Southern Traverse 2001
Day 3: Kiwis, Aussies, Neck and Neck
Queenstown, New Zealand- November 13, 2001
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Standings Day 5 Updates Day 4 Updates Day 3 Updates Day 2 Updates Day 1 Updates Course TeamsOnly five teams still on the Classic (full) Course have reached the second kayaking section, with another 17 yet to make their ways to Kingston, no doubt hoping to get on the water before the dark zone cut-off at 9pm. Teams caught on the water after 9:30 incur heavy time penalties to be served later in the race.
Team Marahau Beach Camp, consisting of Julian Sykes, his sister Claire Sykes, Ned Norton and Heath Degarnham, was first on the water this morning and have maintained that lead throughout the day. Three quarters of their team raced in the Southern Traverse last year when they took 8th place.
Claire Sykes was asked before the race why she was entering, and replied that her brother said it would be fun.
When asked today if it was still fun, she said "absolutely!" "Julian has a strange understanding of fun, but it has all been fun. As a team we are all extremely close, we've done a lot of training together and everyone is having a good time," Sykes said.
With good paddling conditions this morning, race director Geoff Hunt predicted the leg up the lake would take about three hours, however conditions have deteriorated and Marahau Beach Camp, which started paddling around midday reached the transition area four-and-a-half hours later.
They've now begun an estimated seven-hour trek up over Cecil Peak to Walter Peak, eventually reaching the spectacular 110-meter abseil and tyrolean traverse which will be an interesting experience in the dark of night.
Second-placed Team Wombat, which has kept up the pressure on Marahau all day, is led by former Richmond and St. Kilda AFL player, Tom Crebbin.
The rest of the team members are also well-known in Australian sports with husband and wife Tom Landon-Smith and Alina McMaster both former Australian Olympic cross-country ski team members, while Nigel Alott is current Australian and former world rogaining champion.
Weather conditions are currently foggy with occasional light snow in the mountains, and poor visibility, at times down to 10 meters. This caused problems in particular for Team Cromwell which took some time to find checkpoint 23 eventually missing it altogether and traveling on to the next CP.
The Team was wet, cold and dirty and feeling pretty despondent when it finally arrived at Kingston Beach where members will serve a one-hour penalty for missing the checkpoint and leader Bill Godsall said they had already lost seven hours of time due to a navigational error when they became lost up a creek.
However their support crew is rallying around with hot food and warm clothes and they will probably use the penalty as a chance to get some sleep.
Queenstowners are being encouraged to watch out for lights tonight as the lead teams start to travel over to Walter Peak, opposite Queenstown township, and then travel down to the lake edge ready to get back on the water at 6am tomorrow.
Kiwis Arrive in Kingston with Slim Lead Over Aussies
7:10pm (PST)
There was some jostling for first position overnight as Team Wombat overtook Marahau Beach Camp, only to find their lead short-lived when they arrived in Kingston this morning, a quarter hour behind them.
Both teams were looking good as they strode into Kingston Beach at 10:44am and 11am, respectively.
Julian Sykes, team leader of Marahau Beach Camp, said the team was overtaken by Wombat and another team after stopping for a few hours sleep. However they took a short cut down to Transition Area 6 in Kingston which was how they regained the lead.
Upon hearing the news just seconds after arrival, Alina McMaster of Team Wombat was not surprised. "I thought they (Marahau) might do that," she said. And as for her thoughts on the latest section: "It was long and very slow going. Did I ever tell you this place was full of mountains," she joked.
Sykes said they were planning to tend to their feet before hitting the water for the paddle up Lake Wakatipu.
Team Wombat, which did not sleep at all overnight, was planning a quick nap before setting out again.
Race director Geoff Hunt said it would be interersting to see what happened next. "The real race is now starting to develop, with the front teams swapping positions several times throughout the last few stages," he said.
While the dawn start on the lake never eventuated, there was a flurry of kayaks hitting the water at 9am, with teams who did not make the cut-off last night diverting directly to Kingston to proceed on the Experience Course.
Amongst these was the Queenstown all-women Team Timberland who did not seem disheartened at being on the Experience Course, despite having a goal to finish the entire course.
Team leader Sonja Sparrow expressed relief. "I'm quite happy in all honesty. We're a bit dissppointed but I think we'll be able to enjoy ourselves more with a bit of extra time up our sleeve."
Even losing their map around lunchtime yesterday, did not seem to phase Team Timberland as it had studied it closely and members knew where they were going. They also had some help from other teams.
Colleen Seyer said dealing with the lost map problem was a highlight for her. She said after the initial fluster, they regrouped and the team dynamics really started to come into play. "That was a highlight, seeing how we worked together."
First teams arrive at Kingston CP 25
11:03:19 (NZ)
Team 34 Marahau Beach Camp has regained the lead by 5 minutes from team 47 Team Wombat. The unofficial time was 10:44 this morning. They now look forward to a 25-km (3-5hrs) kayak on lake Wakatipu to reach Cecil Peak and the abseil.
