Adventure Racing World Series Oceania Champs 2023 Heading to the Australian Capital and Hosted by new Adventure Race.

The venue for the ARWS Oceania Championship of the Adventure Racing World Series has been announced today as Canberra the Australian capital and will be hosted by the newly launched ‘Top Dog 24’ Adventure Race.

This championship event will be the final event of the 6 race series for 2023 that has seen over 200 teams compete across Legend Expedition Race, Terra Nova 24, X-Marathon, Mountain Designs GeoQuest and Mountain Designs Hells Bells.

The new ‘Top Dog 24 Adventure Race’ will host the ARWS Oceania Championship and will take place in Canberra from 4-5 November, when adventure racing teams will mountain bike, paddle, trek and navigate their way around a 150km (championship) 120km (full) or 70km (half), non-stop courses.

The premier ARWS Championship category is open to teams of 4 which must be mixed sex, and the elite teams will be chasing the Oceania title, ARWS ranking points, and the ultimate prize of a paid-for place in the 2024 Adventure Racing World Championships.

The race isn’t just about the championship and for the elite teams. The course will be designed to be achievable and accessible to all abilities, remaining open for 24 hours, and allowing teams some choices to provide short-cuts should they need them. Two person teams and all-male and all-female teams can also enter, but won’t be included in the ARWS championship category. The sport of Adventure Racing is unique in allowing the world’s best and novice teams to compete together on the same terms.

The weekend of racing also includes the shorter full and half courses, which have less distance with the same time to complete the course, but many of the same amazing challenges and locations.

The event will be staged by specialist race Management Company Wild&Co and Event Director Chris Dixon is excited about the opportunity to deliver a race in Canberra and the opportunities it offers to racers.

“There’s no better place for a championship event than the nations capital! We’ve been wanting to host an event in Canberra for a number of years now – it’s just 2-3hrs from Sydney and there’s already a strong local contingent of adventure racers in the area. It’s just made for adventure too with an extensive network of world class mountain bike trails, incredible bushwalking opportunities across the multiple national parks and nature reserves, stunning vistas with mountains and fun kayaking opportunities with both man made and natural waterways.

The ARWS Oceania Championships is a great opportunity to launch a new event in a new area and with a long history of adventure racing events, Canberra is right location to do it,” he said.

He added. “Canberra also offers visiting teams an abundance of accommodation and services for a great trip and is very accessible, by road from many population centres, or via both Sydney and Canberra international airports.  It’s a great location for our Championship race.”

Following the success of 24hr events like Mountain Design Hells Bells and Terra Nova 24, The ‘Top Dog 24’ Adventure Race will be based on the same familiar format, moving around the ACT with a new and exciting course each year.

Early Bird Entries are open unto 31 August 2023.

RACE DETAILS

Date: 4-5 November 2024
Location: Canberra, Australia
Duration: 24hr premier, full and half courses available
Entries: Open Now! Early bird discounted entry extended to August 31.
Team size: 2 or 4 person 

Hells Bells! Australia’s Favourite 24 Hour Adventure Race Celebrates 2 Decades

Definitely a few CPs in this shot. Cotton Tree by Dillon Hunt, Unsplash

The Hells Bells 24 hour adventure race celebrates 20 years of competition on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland this coming weekend (August 5-6th).

Few adventure races anywhere in the world achieve this longevity and consistency, and the race is one of the keystones of Australian adventure racing.  Over the years most of the greatest Australian adventure racers have taken part and the race has been an introduction to the sport for many.

The race was started in 2004, has had 3 different owners, and has taken place annually, even managing to avoid Covid cancellations. It has had the same headline sponsor for much of its history too and this year Mountain Designs will once again support the race.

Hells Bells always takes place on the Sunshine Coast, and has been as far North as Rainbow Beach, and as far South as Bribie Island.  This year Wild&Co will take the race back to Cotton Tree in the heart of the Sunshine Coast.  It’s a town known for its relaxed atmosphere, easy access to the Maroochy River, pristine rivers and stunning sunsets – all of which racers will likely experience.

Chris Dixon, Wild & Co event director said: “We’re very excited to be heading back to Cotton Tree. It’s the perfect location to start and finish an Adventure Race and gives us access to some of the best trails and waterways the Sunshine Coast has to offer.

“We've got an exciting new course for Hells Bells 2023 and can't wait to show off trails Hells Bells has never been to before and to re-visit some of our favourites.”

Races have been promised big views and big hills, waterfalls and even a viewpoint where teams can get a sunset view of the whole course.

Dixon added, “What I love about this year’s location is that you within a few minutes and a few kilometres you can feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere. We’ve got an incredibly beautiful swim/float/paddle to start and some CPs hidden away on Islands and rocky outcrops. Then come a combination of beaches and hinterland trails, some world class mountain biking,  which will potentially feature in the 2032 Olympics, a CP on a small but brutal hill climb and for Hells Bells, an as yet unpaddled waterway that will be incredibly beautiful under a full moon with its narrow twists and turns.”

A Record Entry

This year the race has once again broken its record entry and with close to 300 racers is set to be the biggest 24 hour adventure race ever in Australia. The race starts will be split, with 4 waves of competitors leaving race HQ on Saturday morning between 11.00am and 12.30pm. 

