Unable to outrun him I was forced to stumble on with squinted eyes. 

It was great to finish. It had been a tough battle all the way. The Aussies had pushed us all the way. Their ability to surge, time trial and create directional uncertainty in the boat is second to none and had us on the ropes. Luckily we were consistent across all disciplines and got an edge. Dougal and Braden were a class act and looked comfortable all the way.

Thanks to Nath for awesome racing. 

Thanks also to our team sponsors:

 SEAGATE, Rocky Mountain Bicycles, Patagonia, inov-8 Footwear, GU, Awaken Energy Bars, Silva Lighting, Tineli Cycle Wear, Bridgedale Socks, Antichafe, Absolute Wilderness Freeze Dry Food, Endura Eyewear, Louis Garneau Helmets, Wildside Travel, Revelate Designs, O2B Healthy, R&R Sport.



 

Godzone Adventure Race 2013

Without a doubt the whole team were excited about Godzone. It had been several months since our last race together and we were primed for another adventure in the southern hills. Nath had recently moved to Queenstown for a gap year making for some familiar ground to head towards. Straight off the plane I was collected and we headed for the Kawerau’s Dog leg rapid. Nath paddled a white water boat while Soph and I paddled an inflatable double canoe. It was a great opportunity for some last minute sharpening for my canoe steering skills. Awesome! Chris was still on his way. All we could do was lay sweepstakes on his arrival time. Guaranteed it would be last minute, guaranteed it would be when we least expected it. One thing we were sure of however was that he wouldn’t get lost!

Saturday 9^th March:

Yesterday had been spent packing boxes and organising gear. There was nothing left to do but hand in our gear boxes and board the buses. As with last year’s race the bus trip the start was rife with speculation. Where were we headed? As it turned out rumors of a Mt Cook start proved correct. Maps were dished out in Omarama before an afternoon briefing in the Hermatage. The course looked good. A little shorter than last year and perhaps easier navigation but challenging all the same. Major competitors would come in the form of Harraways Oats (Aaron Prince, Stu Lynch, Dougal Allan, Jess Simpson), Macpac, and Thule with several other teams close by if things were to go pear shaped.  A brief description of the stages would be as follows:

1.   .    25km Mountain section above Mt Cook village

2.       37km Inflatable canoe down the Tasman river

3.       140km Mountain-bike

4.       59km Trek in the Dingle Burn area

5.       70km Mountain-bike from Lindis Pass to Albert town

6.       90km Kayak down the Clutha, Lake Dunstan finishing near Cromwell.

7.       35km trek through the Pisa range finishing at the Snowfarm

8.      72km Mountain-bike to Crown Range eventually finishing in Queenstown (via Shotover gorge swing)

 

If pre-race predictions held true this year would involve much closer racing where we ran away with a 12 hour margin. We would do everything we could to get away again but it would be much tougher. Included in this “everything” was a $59 buffet at the Hermatage restaurant. Safe to say we stuck out like a sore thumb but between the food quality and minimal wait time it was ideal last minute preparation!

6am Sunday 10^th March:

With promptness and organisation second Nature to Warren and Adam race start was sharp on 6. We ran at a solid clip through the Village and onto the Sebastapol trail. Teams jostled for position while headlights darted around searching for misplaced teammates. We kept it calm. There was no immediate hurry apart from shadowing the top few teams. Chris and I had spotted a route through the Sebastapol bluffs last night so with Harraways and Thule deviating we took our own line and emerged on the saddle victorious (only for a few minutes…). Before long Harraways were hot on our tail but Thule lagged behind. This theme would extrapolate through the entire race.

 

The remainder of the section was spent with Harraways. No one tried to make a move rather we all tried to establish a gap to the trailing teams. The section was spectacular to say the least. Commanding views spread out across the Hooker and Tasman Valleys with Mt Cook dominating the sunrise. Cloud drifted in at about 1000m making for a perfect start. Several times I had to pinch myself back into the reality that we were in fact racing. The pace remained consistent throughout the stage descending past Mueller hut, back into the Hooker Valley. Not wanting to slacken the pace the adventure race shuffle re-established itself as we continued down the Hooker, and up the Tasman to the Tasman moraine lake complete with icebergs. This was TA 1 and came not a moment too soon. 5km of jogging up the valley without water had left me craving a refill.

