Godzone Adventure Race Wraps in Sunshine

For immediate release
April 14th, 2012
Orion Health Godzone Adventure Race Wraps in Sunshine

The finale teams competing in the Orion Health GODZone Adventure came across the finish line at midday today wrapping up the six day event in fine form

Blue sky's, brilliant sunshine, pizza and champagne awaited the last competitors who had been travelling constantly with very little sleep for five days, 3 hours and 25 minutes (124.25mins).

Team Seagate won the 515km long event early in the week on Thursday evening finishing in three days,14 hours and 55 minutes proving their world class status and domination. Team leader Nathan Faavae said the adventure was inspirational. “ We had to overcome the ruggedness of the course to get to this position - it was not an easy route. A lot of races are quite sterile but this one was beautiful.”

Second place went to Team One Square Meal who finished the course in four days, 6 hours and one minute. Sia Svendson, Ian Edmond, Stuart Lynch and Ross Rotherham were thrilled with their placing and team leader Ian Adamson praised race directors Warren Bates and Adam Fairmaid.

“Everyone found the race very challenging but we we’re here for the adventure and that's what we got!

Third place went to Queenstown favourites, Team R&R Sport who finished in four days, five hours and 22 minutes. Local adventurers Haydn Key, Baz Smith, Jess Simson and Mat Woods celebrated their placing by dropping by the R&R store to say hi to the staff on the way to the finish line.
“ We are really happy with where we came, enjoyed the entire course and loved every minute of it. Its great to have a race of this nature back in New Zealand and here in our own backyard.”

Out of a field of 31 racing teams, ten made it home on the full course with ten stages starting with a Milford Sound kayak and then proceeded to a Milford Road mountain bike, Englinton River white water canoe, Dunton Range trek, Oreti Cromel mountain bike, Eyre Mountain trek, Thomson Mountain bike, Earnslaw Burn trek, Rees Valley mountain bike and finishing with a kayak on Lake Wakatipu.

A time cut off at 6pm on Thursday pushed teams on to an intermediate course that did not include the Eyre Mountain trek stage and five teams completed that. The short course kicked in at 6pm on Friday with four teams finishing. Three teams finished on the Endeavour course which had the teams travel on the Real Journeys Earnslaw boat to the finish line. Six teams came in unranked having received assistance on the course and three teams withdrew.

The success of the event delivered on all fronts with all competitors raving about the course and the adventure they had. The GODZone Adventure live website received over 66,553 visits during the week long event and national press, TVNZ and TV3 bulletins resulted in far-reaching media presence.

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