Dixon said, “It’s been exciting to see it grow from 64 people in 2016, when we first took it on, to 240 last year and well over 300 this year, I actually didn’t believe it was possible but it goes to show that with a great race concept and better execution each year we’ve really created something great.

“Every year the stats are the same; 70% of the racers are locals from the region, 20% are from interstate and about 10% are from overseas. It’s really exciting to have people like Vincent Chang from Hong Kong racing again as he first entered in 2020, but when the world shut down he couldn’t make it.

The race is open to pairs and teams of 4, and there are two categories, the full Hells Bells course which is around 120km and Fairy Bells, which is a 70km+ course which teams have the full 24 hours to complete. The Fairy Bells course uses some of the same ground as the Hells Bells course and is designed as a stepping stone to Hells Bells and longer races and is perfect for teams doing their first adventure race. 

All members of the team complete the swim, paddle, trek and mountain bike stages, staying together from start to finish.  Fairy Bells this year has 7 stages, and Hells Bells 9 stages and teams know both races will start with the swim/bodyboard stage.

Dixon says the races are wide open this year, and it’s a chance for some new names to appear in the Hells Bells Hall of Fame.  After 20 years a new generation of racers are starting out in adventure racing at Hells Bells.

Follow the Race

The race will have live tracking so supporters and fans can follow their teams’ progress around the course. 

To follow the race go to https://live.trackmelive.com.au/HB2023/ (live after the race start).

There will also be race updates, photos and videos posted to the Wild&Co Facebook and Instagram pages (@wldnco)

Hells Bells History

Hells Bells was started by Geocentric Outdoors (Craig Bycroft and Louise Foulkes) in 2004 and is Australia’s longest running 24 hour adventure race.

Each year the organisers choose a beautiful location somewhere on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. In the first year over 150 athletes started at the Dayboro Show Grounds catching the train into the CBD to begin the race with an urban rogaine before heading north.

For the first few years there was only a full course option with Fairy Bells being introduced in 2009. The race format hasn’t changed much with race distances and disciplines relatively consistent since the start.

In 2016 Chris Dixon from Wild & Co took over Hells Bells from Sunshine Coast Adventure Racing Legend, David Schloss.

The race is now part of the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania region and race winners get a free place at the Oceania Championship in November.

For more information see;

https://www.hellsbells.com.au/

https://www.wldnco.com/

www.arworldseries.com

The Legend Adventure Race Takes to the Great Ocean Road for 2024

The Great Ocean Road Coastline will feature in The Legend 2024 / Photo by Connor Home on Unsplash

The Legend expedition adventure race was launched by Wild&Co in February this year as part of the Adventure Racing World Series. In the first race teams crossed the Alpine mountains, forests and lakes of the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales. 

It was a spectacular 500km route undertaken on bikes, on foot and in kayaks and reaching the finish line was a huge achievement. However, it could be the start of a much, much bigger journey, taking racers to the most scenic areas of every state in Australia.

Race Director Chris Dixon plans to hold The Legend annually, with each race moving to a new location, in a new state, and the 2024 race will follow The Great Ocean Road in Victoria!

Adventure racing teams will have the chance to circumnavigate Australia, as Dixon explains; “At the closing ceremony of the 2023 event we asked competing teams where they’d like to race next. There was such a diverse range of responses from the south western tip of Western Australia to the deserts of central Australia, from the island tropics of far North Queensland to the forests of Tasmania.

Legend 2023 – teams cross the high plains in the Snowy mountains. Photo: Murilo Mattos

“In order to deliver on our vision to establish The Legend Expedition Race as the quintessential Australian expedition race – one that sees teams competing in the toughest sport on the planet, in the most iconic locations in Australia, we realised we needed to do it all.

“’Doing a big lap’ of Australia is dream that many in Australia and around the world have, and the Legend Expedition Race will be a unique and exciting way to fulfil that dream.”

Photo by Slava Abramovitch on Unsplash

The 2024 race will take place from Feb. 24th to March 2nd, and entries are now open on the race website at: www.legendexpd.com.au

The next destination for The Legend offers the chance to race in area which has never been used for an expedition adventure race before.

The race HQ will be in the town of Apollo Bay, which is only a 2 hour 40 minute drive from Melbourne, and is a popular stop for those following The Great Ocean Road.  The town is renowned for its coastal location, magnificent beaches, tasty seafood and wildlife tours, and is the start of the 104km Great Ocean Trail.

The Legend will take a longer route, following the course of The Great Ocean Road, but going off-road, and exploring the National Parks, rivers, lakes, cliffs and beaches of the world renowned coastline.   

Dixon said, “Teams will trek wild coastal trails and visit the iconic sights and cliffs near the 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge.  They will explore the Great Otway National Park, paddle remote inland waterways and rivers, and discover little known waterfalls.  Depending on the conditions they should be prepared for an epic ocean paddle stage with a beach landing. They will mountain bike through ancient temperate rainforest along gravel roads, fire trails and ride some of Australia’s best mountain bike trails.”

Legend 2024 will feature epic coastal and hinterland mountain bike trails. Photo: Murilo Mattos

The only adventure race to visit the area before was a stage race (with teams stopping each night).  The Race Director was John Jacoby, perhaps the greatest Legend of Australian adventure racing and he said, “We're excited to see what Wild&Co will do – it’s such an amazing region!”