Everyone is having a turn at the lead as the Southern Traverse adventure race enters its third day. Overnight, Australian Team Wombat, with members Tom Crebbin, Tom Landon Smith, Alina McMaster and Nigel Alott moved into the lead position.
Team Marahau Beach Camp was in front last night as it headed towards the next kayak stage at Kingston Beach. However its one-hour lead was short lived when the team made a bad navigation choice that took it up a westward ridge in an alternate direction.
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One of the leading teams for the first two days of the race, Team Parrot Lythgoe from the UK, has now withdrawn from the race after team member Phil Davies struggled to continue with a repetitive knee strain.
Local Queenstown team, Edge Orienteering, is currently in 3rd position and reported to be feeling strong. Team Cromwell is in 4th place and USA's Team Cal Eco is in 5th.
Meanwhile, back in the middle of the field, many teams on the mountain bike ride section over the Garvie Mountain Range turned back during the night to try an alternative route across the to the remote checkpoint before transition area 5 at Mataura River.
The entire field is now spread approximately 84 kilometers from front to back with two teams still to finish the large Hector Mountain trek section.
UK explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes and his Team Alstom have split after two members, Steven Seaton and Anna McCormack dropped out of the race at transition area 4 last night. Sir Ranulph and remaining team member Stephen Sharp are now unranked but continuing on the course with three members of the Blue Bandana team.
Unranked Teams Await Whistle
07:16:08
Teams 01 – Adidas, 02 – Intrepid, 39 – No Limit Australia, and 57 – Waitaki await Race Director Geoff Hunt's decision as to whether they can restart the race from the Kayak Stage 8. These teams have ended up at CP 25 ahead of race leaders due to alternative courses and various decisions that have left them 'unranked' - but keen to continue. Whatever the case no one will leave the beach before leading teams have made the transition from mtn trek to kayak.
Heat is Rising in the Cold Morning
07:15:45
After a slow few hours things are about to heat up. Kingston (CP 25 / TA 6) expects to have leading teams through and onto their Kayaks in less than 45 min. The 'second start' that was anticipated this morning has failed to eventuate as many teams that were expected to be bunched at CP 25 waiting to get on the water - are still strategically placed throughout the Eyre Mountain Range.
New Leader
04:10:27
The tight fight for the first position came to an end earlier this morning when the Nelson bunch Maruhau Beach Camp Team 34 was shimmied by the Wombat crew en route to checkpoint 22. Team Wombat has since checked into CP after opting for the river route and are making good time leading into the Kayak section during the day.
Another One Bites the Dust
03:43:44
Team 57 Parrot-Lythgoe consisting of the four siblings from the UK have thrown in the towel at checkpoint 21. Team member Phil Davies is reported to have injured his knee during the hard core Eyres/Garvies mountain bike section.
DePuy Pushes the Limits
01:41:18
Team 06 – DePuy Canada checked out of CP 18 at 22:59 (1 minute before cut-off for the next section) but did not actually leave until 23:22. 06 said they were receiving medical attention. Mark (Medic Unit 2) advised he gave assistance but left tent at 22:45 amid heated discussion as to plans to continue/depart.
Kiwis Swap Lead
21:48:25
New Zealand's Team Marahau Beach Camp consisting of Julian Sykes, his sister Claire Sykes, Ned Norton and Heath Degarnham from the Nelson and Christchurch regions have stepped up into the lead position having chased hard all day.
The team bio refers to the members relying on a friendly team attitude, a sense of enjoyment, a strong focus and tight discipline and this strategy seems to be paying off as they lead into Stage 7 of the race, a 24-kilometer trek over the Erye Mountain Range to Kingston Beach.
The Davies family, three brothers and a sister, who make up Team Parrot Lythgoe, had led the race since late last night. Youngest family member, Phil Davies, though has been coping with a repetitive knee injury over the last few hours and the team was passed just before reaching Mataura River transition area.
Steady rain and low cloud is keeping progress at a slow, yet steady pace throughout the Southern Traverse field with no teams making the 9pm cutoff for the next water section on Lake Wakatipu. This means front teams will now filter down into the Kingston Beach transition and grab some sleep before a 6am start on the lake. The 25-kilometer kayak section will take the field across Lake Wakatipu to Cecil Peak station where the course then heads up to Walter Peak and a spectacular abseil and Tyrolean traverse.
Currently in 3rd place, Australian Team Wombat has consistently raced in the top-5 pack since late yesterday. A record five Australian teams entered this year's Southern Traverse and so far three of the teams are still in the race, two having pulled out today due to exhaustion.
Forty-five teams remain on the course, with three teams racing unranked and eight teams withdrawn.
—Courtesy, Southern Traverse Ltd.
