Posted: November 14, 2005

Adventure Racing: Lead Teams Setting Fast Pace in the 2005 World Championship

Fast riding surf created spectacular action on the first day of the 2005 Adventure Racing World Championship on the West Coast of the Southern Alps providing the 46 international and Kiwi teams with a challenging start to the six day event.

The race started in downtown Westport with a run to the North Beach where competitors launched their sea kayaks to take them to Waimangaroa.

Some competitors overturned just after leaving the beach but the Kiwi team Balance Vector took off at a fast pace to lead the stage all the way.

Beaching at Waimangaroa was a tough call and while the lead teams demonstrated their sea kayaking skills others struggled with the rolling surf , with many capsizing . Some boats were badly damaged and some were washed ashore broken in two.

"It was exciting action for everyone involved," says AR World Series race director Geoff Hunt, "Thanks to the efforts of the Buller Surf Life Saving Club and Xtreme Adventures Jetskis who provided fantastic safety back up for the contestants, we were able to make sure everyone came ashore safely."

Competitors enjoyed the challenge of the Tasman Sea conditions and were even joined by a school of Hector dolphins who swam with them some of the way.

Following the sea kayak, teams rode mountain bikes on a 49km section through Denniston, New River and Lyell.

Nathan Fa'ave's team Balance Vector led the way through the mountainbiking section just 15 minutes ahead of fellow New Zealanders Sierra International who had overtaken Montrail, which is a US/Kiwi mixed team, during this stage. The stage took 3 hours 18 minutes for Balance Vector to complete which was estimated by organisers to take between four and a half and six hours. Defending champions Nike Balance Bar of USA went through in fourth place just minutes behind, followed by the Swedish team Halti.

A section across the Orikaka River provided some excitement with a Tyrolean traverse. Competitors had to cross the wire carrying mountain bikes.

The top teams are now in heading through the bush in a 37 km trek through the Lyell Range which is estimated to take between 15-22 hours to complete.

The World Championship is sponsored by the West Coast Development Trust and $100,000 in prize money is up for grabs for the five top teams. The first teams are expected to cross the finish line in Tauranga Bay sometime on Friday (November 18).

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, 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 Racing World Championship

Website: www.southerntraverse.com.