“We're excited to see what Wild&Co will do – it’s such an amazing region!”

Adventure Racing World Series CEO Heidi Muller commented, “The ARWS has had an Australian expedition race in the calendar almost every year and Chris is carrying forward that great tradition.  His vision to take The Legend to every Australian state is impressive and going from The Snowy Mountains to The Great Ocean Road is a wonderful start!  He is providing Australian racers with a unique opportunity to explore their country.”

The Legend format is a classic, non-stop 6 day adventure race involving trekking, mountain biking, kayaking and other adventure disciplines. The race is for teams of four and they must stay together and navigate their way unsupported through an epic 500+km course.

For those wanting to test out expedition racing there will also be a half course option next year.  This will offer the same epic adventure and visit the most iconic locations, but teams will have the full 6 days to race half of the full course distance, allowing more inexperienced teams a greater chance of reaching the finish line.

Race Details

Date: 24 Feb – 3 March 2024
Location: Victoria, Australia
Duration: 6 days / 500km & 250km (full and half course)
Entries: Open Now! Early bird discounted entry ends August 30th.
Team size: 4 person 

Photo by Our Life in Pixels on Unsplash – Lorne, Victoria

GeoQuest New Zealand Update – yes it’s on for 2023!

Cyclone damage on the SH5 Napier-Taupō highway. Photo: Tony Alexander

We’ve been trying to get this event off the ground for over 3 years now. We’ve dealt with COVID lock-downs (twice), getting cold feet with low entries and then the catastrophic weather events of January this year, ironically on the weekend we’d planned to run the event.

Up until very recently we didn’t know if the course we’d planned was even there as you simply couldn’t access many areas.

As roads and access points have re-opened and landslides cleared, we’ve been able to access some areas to discover that the course as planned simply isn’t possible – whole sections of the area have collapsed and access points to rivers and trails don’t exist. Other areas are locked off to all but emergency management and locals. The magnitude of the damage is quite overwhelming. It’s hard to describe the scale of the impact to the local community. Consultation with DOC last week has confirmed that the event cannot proceed as planned.

So what does this mean?

Well thankfully there is some good news, we have a ‘Plan B’ that will work. Actually, it’s not ‘Plan B’, it’s mostly ‘Plan A’ for another year – so we’ll be racing in the future. Trippy. As the original area re-opens, we can explore it again in the coming years.

The new course is still very affected by cyclone damage, which will be obvious on the course. A lot of creativity is needed to put it all together, but just as we’ve had to adjust to the severe impact of bushfire damage in Australia, we’re confident it will be a great course.

WHY RACE MOUNTAIN DESIGNS GEOQUEST NZ?

Outside of the usual Adventure Racing sales pitch of ‘awesome weekend with your mates’, ‘push yourself to the ultimate limit’ and ‘it’s quite hard at the time but in retrospect, actually enjoyable’, events are an important way to reinvigorate a local community badly affected by disaster.

Hawks Bay really needs it.

From an event management perspective we’re engaging local suppliers for almost everything required to deliver the event – from t-shirt printing to tracking to venue booking, transport and map printing. From a teams perspective the accomodation bookings and food and beverage spends are a huge help to the local economy.

The local council, local adventure racing community and local tourism organisations are all really keen to GeoQuest proceed and so are we!

We’ve just wrapped up Mountain Designs GeoQuest Australia and it was nothing less than spectacular – check out the images below. The response was overwhelmingly positive with many saying it was one of the best GeoQuests ever. Off the back of this we’re very encouraged to press on with GeoQuest in Hawks Bay – it’s great event concept and the 48hr linear format will work really well in the region.

ENTER HERE > EARLY BIRD ENDS 15 JULY 2023

WHO IS WILD&CO AND WHO IS CHRIS DIXON?

We were quite late to the Adventure Racing scene – our first event was 2016 when at the last minute we took over the delivery of a legendary Aussie 24hr event called Hells Bells. It was a baptism of fire and while it didn’t all go to plan, we fell in love with the sport. Everything from exploring new trails to the logistics to the marketing and communications and best of all, the incredible sense of accomplishment on teams faces as they cross the line.

Since then we’ve delivered 24 Adventure Races including 14 x 24hr events, 5 x 48hr events and 1 x 6 day Expedition Race. We’ve recently added a series of 6hr races to the calendar and even bought a fleet of 50 NZ made Mission kayaks! While this will be our first international event, we’re confident we’ve got the team and experience to deliver an awesome event.

On the start line for Mountain Designs GeoQuest 2022 in Shoal Bay, NSW

Who is Chris Dixon? I grew up as an 800m runner – so a 220km 48hr event does seem like a long way. I’m not a top adventure racer, but depending on who I’m racing with, finishing inside the top 10 is usually the goal. I still run, love cycling and kayaking and racing in our local adventure racing events.

I grew up in a small town on the Sunshine Coast and have spent most of my life doing some sort of adventure based activity, from weeks long tramps with our kids, surfing as much of the Australian east coast as possible, to exploring the local creeks, rivers and trails on weekend adventures. I fell in love with New Zealand on my first trip there in 2000 and am always looking for an excuse to travel back. Like all our events, GeoQuest NZ is really an excuse to explore a new area, get to know likeminded people and go on adventures.