 

TA1 saw all alliances disappear. Each team for themselves. Here we turned the heat on, quickly grabbing our rafts and onto the 1km gear carry to the edge of the lake. It was far enough with a 20kg raft. The lake couldn’t come soon enough. Wetsuits, lifejackets, raft pumping and the heat all fuelled the hectic pace. Probably 2mins clear of Harraways we jumped into the boats and paddled off heeding the warnings about upcoming rapids. Yee haaa!!! The first couple of rapids were awesome with substantial waves requiring clever positioning in the boats. Unbeknown to us teams behind were having much more fun leaping backwards off their boats and swimming the rapids (also known as “getting nailed”).

For 90mins we paddled unchallenged, pleased with the rapid flow and progress. A 50/50 braid selection by myself proved costly antd after another 20 minutes of questionable flow the reality was that the main flow was to our right. Even worse was that I could see Harraways quickly mowing us down. Bugger! Soon after the two flows merged coinciding with Harraways catching up. Game on again. Lake Pukaki approached in tediously slow fashion with a quickly braiding river but eventually we broke free the shallows and set to work making these fat inflatables move effectively on flat water. 9km remained to TA2. Slowly but surely we edged a small gap on Harraways. Upon reaching TA 2 2-3 minutes seperated the two teams with the trailing teams barely in sight. 

A quick TA saw us on the bikes for the first time and moving quickly. The first half of this 140km ride would take us along the edge of lake Pukaki then through Twizel, round the Southern end of Lake Ohau then up the Ahuriri River to the TA. The first 100 or so kilometers went fast. Harraways were still on our tail, we could see their lights behind us. The first TA in the Ahuriri valley was in the Clay cliffs. This was an uneventful area by night but would have been stunning by day. A dead-end track cost us a couple of minutes and gave Harraways another sniff at how close the carrot was. 35km remained. It would be a mixture of farm trails and gravel road and progress was much slower than earlier in the ride. Harraways seemed to ebb and flow behind us. At times we were sure they would catch right up only to be surprised that they'd dropped right back. Either way we entered TA3 at Ben Avon station with a narrow 10 minute lead. No time for mucking around.....trekking gear on. 

Stage 4 was to take us toward Lake Hawea in the Dingle Burn area. The predicted time was 20hours but Chris had other ideas! In actual fact the Trek did take us 20 hours. It was an honest trek with some decent climbs. From my perspective this was a frustrating section. It was hard to get any great rhythm or momentum and was typified by the trail down the Timaru River which was off camber with seemingly endless climbs out  off the river to avoid bluffs and waterfalls. I think we covered about 8km in 3 hours which puts in perspective how slow the trail was. Monday (Day 2) was a particularly hot day and despite being well hydrated and eating plenty I found the last 90minutes more difficult than normal. In fact what would normally be a steady walking pace became damn near impossible. Luckily the rest of the team weren't in such a hole and helped me through the last hour. The media's mistake on Sophie's name to "Sophie Hard" was pretty accurate in this hour.

As dusk fell we entered transition at Lindis Pass. Not a moment too soon for me and a change of discipline represented a much needed break for the feet. 20 hours on the feet had taken its toll. To the eye my feet were fine but the  nerves were sensitive.....enough to make me walk like an idiot!

It was great to be on the bike. It was even better to have a break from the sun. My problems late in the trek were definitely linked to such a hot day in the sun. I don't tend to handle the heat well and in hindsight more swimming may have helped my cause. This section would take us 1400m up to the top of Grandview mountain before dropping down to Lake Hawea and following the Hawea river to Alberttown. All going well we would arrive in Alberttown close to 4am in the dark zone and catch some much needed kip before the Clutha kayak section. Initially there seemed to be more trekking than biking but as we gained elevation the terrain improved and I was loving being on the bike. I think there's always a period of adjusting the eyes to night riding after a bright day in the sun and this seemed to improve with time. A quick nap and some smooth downhill later we entered the Hawea flats and soon after were on the river cycle trail playing dodgems with countless rabbits. How we didn't hit one I don't know! The trail was smooth and fast....a little too smooth whilst sleepy but TA5 arrived without a hitch.

Disassemble bikes, food, teeth, wees bed! An hour and forty of sleep was bliss. Getting up wasn't so but we were all much better for it. The dark zone lifted at 7am so we made haste to be in our boats and ready for a 7 sharp start. A small crowd gathered to cheer us off at 7 and a small chuckle radiated as 3 of us paddled off while Chris continued to put his spraydeck on. I was loving being in the boat. It was cool and the beginning of another beautiful day. Later it would be uncomfortable in the heat but for now with the weight off my feet and fast moving water life was good. Every hour we stopped for a brief snack before continuing down river at what I'd call a consistent pace. This would continue for another 7 hours until we reached TA6 on the banks of Dunstan. Before then we would paddle most of the way down Dunstan to a CP close to the Clyde Dam returning to the TA at Lowburn. My main point of suffering was returning from CP 17 at Caimmuir to Lowburn. Not only did we pass Harraways and estimate the gap at 60 minutes but the Sun was in full force reflecting off the lake and making life difficult for my non-sun glassed eyes. Passing Harraways represented a reality check. Time to narrow the focus again and stretch the gap.

