Posted: July 18, 2005

Adventure Racing: Buller Team Takes On The 2005 AR World Championship

July 19: A Buller based team, Team Solid Energy, will have local knowledge as its main weapon, when it takes on the more experienced international and Kiwi teams in the 2005 Adventure Racing World Championship, in the Buller region of the West Coast of the Southern Alps from November 11-19.

ARWorld Series director Geoff Hunt says it is excellent for the profile of the race to have a Buller team represented, and although Team Solid Energy is making its debut in this level of adventure racing, the combined skills and background of the team members in multi-sports events will stand them in good stead.

Sixty teams from around the world are entered in the prestigious world competition which will feature the cream of international adventure racers.

Team Solid Energy is captained by 33-year-old Westport linesman Niall Mueller who has competed in seven Coast to Coast events, numerous triathlons and has extensive cycling and tramping experience.

The strongest member of the team is 28-year-old civil engineer Brian Adams who has competed in several 24 hour races, climbed Mt Cook twice and paddled Cook Strait. Mining engineer Paul Comesky, aged 46, has extensive experience in cycle racing and tramping in the Buller region. Forty-year-old physiotherapist Robyn Abbey is also a regular Coast to Coast competitor and has competed in other endurance and 24 hour events.

"While none of us has ever competed in a Southern Traverse event we know that our local knowledge of the area will be the key. We obviously don't see ourselves as winning contenders because we will be up against some very experienced teams," says Niall. "But being on our home territory will definitely help."

The team's aim is to complete the course which is a realistic goal for their first Southern Traverse designed course.

To finish the course all four members of the team have to compete together in all the disciplines - which will include trekking, mountain biking, caving, abseiling, kayaking and rafting. Traditionally about one-third of the field finishes the Southern Traverse classic course but the World Championship is likely to see a greater percentage making it through.

Team Solid Energy is beginning an intensive build up for the World Championship and all four members will compete in the Christchurch 24 Hour race next month.

"We are keen to see how we pit ourselves against the other teams," says Niall.

The team's challenging training schedule over the next few months will take them all over the Buller region.

"We are trying to cover all options, working on our navigation skills. We know the area reasonably well and will have an advantage in that respect. In some places we won't need to be using maps like other teams, because we will know where we're heading."

Niall says it is excellent to have naming sponsorship from Solid Energy which is a well established mining company in Westport.

"Their support combined with that of other local sponsors will be a great help to us in our World Championship campaign."

Geoff Hunt says home teams always have a good advantage as proven in many of the Southern Traverse vents over the years.

"Last year in Hokitika for example both the winning team Kathmandu and Greymouth Holiday Park Top 10 which finished sixth had the jump on the rest of the field in some areas because the West Coast is the place they have grown up in and they know the country intimately. Team Kathmandu is also competing in the World Championship and is obviously a potential podium winner.

Southern Traverse Ltd is a premier international sports event management company operating elite events around the world, including the Adventure Racing World Championship, the AR World Series and the Southern Traverse.

The Adventure Racing World Series is an international circuit of premiere adventure races representing 10 countries creating a 12-month calendar of professional events around the world. The series events are: Beast of the East-USA, Raid the North Extreme- Canada, Ecomotion/Pro - Brazil, Appalachian Extreme - USA, Explore Sweden - Sweden, The Bull of Africa - S.Africa, Terra Incognita - Croatia, Bergson Winter Challenge - Poland, Wilderness ARC - Scotland and Southern Traverse -New Zealand. Adventure Racing World Series events are qualifiers for the Adventure Race World Championship