Professionally I started out as a Graphic Designer and worked my way to Managing Director of an Advertising Agency over a 15 year period before stepping into a roll as Operations Manager of a multi-national not-for-profit organisation. In the last few years I made the jump back into business and am working full time on Wild&Co.

Chris Dixon

A Classic Mountain Designs Geoquest Adventure Race at South West Rocks

When a race has been going over 20 years it has its own traditions and atmosphere, built on the history of racers and races past. 

The annual Mountain Designs Geoquest has taken place every year since 2002, challenging teams to explore and enjoy the best of the NSW coast and hinterland.  (It has always been sponsored by Mountain Designs too, which must be one of the longest sponsorships in Australian sport.)

This year the race was based at South West Rocks Surf Club and teams were returning to keep their race tradition going, or starting out on a new adventure. One newbie team, Southern Lights, even travelled all the way from Tasmania, and a 26 strong party from the Kaiarahi Cultural Collective drove 14 hours from Melbourne, and back again after their 36 hour non-stop race.

The race has a 48 hour time limit, two distances (full and half course), which are on some of the same trails and rivers much of the time, and is open to pairs and fours, supported and unsupported. 

This year the courses were linear, so teams were driven form South West Rocks to a start point in the Mcleay River Valley, and set off at intervals in kayaks. They put straight into the grade 1 rapids which enlivened much of the paddle, and what a memorable paddle it was! 

Under clear blue skies and in pleasant 20 degree temperatures the teams set off down a beautiful stretch of water which few, if any, had paddled before, though they will surely now come back to do it again.  The 28km paddle was an undiscovered gem and coming off the water several teams described it as the best they’d ever done!

Richard Barnes of Team Goldfish said it was the best, and he’s the first person to paddle from Australia to NZ unsupported and without stops!  (This team were riding two tandems to make the race more of a challenge!)

He had a rival in Team Bridie and the Bad Boys for the most epic endurance feat amongst the competitors.  They had teamed up with fellow Queenslander Allan Jefferson, who won the 5000km non-stop Race Across America bike ride!

Not all racers had such endurance pedigree of course, some were completing their first long distance race.

After the paddle the two courses split with the full course taking a gravel ride up the Balls Road and stopping on the way for an 8km trek where teams were asked to get 5 out of the 6 checkpoints on their map, in any order they chose.

The Full course was 212km and the Half 137km, so the half course teams now rode through the Collombatti State Forest, South and East taking a more direct route back toward the finish at South West Rocks. Later on the routes would converge again and the teams would mix and see each other on the trail.

Stages alternated between trek and bike, some with navigational challenges, like the Briggs Lookout trek, where teams could split up to find the checkpoints, if their map and compass work was good enough. 

The Full Course had a second 30km paddle on the Mcleay River and for some teams this was a night paddle.  Team Holy Guacamole said, “It was a very exciting new experience - night white water paddling in the fog. The beautiful parts were the soft mist swirls like little twisters rising up beside us. The sketchy parts were not being able to properly see the rapids and pick the right line before going down them.  Luckily they were only little.

“Except for that tree sieve that Silas and Kaela ended up in, which tipped them and the maps out. The boys from Tassie were behind us though and checked we were OK and after agreeing to us sticking with them till we got to TA, they actually found our maps in the water, and then we waved them off.  Kaela and Silas were then treated to a platypus sighting, whereas Kylie and I both got hit in the head by a low flying duck trying to take off! 2am saw us shiver off the river to an awesome fire at the transition.” 

No other sport can offer such experiences!

The transition areas between stages were a chance to warm up, rest and eat, and chat to the marshals who gave all the teams a friendly and warm welcome. 

Both courses had the same finish with a memorable trek up Mount Yarrahapinni, which Holy Guacamole described as “the steepest trek possible” and where Race Director Chris Dixon said some competitors “were on their hands and knees on a tiny, barely walkable track.”

Then came a final paddle on the tidal Mcleay Arm where Laura Newton of the all female team Missifts described “navigating sandbanks at night”.  The team were the first unsupported women’s team to finish (behind the supported Mountain Designs Wild Women team) and she said her team “had the best time together, sharing the love and the load throughout the entire course.”

The final stage was a Geoquest staple, a coastal trek taking in dunes, beaches and headlands, which some teams were lucky enough to do at sunrise. This brought the teams back to the finish of another Mountain Designs Geoquest, which many said was the best course yet.

The most emotional finish came from the four teams from the Kaiarahi Cultural Collective, which supports the health and well being of those in need in the Maori community.  Last year Jeremy Nikora led 3 teams and the team building and racing experience was so positive and life affirming he came back with 4 teams this year, plus a support crew of 10.  They trained together for months, completed the course together and were welcomed on the finish line by a Haka from their supporters.

Nikora said afterwards, “I’m so proud of our crew, both the teams who completed the course and our amazing supporters who stayed up through the long 36 hours it took us to reach the finish line. There were so many inspiring moments and achievements which will take time to reflect on and the Kaiarahi Cultural Collective will be back next year!

“Thanks again to Chris Dixon at “Wild & Co” for doing so much to help us get to GeoQuest and for taking care of us along the way.”