The Lowburn TA has fond memories. Adam and Warren had organised vegetable soup, Lasagne and fresh cheese buns for teams in transition. Amazing! I didn't eat anything during the entire race that tasted so good. Nice work boys...

It was now 3:30pm and the heat was incredible. The first 2km of the Pisa trekking stage was on the road and the heat radiated off with intensity. Nath and I spent our time scanning ahead for irrigation streams and creeks to cool off in. If we could look after ourselves during the next 2 hours it would surely pay forward to better pace in the racing that followed. Initially we kept a good steady pace. Everyone was feeling good and progress came without force for several hours. After dark the third CP presented a sting in its tail with steep sidling coupled with an increased presence of speargrass. The feet again protested but we pushed on. Chris was as usual navigating like a legend and the rest of us did our best to keep pace. The terrain eased dramatically en route to CP 22 giving rise to sleepiness. Challenges would continually present themselves at this stage of the race and the team that overcomes them the best generally moves the quickest....or such was our goal anyway! First up would be a quick nap at CP22 to get through the next couple of hours. The lights of the Snow Farm were visible in the distance and without too much trouble TA 7 was upon us.

Final Stage....awesome! This ride would take us from the Snow Farm across the Crown Range, down to Arrowtown then to Queenstown via the Shotover canyon swing. From my perspective the Crown range road seemed a long time coming. There was plenty of pushing, plenty of ruts to confuse tired eyes with a nap or two to keep us on the game. No one said much, we just got about the business. The witching hours coincided with a drop into Arrowtown. Keeping warm was hard but Nath found a solution in the Patagonia Nano-puff jacket that worked amazingly. As with any race there is usually a sting in the tail. Godzone wasn't too bad but if there was a sting it would have to be the climbs out of Littles road and then up to the Shotover gorge swing. The legs definitely protested.

The Gorge swing was great. Three days of racing didn't leave much adrenalin in the pipeline but I sure as hell did enjoy getting the weight off my feet. Its not often you feel sleepy on a 100m+ swing! Formalities over there was only one thing left to do.....finish. Down the Shotover valley we went enjoying the cheers of local supporters and the dawning of another cracker day. Think I might sleep this one away......

The Finish was great. Several locals along with a selection of hard working race volunteers lined the finish chute to welcome us home. Pizza waited over the line along with plenty of cameras, questions and a seat that had my name on it. It had been another great race for us as a unit. Physically we had all come from different build ups probably not making for our strongest race but team cohesion shone through to create another solid collective performance. Thanks again to my teammates for a great racing. Legendary navigation from Chris, race brains from Nath and strength from Soph. Its always humbling. Thanks also to Haraway Oats. Three hours behind is nothing to scoff at. The racing kept us honest and was a sleep stopper for the online spectators. Now they'll have a much better idea of how sleep deprivation works!

     





 

Coast to Coast 2013

Only 3 weeks late on this one. When you do Coast to Coast everything goes on the back burner for a month. Post race all these things rapidly hit the front burner.....safe to say my blog didn't make any burner!


I only decided to enter Coast to Coast on the last day of December. I had been putting the decision off over Christmas but there always comes a time when decisions must be made. I was primed and ready for a hard 6 week build up and all that goes with. January went fast. Two weekends on the course, a few decent sessions between and it was all over. I felt better prepared than I had ever felt, had managed more training than I would normally manage and for all intensive purposes was ready.

As it all unfolded, a very brief account of events.....

5:35am: After 20mins of casual walking toward Kumara beach with fellow legend Dan Moore I noticed things were a little breezy upstairs. "F!@k me, my helmets at the bike stand!".

5:45am: I'd like to say I hitch hiked to the bike stands but in reality I just jumped in someones car and got them to drive me the 4km return to where I left Dan. Crisis over.

6am: No mucking around now. We were off. Braden and Rich set the pace. I followed with a list of other contenders. Without too much mucking around a top bunch of about 12 guys emerged as a front bunch. Among us were Sam Clark, Richard Ussher, Braden Currie, Dougal Allan, Dan Moore and a few others. This was more or less our top ten finishers right off the bat I remember us settling into a reasonably organized rotation early into the ride probably explaining why we put 10 minutes on the 2nd bunch. My legs didn't feel great but with nothing I could do I put my focus onto efficiency and was confident a change in discipline would work well for my legs.

