Posted: June 22, 2004

Adventure Racing: element Peak to Peak - Great prizes to reward competitors

All athletes competing in this year's element Peak to Peak will be in with a chance to win some fantastic prizes including an Avanti mountain bike and nzski.com season passes.

The element Peak to Peak is a fun multi sport race which traverses a course from the top of the Remarkables ski area, through Queenstown and up to Coronet Peak.

Returning as major sponsor, element, stockists of Avanti, is offering a $1,300 mountain bike as the major spot prize as well as heaps of great gear to assist athletes in their sporting endeavors.

nzski.com who have supported the event since its inception are providing two season passes for the first man and woman across the finish line, many day passes will also be given out as prizes.

Entries for this year's race on Saturday 3 July have started flowing in from teams and individuals across the South Island. There has been a good mix of entries from some renowned athletes as well as first timers rising to the challenge and seeing if they have what it takes.

The race starts at 12.00 noon high on the Remarkables ski field with a 2km ski or snow board to the Remarkables access road. A 17km mountain bike down the road takes competitors to the edge of Lake Wakatipu in Frankton for a 7km paddle in to Queenstown Bay. From downtown Queenstown the final two race stages are a 9km run to the new transition area at Coronet Alpine Hotel and then a 9km bike ride up to the finish line at Coronet Peak.

The race is exciting for spectators too, whether down in Queenstown Bay as the paddlers arrive to tag the runners before they sprint off towards Coronet Alpine Hotel, or on the finish line as the athletes happily reach the line after their grueling bike ride up Coronet Peak access road.

Individual categories include: men, women and veteran, whilst teams compete in the open, female, mixed, business house and veteran categories.

Entry forms are available from all good sports stores, sponsor outlets or the www.southerntraverse.com site with registration open on the race day till 11.00am at the Remarkables base building. Please note the race starts at 12.00pm an hour later than last year's start time

Part of the Lindauer Queenstown Winter Festival the element Peak to Peak is just one event of seventy that the whole family can enjoy during the 10 day celebration that winter has arrived in the resort. Supporters and family are encouraged to come along to Queenstown as there is sure to be something for them to enjoy during the festival.

The element Peak to Peak receives great support from a dedicated group of associate and supplier sponsors who offer a fantastic line up of prizes for places and spot prizes including:

nzski.com , Back on Track Physiotherapy, Ground effect, Dux de Lux, Queenstown Night 'n Day, Coronet Alpine Hotel, Resort Radio, Kawarau Jet, Alpine Gold, Leppin Sport, Coronet Brasserie, AJ Hackett, Peak Projects and New Zealand Multisport.

The race website is at: www.southerntraverse.com.