Teams were lucky with the weather this year and experienced a classic Geoquest course, and already many have said they will be back again in 2024.

That’s why the tradition lives on and the Mountain Designs Geoquest is a fixture on the Australian Adventure Racing calendar. 

You can see the race tracking and full results at https://live.trackmelive.com.au/geoquest23/and find out more about the race (and the new Geoquest New Zealand race) at www.geoquest.com.au

The race is organised by sports event management company Wild&Co who have a full programme of races throughout the year.  For a full calendar of events see - https://www.wldnco.com/

South West Rocks set to turn it on for Mountain Designs GeoQuest 9-12 June 2023

SOUTH WEST ROCKS, LOCATED ON THE MACLEAY VALLEY COAST, IS THE OFFICIAL START AND FINISH LOCATION FOR THE 2023 EDITION OF THE MOUNTAIN DESIGNS GEOQUEST 48HR ADVENTURE RACE. 

30 teams along with their support crews, family and friends from around the country will attend the Mountain Designs GeoQuest 48hr Adventure Race from 9-12th June 2023. 

The race is held annually on the weekend of the King’s Birthday in June. The location of the course is moved each year to a different area to pose exciting new challenges for competitors. 

This year’s location of choice, South West Rocks, is a 4.5hr drive from Sydney and located just 70 minutes north of Port Macquarie. 

Located just off the beaten path of the Pacific Highway, South West Rocks is known for its picturesque Norfolk pines, family-friendly atmosphere, stunning beaches and exceptional diving. The entire Macleay Valley Coast in which it sits features rugged coastlines, pristine waterways and a stunning hinterland, making it the perfect backdrop for a spectacular 48hr adventure.

Chris Dixon, Wild & Co event director says, “We’re very excited to be heading to South West Rocks for 2023, it’s a spectacular area with magnificent trails, ancient forests, rugged coastlines, and plenty of hidden hinterland secret spots can’t wait to show off.

We’ve got something different planned for the 2023 event with a course design that hasn’t been done before with GeoQuest.”

Images from the 2022 Edition of Mountain Design GeoQuest Adenture Race

Mountain Designs GeoQuest involves 48+hrs of non-stop endurance racing in the major sporting disciplines of trekking, mountain biking and kayaking. Mixed gender, Male and Female teams of four must navigate their way through an arduous 220+km course that is only revealed to them the evening before the race. 

The Geo-Half adventure race runs simultaneously with the Mountain Designs GeoQuest. The Geo-Half covers only half the distance but teams have the full 48hrs to complete it. The legs will be challenging but with the additional time available to complete the half course, teams have a greater chance to reach the finish line before time is up. 

The window for registration closes 6 June 2023 and there are only a few places left. Accommodation can be booked through the Macleay Valley Coast website at macleayvalleycoast.com.au/places-to-stay

For the latest information on the race please visit www.geoquest.com.au

The event is made possible thanks to major sponsor, Mountain Designs and additional support this year by Kempsey Shire Council. 

Circumnavigate Australia with Legend Expedition Race

High in the Snowy Mountains on the Legend Expedition Race 2023

After a truely legendary inaugural event in the Australian alpine region Wild&Co are excited to launch Legend Expedition Race for 2024 with a 7 year vision to circumnavigate Australia. The 2024 event will be held in the Australian state of Victoria before continuing each year around Australia to Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and finishing in the Australian Capital Territory.

“At the closing ceremony of the 2023 event we asked competing teams where they’d like to race next. There was such a diverse range of responses from the south western tip of Western Australia to the deserts of central of Australia, from the island tropics of far North Queensland to the forests of Tasmania.

“In order to deliver on our vision to establish Legend Expedition Race as the quintessential Australian expedition race – one that sees teams competing in the toughest sport on the planet, in the most iconic locations in Australia, we realised we needed to do it all.

‘Doing a big lap’ of Australia is dream that many in Australia and around the world have, and Legend Expedition Race will be a unique and exciting way to fulfil that dream.”
Chris Dixon, Race Director

Circumnavigate Australia with Legend Expedition Race

The 2024 event will take place from February 24 to March 2 2024 in Victoria in a soon to be announced, iconic Victorian location.

“Organising a race non-stop for 6 days in a new location each year is a real challenge and a privilege. I’ve had the opportunity to explore so many amazing areas in Australia love sharing this experience with teams. Each race is a unique experience and I want the competitors to have the journey of a life time.

“For 2024 we’re going to cover some amazing ground with real highlights – from big views to remote gorges, cliff edges, pristine waterways, ancient forests and iconic coastlines. The course highlight will be travelling through one of Australia’s most iconic scenes. The course will cover 500+kms and teams have 6 days to complete the route, with the leaders likely to finish on day 3.”

Legend Expedition Race is organised by Wild&Co, and is the first event on the 2024 calendar in Oceania. The Race Director is Chris Dixon and Legend Expedition Race is the second expedition length race he has planned after working in the events industry since 2007 and adventure racing since 2016. To date he has organised 22 adventure races and Chris and his team are looking to build on the success of recent years to create another legendary experience.

The event will be part of the Adventure Race World Series (ARWS) with the winning team receiving entry into the 2024 World Championships.