The Run: I had a usual smooth transition here but Sam, Braden and Dougal transitioned amazingly well getting a jump on the rest of us. I wasn't too worried thinking more about running myself into the race rather than blowing a gasket on the first 3km. It was a tactic that paid off but not immediately. My route choices were solid and I was running efficiently keeping Rich, Sam and Dougal at about the same distance in front. By the time we hit Doreen creek I had without too much effort caught the 3 guys immediately in front and was comfortable with their pace.Entering big boulders it was clear that my route choice was different to the other 3 so backing my judgement I went it alone. Going over the pass I wasn't particularly surprised to hear Braden was 8 minutes in front, nor did it worry me at the time. He had always planned to get a break off the run.

On my heels by now was Dougal who was having a great run compared to previous years and put some fire in my belly to up the pace. Soon after I had a clear gap and set about making a quick trip to Klondyle corner. Conditions were quick but 3:03 for the run was awesome. Lets hope it wasn't too awesome.

Apparently not.....Braden had smashed out 2:53. What a legend.

With a firm buttock wind the middle ride went without too much hassle. Getting off the bike things got sticky. I had cramp of the nasty kind throughout my legs. Several expletives, a couple of groans and a banana later I caught back up to Dougal (who had caught me on the last km of the ride then past me atop the hill) on the run to Mt White bridge. Here with my awesome crew we got a gap on Dougal that wasn't to be closed until the dying stages of the river.

Paddling the Waimakariri:

Five hours of running and biking will always leave you a little fatigued but the Waimak is notorious for showing who the decent paddlers are and who cooked themselves on the run. Initially I thought I was the latter. My arms and shoulders felt heavy and fatigued. A little worried I quickly came up with a strategy....ignore it and put up with the pain. By the time I entered the rock garden rapids this strategy was paying dividends. I had started at a decent enough pace and the arms were already feeling better.

The river had dropped markedly even since out practice paddle on Thursday so ahead lay a tough slog but I was feeling good. Getting close to the Gorge I reflected on how great it was I hadn't been caught by Rich. Glancing back I got a disappointing surprise to see him right behind me. He wasted no time getting past but once in front I was even more surprised that he didn't surge ahead. In fact for the next hour I kept Rich in sight, gradually losing time but in a controlled fashion. Until......"the paddle incident".

If I had a dollar for every person who's asked me "what happened to your paddle" I'd be retiring next week. The reality is a bit of a blur. About a kilometer from the iron railway bridge the river took a sharp left turn round some bluffs. This particular rapid had never warranted any special attention in training so it was business as usual. What I think happened is that I got very close to the bluffs, failed to get my paddle out of the way, hit the bluff and tipped over. I then overcooked my 1st roll going straight over the other side. On a second attempt a right hand brace stroke resulted in my RH blade falling off and then a swim. Bugger! For all intensive purposes my race was poked.

In a last ditch effort to continue racing I asked the jetboat driver manning the rapid if he had a paddle on board. "Yes, but it looks nothing like yours?" he said. I quickly responded that it was better that my other option (to waka paddle the remaining 20km), took the 80's style flat paddle and got straight to work. It was far from pretty but I was moving downstream again and focused in my work. 10 or so minutes later I spotted Ian Edmond videoing the race. Spotting his wing paddle I wasted no time in arranging a swap (great for me, not so great for Ian) got back to work. Unfortunately Dougal had now caught up and was now on my tail. The remaining hour of the paddle was uneventful. Serious damage had been done to my time. All I could do was be as consistent as possible. Into transition we were a closely matched bunch. Sam Clark, myself, and Dougal all within a minute.

Biking Home:

I started the bike with an angry vengance but my ride too was soon to fall apart. The paddle incident had a follow on that would hit hard. Basically I hadn't eaten enough on the paddle especially in the final 90 minutes leaving nothing in the tank for the ride. It was a grovel to say the least and Sumner beach really was a sight for sore eyes!


Wrapping up:

Hats off to Braden. He had the dream race and a well deserved win. 2:53 for the run is hard to fathom. Upon reflection I've found plently of positives in my race. I've also learn't a lot about what not to do! Eating plently during the paddle is essential for a good final ride. Its not rocket science but making it happen on a hot day and when bad luck hits is another story. The paddle....well, thats history and it certainly won't be repeating.

Many thanks to my crew and my loyal sponsors who keep me going despite the odds. Thermatech, R & R Sport, and Rasdex.