Adventure race tests competitors and organisers
All action at the Collingwood boatramp as competitors check in on Stage 2 (Gillies Road-end to Port Puponga) of the 24-hour Rollo’s Nelson Adventure Race last weekend. Photo: Gerard Hindmarsh.
Western Golden Bay was all abuzz with race fever on Labour Weekend for the 10th Rollo’s Nelson Adventure Race, held this side of the Hill for the very first time.
The gruelling multi-sport event started at 8am in Collingwood last Saturday and attracted 36 teams, each with two to four competitors plus their support crews. Twenty-four of the teams signed up for the seven-stage, 12-hour race, while the other 12 went for the full 24-hour endurance event, which kept them going all night and through to Sunday morning as well.
The exact course was only revealed to competitors at the pre-race briefing on Friday night at the Collingwood Memorial Hall. There, participants had to present for checking all their required safety gear, including cold weather protection, backup head torches and batteries, flares and flags for kayaks.
Only three Golden Bay locals participated. Tony Bateup (supported by Lisa Savage) teamed up with three Nelsonians. Steve Thompson and Jill Foxwell formed another team, whose support crew of Darren Foxwell, Julie and Karl Thompson raced around all day keeping up with them.
The first seven stages of the race were the same for both 12-hour and 24-hour teams. First came a mountain bike stage from Collingwood to Langford’s Store at Bainham, then back down to the end of Gillies Road, where racers jumped into double kayaks and furiously paddled 32km down the Aorere River and around to Port Puponga before running along the Old Man Range to Wharariki. From there they cycled to Tomatea Point, then paddled to Collingwood jetty before an orienteering run through Milnthorpe Park (in the dark for most) to Nelson Street, where they once again collected their bikes, and the 12-hour racers headed for the finish line at Collingwood.
The hardened 24-hour teams set off for a sloshy ride through the Aorere Goldfields, where two teams were forced to give up when their bikes couldn’t handle the muddy conditions. Those who did get through ended up at the Naked Possum Café..
Steve and Jill came in at 11hr 42min, taking the mixed team title in the process.
“I was blown away. We had no idea how we would get on,” said Jill afterwards. “Steve has done the Coast to Coast before, but I’m fairly new to the game. Six weeks ago I didn’t even know I was going to do it, and if it wasn’t for the urging of Lisa Savage and Tony Bateup we wouIdn’t have signed up. It was a good reason to get fit, and I learned to paddle a kayak! Even just to participate in a fantastic adventure. I’m hooked!”
The heavy rain that set in late Saturday afternoon did not stop organisers from allowing the 24-hour competitors to push ahead from the Naked Possum on what was perhaps the most testing leg. After a night-time trek uphill over the Kaituna Track, they picked up their mountain bikes at the Knuckle Hill track end for the final leg back to Collingwood. The New Zealand Rugby Players Association team, which included All Black Ian Jones, were gutted to get to the end of the track at Knuckle Hill only to find their support crew had slept in and weren’t there with their mountain bikes. It didn’t deter them, though—they just kept running until their support crew turned up.
Assisting all weekend were 19 members of Golden Bay Search & Rescue (LandSAR)—who manned checkpoints and set up their headquarters at the Collingwood Fire Brigade rooms—and 10 members of the Nelson LandSAR.
Golden Bay LandSar’s Graham Pomeroy said they were happy to help out because the event simulated most realistic callout situations.
“All the teams were fitted out like they were going out on a real search. Of course, it could have quite easily turned into one, given the course and endurance required of the competitors. Anything could have happened in that weather, but luckily it didn’t.”
This year’s overall winner was the well-oiled Team Subway from Nelson, comprising Richard Ussher, Elina Ussher, Nathan Fa’avae and Fleur Lattimore. Tony’s Bateup’s ITM team challenged them right to the very end.
Said Jill Foxwell: “It made me feel really proud of Golden Bay. It’s such an amazing place for an event like this and all the competitors and support crews were really impressed. You could just tell.”
Gerard Hindmarsh
Results from www.adventurenelson.co.nz:
15hr 10min after they had left Collingwood, Team Subway reached the finish line winning the 2010 Rollo’s Nelson Adventure Race and claiming New Zealand Adventure Racing Championship. 1hr 19min later Team ITM rolled in to takes second place in 16hr 29min. But there was a battle for 3rd place and once the dust settled Team Golden Bay Goats took the last podium in 17hr 49min with Fire & Ice only 7 minutes behind. Rounding out the top five was Nelson Sponsored by Floyd in 19hr. The NZRPA team was in a race to hold off the last team on the full course and did so finishing in 25hr 37min. These guys had a blast and the other teams around them enjoyed their spirit and company.