For full information on Legend Expedition Race see - https://www.legendexpd.com.au/

For information about the ARWS see - https://www.https://arworldseries.com/

Mountain Designs Hells Bells headed to Cotton Tree August 2023!

Cotton Tree, located in the heart of the Sunshine Coast, has been announced as the official start and finish location for the 2023 edition of the Mountain Designs Hells Bells 24hr Adventure Race. 

Date: 5-6 August 2023
Location: Cotton Tree, Qld, Australia
Duration: 24 hour event
Entries: Enter Here
Team size: 2/4 person
Part of the ARWS Oceania Series

Over 400 people including competitors, family and friends from around Australia and the Asia Pacific Region will attend the Mountain Designs Hells Bells 24hr Adventure Race from 5 - 6 August 2023.

The race is held annually on the first weekend in August on the Sunshine Coast. The location of the course is moved each year to a different area to pose exciting new challenges for competitors. 

This year’s location of choice, Cotton Tree, is a 15min drive from the Sunshine Coast Airport and just 70 minutes north of Brisbane. 

Located just north of Brisbane in the heart of the Sunshine Coast, Cotton Tree is known, for it's family-friendly atmosphere, easy access to the Maroochy River, pristine beaches and stunning sunsets.

Chris Dixon, Wild & Co event director says, “We’re very excited to be heading back to Cotton Tree, it's the perfect location to start and finish an Adventure Race. It gives us access to some of the best trails and waterways the Sunshine Coast has to offer.

We've got an exciting new course for Hells Bells 2023 and can't wait to show off trails Hells Bells has never been to before and to re-visit some of our favourites.”

Mountain Designs Hells Bells involves 24hrs of non-stop endurance racing in the major adventure racing disciplines of trekking, mountain biking and kayaking. Mixed gender, Male and Female teams of two or four must navigate their way through an arduous 120+km course that is only revealed to them the day of the race. 

"Fairy Bells" runs simultaneously with Mountain Designs Hells Bells. The Fairy Bells covers just over half the distance but teams have the full 24hrs to complete it. The legs will be challenging but with the additional time available to complete the half course, teams have a greater chance to reach the finish line before time is up. 

The window for registration closes 3 August 2023. Accommodation can be booked through the Visit Sunshine Coast website at: www.visitsunshinecoast.com

For the latest information on the race please visit: www.hellsbells.com.au

The event is made possible thanks to major sponsor, Mountain Designs.

The Legend Expedition Race in Australia Starts the 2023 Adventure Racing World Series

THIS YEAR’S ADVENTURE RACING WORLD SERIES SPANS 10 COUNTRIES AND THE NEW LEGEND XPD RACE IN AUSTRALIA IS THE FIRST, TAKING PLACE FROM FEBRUARY 25TH TO MARCH 4TH.

The expedition adventure race is based in Jindabyne, a popular alpine town that sits on the shores of the picturesque Lake Jindabyne at the edge of the Snowy Mountains.

Teams will begin arriving for registration on Saturday at the Conference Centre at the Adventist Alpine Village, which has the perfect facilities for a race HQ. After competency checks and a race briefing they will prepare for Sunday’s 09.30 race start. They won’t know the details of the course until 2 hours before the start when they receive the race maps and can plan their route for the next 6 days of adventure.

The race is organised by Wild&Co, and is the first of 6 races planned for this year in Australia and New Zealand, the last of which will be the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania Championship in November.

The Race Director is Chris Dixon and The Legend is the first expedition length race he has planned after working in the events industry since 2007 and adventure racing since 2016. To date he has organised 20 adventure races and now it’s time for Chris and his team to deliver the ultimate outdoor challenge, a 6 day non-stop expedition race.

“Every adventure race is part of the learning curve for a Race Director,” he said, “and over the years I’ve coped with all sorts of challenges from extreme weather to Covid restrictions. You never know quite what will happen and have to prepare for the expected and be ready to cope with the unexpected!

“Organising a race non-stop for 6 days in the mountains and wilderness is a real challenge and a privilege. I’ve had the opportunity to explore this amazing area while setting the course and now get to share it and send teams on the journey of a lifetime. The race will be a unique experience and I want the competitors to enjoy every moment.

“We’re going to cover some amazing ground with real highlights in each leg – from big views to remote gorges, cliff edges, alpine waterways and rolling high country plains. The highlight will be summiting Australia’s highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko.”

The course covers 507km with over 10,000m of climbing, and teams have 6 days to complete the route, with the leaders likely to finish on day 3. There are 13 stages in all, including 6 foot stages (orienteering, trekking and gorge walking), two kayak stages and 5 navigational MTB rides, including what may be the toughest stage of all, 143km ride with an elevation gain of 4250m.

The route will take teams into a uniquely Australian landscape with rolling farm land, pristine alpine environments, huge alpine lakes, the snowy river and some spectacular rock formations. Teams will experience high mountains, big skies and wide open plains.

The race guide warns teams to prepare for extremes of weather, reminding them that reports from other races in the area say teams have ‘never been hotter and never been colder’, all in the space of a day. Teams are warned the mandatory race gear is a minimum and to consider packing extra warm gear. The paddling stages on two big Alpine lakes will be cold, especially at night and if the wind picks up. On the second of these teams will need to tow extra kayaks with their bikes in to reach a remote transition point.

