Southern Traverse Champions
2003
14.Nov 12:47:56
Team Icebreaker Bridgedale from New Zealand have won the
thirteenth Southern Traverse in Dunedin, New Zealand.
After 99 hours
of adventure racing the team was in great spirits with enough energy to
sprint down the beach towards their waiting supporters, friends and family
at the finish line in St Clair's Beach. During those 99 hours they had just
3 hours 40 minutes sleep but excellent mental and physical fitness, together
with outstanding team dynamics saw them through to the end.
Team captain, Murray Thomas from Queenstown, who was
competing in his 13th Southern Traverse which he last won in 1992, writes of
his teams experience:
"From
down town Dunedin, along the wild Otago coastline, through the Silver Peaks,
and high into the Lammerlaws, the Southern Traverse was always going to be a
true challenge for those teams who lined up for the 5 day adventure race.
Our team, Team Icebreaker Bridgedale, consisting of
myself, Sally Fahey, Quenton Johnston and Tim Pearson was dubbed to be one
of the stronger teams in the event. On paper we had what it takes to be
competitive. But in these events the odds are against you and it takes more
than a name to get to the finish line. This was to be my 13th Southern
Traverse and I knew all too well that we needed to work as a team throughout
the race, keeping an eye on each other and helping each other whenever
required.
We also needed to look after ourselves. That is why our
team was kitted out in Icebreaker clothing and wearing Bridgedale socks.
Neither hypothermia nor blisters were going to impede our progress
We started with a 3km run from the heart of Dunedin, a
kayak out of the Otago Harbor to Aramoana, where in sunny conditions, the
teams took on the coasteering section, the first real test for the teams. We
scrambled along the rocky coastline. Making headway around large coastal
bluffs by jumping into the chilly ocean and swimming, flippers and all,
among” barking seals”. With wetsuits compulsory, and running the beaches in
the heat of the mid day sun, many individuals suffered from the heat and
dehydration. Not good if you’re racing for five days.
The next sections included a trek through the Silver
Peaks, a quick 5hr paddle on the Taieri River, and a couple of night
mountain bike rides through forestry blocks. After a few navigational
errors, Team Icebreaker Bridgedale entered a welcome transition prior to the
grueling 70km trek in the Lammerlaws. We got to top up with hot food and got
a well earned 2 hr sleep (the first for 40hrs of racing).
With the
lead teams, Team Icebreaker Bridgedale headed out on what was to be the crux
of the race. A 26hr trek among the featureless tussock covered rolling
landscapes, deep valleys and mossy bogs. Consistently wet feet, cold
conditions, low lying clouds and the “Sleep Monster” all tested the teams
severely. It was a leg where the teams relied heavily on navigational
skills, good team work, and the right equipment. Not that easy when your
mind is telling you lies, and you think the next check point is that tussock
just up ahead. Only a few hours from the end of this long trek our team was
“spent”, and rather than risk walking into the wrong catchment, a 40min
sleep was necessary.
Plummeting air temperatures, icy blasts and sheets of hail
and snow created a rough, wet and cold kayak down Lake Mahinerangi. A quick
4hr trek, and much needed transition allowed us to top up with more hot food
and a change of clothing.
Riding into the face of an icy front we struggled with our
navigation through the hilly forestry blocks, and the “sleep monster”. He is
constantly bugging at least someone in the team. The “sleep monster” always
visits when you are deprived of precious sleep. He will tell you to fall
asleep at any time and anywhere, especially in a kayak or on the Mt Bike
when your doing 40kph on a winding downhill. You just can’t shake him off!!!
It was here where we made our biggest error by missing a
simple double check on a corner. We were heading off course and losing
precious time to the following teams, without realising it! However, when we
did spot our error, we back-tracked and navigated ourselves back on course
without much fuss. A strong team can manage similar situations without
drama.
Entering one of the final checkpoints, we now knew that we
had every chance of holding our lead to the end. But we still had to use our
heads and race sensibly. Our calculations put us a few hours ahead of the
next team, which allowed us to grab a final 40min sleep before taking to the
kayaks down to the Taieri Mouth. This would allow us to finish strong on the
final paddle, Mt Bike and run into St Cair Beach.
However, unknown to us, behind was Richard Anderson’s Kiwi
Aussie combo team had used a time penalty to capture some sleep and crucial
time. As we were leaving the transition at the Taieri Mouth we could see
them steaming down the Taieri within 15mins of our lead.
Now there was some urgency in what we were doing. Without
a word spoken, we time trialed the Mt Bike section knowing that any mishap
could take the lead from our grasp. With less than a minute in the
transition off the bike, we ran the last 12km coasteering section with
Richard’s team hot in pursuit. Crazy when you think about what we have just
put our body’s through. And with less than 4hours sleep.
We held our lead to the finish at St Clair Beach to take
out the 13th Southern Traverse.
It’s hard to
explain what it feels like to cross the line in one of these events. The
sense of achievement is overwhelming. Knowing that it took a team of four
people to work together for 24hours a day for 5 days to reach a goal. A goal
that you set out to achieve from the start. Many don’t achieve that goal,
but those that reach the finish can only be proud of what they have
achieved.
Team Icebreaker Bridgedale are proud of our efforts and
are proud to be associated with Icebreaker and Bridgedale. We thank you for
your support."
Murray Thomas
The team are
looking forward to a well earned rest before they start training again, this
time for the Word Adventure Racing Championships in Canada 2004 for which
they have just won a free entry.
All of us here at Ampro would
like to congratulate the team, and trust that the fine socks worn during the
event helped carry them to victory. From what Murray's told us - no blisters
on the teams feet at all!
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