Posted: May 23, 2005

Adventure Racing: Shape up for the element Peak to Peak

23 May 2005: Sports men and women should start waxing their skis, pumping up the bike tires and get in some winter training for sporting action during the Lindauer Queenstown Winter Festival.

The twelfth element Peak to Peak on the 9 July is set to attract multi-sporters from across the South Island drawn to the challenge of racing from the Remarkables ski area, down through Queenstown and up to Coronet Peak ski area. Traveling by skis or snowboard, mountain bike, kayak and foot.

Returning as major sponsor, element is delighted to be associated with this annual event. Stephen Bewley, store manager of element in Remarkables Park Queenstown believes the peak to peak is "a great event for the store to be linked with. We enjoy supporting athletes in the region and can offer competitors access to leading adventure equipment and expertise. Queenstown is an ideal playground for this race and we look forward to cheering the athletes on."

The race starts high on the Remarkables ski field with a 2km ski or snow board down 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 into Queenstown Bay. From downtown Queenstown the final two race stages are a 9km run to the Coronet Alpine Hotel and then a 9km bike ride up to the finish line at Coronet Peak.

Race director Geoff Hunt would like to encourage men and women at all levels of fitness to enter this year.

"If the distances are too daunting to enter as an individual grab your friends or work colleagues and enter as a team. For first timers, pulling a team together is a great way to experience the element Peak to Peak. Not only is it great fun on the day for teams cheering their members on but you may find it easier to get out and train together.

"This is a good race to enter if you are keen to get in to multi-sports. The distances for each discipline are very achievable."

Growing in popularity each year the race last year attracted a record field of 55 individuals and 73 teams. Past serious competitors have included Steve Gurney, Richard Ussher, Rachel Barton, Heydn Key, Kristina Anglem and Eric Billoud.

Race categories for individuals include male, female and veteran. Teams can enter the open division or female, male, mixed, business house and veteran. Team numbers can be between two and five people.

Entries are available at all good sports stores, sponsor outlets and the Southern Traverse office.

The element Peak to Peak is supported by the following sponsors; element, Back on Track Physiotherapy, Ground effect, Queenstown Night 'n Day, Queenstown Gym, Outrigger at the Beacon, Earth-Fit, Summerfield's Frankton Pharmacy, K2 Skis, Smith Eyewear, MoreFM, Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, Kawarau Jet, Alpine Gold, Leppin, Coronet Brasserie, MacAssist and New Zealand Multisport.