Ten teams will be on the start line next Sunday, some with considerable expedition race experience and pedigree, and others taking on a new level of challenge. The teams of 4 will be aiming to complete the full course and every member of the team must cross the finish line together to achieve that. The premier category is for mixed teams and the most experienced teams in this category are ‘3 Points of Contact’, ‘Capital AR’ and team ‘E Dog and the JJ’s’.

There are two equally experienced all female teams as well. ‘Vortex Diva’s’ and ‘Mountain Designs Wild Women’ regularly race against each other in Wild&Co races and their strategic race planning and team work will be even more important over an expedition length course.

Dixon said, “We owe a huge thank you to everyone that has entered. This is an exciting stage in our journey and we’ve been dreaming of this event for a long time. And while we’re 100% focused on delivering this event, we are hoping very much this is just the start for the Legend!

“Special thanks must go to our sponsors Mountain Designs, Trail Brew, TrackMe NZ and to Snowy Mountains Tourism for their support – it’s very much appreciated. And of course to the logistics and volunteer team that will make the race happen. We couldn’t do it without them!”

The race will have live satellite tracking on https://www.followmychallenge.com/.../legend-expedition.../ and there will be regular reporting and photography on the Wild&Co Facebook page - Wild&Co

There will also be news on the social media pages for the Adventure Racing World Series (@arworldseries) and ARWSOceania pages (@arwsoceania).

For full information on the Legend Expedition Race see - https://www.legendexpd.com.au/

Mountain Designs GeoQuest headed to South West Rocks June 2023!

South West Rocks, located on the Macleay Valley Coast, has been announced as the official start and finish location for the 2023 edition of the Mountain Designs GeoQuest 48hr Adventure Race. 

Date: 11-14 June 2023
Location: South West Rocks, NSW, Australia
Duration: 48 hour event
Entries: Enter Here
Team size: 4 person
Part of the ARWS Oceania Series

Over 400 people including competitors, support crews, family and friends from around the country will attend the Mountain Designs GeoQuest 48hr Adventure Race from 11 to 14th June 2023. 

The race is held annually on the weekend of the Queen’s Birthday in June. The location of the course is moved each year to a different area to pose exciting new challenges for competitors. 

This year’s location of choice, South West Rocks, is a 4.5hr drive from Sydney and located just 70 minutes north of Port Macquarie. 

Located just off the beaten path of the Pacific Highway, South West Rocks is known for its picturesque Norfolk pines, family-friendly atmosphere, stunning beaches and exceptional diving. The entire Macleay Valley Coast in which it sits features rugged coastlines, pristine waterways and a stunning hinterland, making it the perfect backdrop for a spectacular 48hr adventure.

Chris Dixon, Wild & Co event director says, “We’re very excited to be heading to South West Rocks for 2023, it’s a spectacular area with magnificent trails, ancient forests, rugged coastlines, and plenty of hidden hinterland secret spots can’t wait to show off.

We’ve got something different planned for the 2023 event with a course design that hasn’t been done before with GeoQuest.”

Mountain Designs GeoQuest involves 48+hrs of non-stop endurance racing in the major sporting disciplines of trekking, mountain biking and kayaking. Mixed gender, Male and Female teams of four must navigate their way through an arduous 220+km course that is only revealed to them the evening before the race. 

The Geo-Half adventure race runs simultaneously with the Mountain Designs GeoQuest. The Geo-Half covers only half the distance but teams have the full 48hrs to complete it. The legs will be challenging but with the additional time available to complete the half course, teams have a greater chance to reach the finish line before time is up. 

The window for registration closes 6 June 2023. Accommodation can be booked through the Macleay Valley Coast website at macleayvalleycoast.com.au/places-to-stay

For the latest information on the race please visit www.geoquest.com.au

The event is made possible thanks to major sponsor, Mountain Designs and additional support this year by Kempsey Shire Council. 

Wild&Co Launches Sprint Series for 2023!

Take on the challenge of an epic 6hr adventure race in the heart of the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast or Shoalhaven! Run, kayak, mountain bike and navigate your way over a 15km or 30km un-marked, off road course with 6hrs to collect all the check points and get back to the finish line.  

These team based events will be possibly the funnest day out on the trails you can have. They’re a 2 person team based challenge to work together and navigate using a map and compass around a 15 or 30km linear course, collecting check points along the way and get to the finish before the 6hrs cutoff. The winner is the first team over the line that completes the course.

There will be two course options – a full and a half course – full course teams can expect to run 5-7kms, mountain bike 10-15kms and kayak 5kms. Half course teams can expect to run 3-5kms, mountain bike 5-7kms and kayak 3-5kms. The full course is a great option for beginners with good fitness and experienced adventure races looking to sharpen their skills or introduce their mates to their favourite sport. The half course is perfect for young families or anyone that just wants to see what adventure racing is all about.

The goal of these events is to provide a fun day out in a more accessible format as an introduction to Adventure Racing for everyone. 

