Posted: November 18, 2005

Adventure Racing: Balance Vector on the Home Straight

Kiwi powerhouse Balance Vector has a commanding lead over the chasing pack as they prepare to enter the final stage of the 2005 Adventure Racing World Championship in the Buller region of the West Coast of the Southern Alps.

Balance Vector is well into the mountain trek in the Paparoa's and is now more than 15 hours ahead of now second placed Port Nelson, who was third into the transition area from the mountain bike to the trek through the Kirwans and Brunner Range.

Swedish team Cross Sportswear was second to the transition at 4.38pm and Port Nelson arrived at 4.46pm. Defending world champions US team Nike Balance Bar was only a minute behind them and closely followed by Lundhags Adventure, from Sweden.

Most teams in the chasing pack took the opportunity to rest in the hills at checkpoint 22 last night. Port Nelson reached the checkpoint at 9.23pm and gave themselves an hour and a half time-out. Lundhags Adventure, in third place, took an hour.

Nike Balance Bar, who rested for three hours at checkpoint 21, arrived in time to watch Lundhags Adventure departing and started the chase at 11.08pm.

Cross Sportswear, who took a two-hour break, left just after Nike Balance Bar at 11.20pm.

Port Nelson maintained the second place position, racing through checkpoint 23 on the trek at 5.45am. Nike Balance Bar and Lundhags Adventure are continuing to pressure the Kiwi team and arrived at 6.31am and 6.34am respectively.

There is expected to be a flurry of activity at the Buller River in the next few hours when teams race to the start of the kayaking section.

ARWorld Series director Geoff Hunt has made amendments to the course which has shortened the Paparoa's trek and the following mountain bike section. The cut off on the river of 14.30 hours today has been extended to 21 hours.

Balance Vector will enter the Te Tahi Caves late morning and a number of protestors, concerned about the Department of Conservation granting a concession to the Adventure Racing Championship to use the cave as part of the race, have already gathered there.

Twenty teams are still racing on the course and barring any unforeseen problems Balance Vector is expected to complete the race at Tauranga Bay near Westport late this afternoon.

The West Coast Development Trust is the principal sponsor for the World Championship.

For up to date race coverage www.arworldchampionship.com or for alternative coverage www.sleepmonsters.com.

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.