For More information or to register, visit:

Kangaroo Valley – 11 February 2023
Enter Here: www.wldnco.com/6hr-adventure-race-kangaroo-valley

Gold Coast – 15 April 2023
Enter Here: www.wldnco.com/6hr-adventure-race-gold-coast

Sunshine Coast – 13 May 2023
Enter Here: www.wldnco.com/6hr-adventure-race-sunshine-coast

Legend Expedition Race Update

It’s been an amazing experience exploring the high country plains, peaks, waterways and small towns along the Legend Expedition course.

When designing a course in the area there are some absolute must-include experiences – epic single track MTB trails, hiking over Mt Kosciuszko and stopping in at back-country huts. But perhaps even more beautiful than these headline experiences is travelling over the high country plains through the snow gums and then above the treeline.

Although XPD has a long history in Australia, and certainly this race has been designed to continue the legacy of a uniquely Australian owned and designed Expedition Race. The Legend Expedition Race is a new event and as we grow, will develop its own unique legacy, especially as we introduce a new generation of racers to the sport.

For those who have raced recent GeoQuest, Hells Bells and Terra Nova events, the Legend will be familiar in the way it is delivered. As an expedition race there will be a few additions such as mandatory gear and competency checks as part of race registration and a more formal course reveal and presentation dinner. We will also use the more extensive mandatory gear list as part of Adventure Racing World Series Qualifier rounds with a few additions.

This email highlights a few important points in support of the information on the Legend website.

Event Information Kit and event documents

One to two weeks before the event we will send out the event information kit via email, it will also be posted to the website and on social media. This contains all the essential information teams need to know ahead of the event including the event logistics plan so teams can prepare their gear appropriately.

On the day before race start – Saturday 25 February – registration is open from 9am to 5pm, and will include registration, competency and gear checks and briefings. These will be conducted team by team on a schedule that will be included in the information kit. On the day of the race, teams will deliver their gear to race HQ and then enter team “Lock Down” for the course map handout. The race will start at 10:30.

Race HQ and Accomodation

Race HQ as well as the start and finish of the race will be at the Adventist Alpine Centre in the town of Jindabyne. There is dormitory accomodation available at the centre that can be booked directly by contacting the team at www.alpinevillage.com.au.

There are plenty of options for accomodation and things to do in town – as always check out the local tourism website snowymountains.com.au.

Comments on the Course

The Snowy Mountains course will feature ‘about’ 10 legs covering a total distance of ‘about’ 500kms including trekking 100km, mountain biking 280km and kayaking 90km as well as other adventure disciplines. Of course teams need to be prepared for anything on the day and there is often a bit of give and take with these distances as we build the course around the local landscape. In terms of navigation, the course is a linear course where teams will need to collect check points (CPs) in order to complete each leg. There will be a couple of rogaine style legs as well with multiple route choices available.

In terms of ‘other adventure disciplines’ we are hoping very much to include a ropes based activity and an off trail gorge and river trek which will include some challenging terrain to cover.

The course will feature a very wide range of terrain including alpine lakes, high country plains, some big climbs, on and off-trail travel, single track, fire trails, country back roads, rock-scrambling and of course a climb over some of the highest points in Australia.

Kayaking – all kayaking legs on the course will be conducted on flat water using the Wild & Co Mission Surge double kayaks. They are very stable and feature attachment points for the standard kayak seats available at Anaconda: www.anacondastores.com. At this stage there are no planned portages. It is highly likely that teams will be paddling at night at some stage during the event and should be prepared for cold conditions. Paddle and PFD hire is available with details to be included in the information kit.

Alpine Trek – depending on the weather conditions on the day, teams will travel into an alpine area. The gear on the mandatory gear list is sufficient to ensure your safety in this area, but should be considered a minimum requirement. It is worth planning ahead to ensure you have a few extra layers as it will be exposed can get quite cold and windy. There is often snow in the area in late February / March. There will be a couple of strict conditions regarding travel in the area in particular around human waste – this will included in the information pack. It is recommended teams familiarise themselves with ‘leave no trace’ principles and some the issues regarding human waste: themountainjournal.com/2016/06/05/lets-talk-about-poo/

Gorge and River Trek – for many this will be a unique experience. The river trek involves following a free-flowing river along the bank, through a gorge, past and over small waterfalls, rapids, boulders and whatever else arises from nature. In order to do this you'll be walking, scrambling, jumping, sliding, wading, swimming, floating and quite possibly swearing. One thing's for certain – you're going to get wet! If you feel the cold, it’s worth packing a wetsuit or wetsuit top and pants or extra thermal top, fleece and shell layer for this leg. Water levels will be assessed the day before the event and advice will be given whether a PFD and bike helmet will be mandatory for this leg.

Logistics

Legend Expedition Race is an un-supported event (no support crew) – as such teams will need 4 x 100 litre gear boxes clearly marked with a team name. The logistics plan included in the Information Kit will tell you where these will be placed around the course. Teams will also need a Bike Boxs and Paddle Bags clearly labeled with team name. Dimensions of the bike box and paddle bag are available on the website at https://www.legendexpd.com.au/mandatory-gear-and-logistics

Mandatory Gear

Legend Expedition Race competitors are required carry mandatory items to maximise their safety during the event and need to be familiar with the event logistics for AR races.

Legend Expedition Race is an ARWS Qualifier and has adopted the Mandatory Gear Lists promulgated by the Adventure Racing World Series. The ‘Qualifier’ list found at http://arworldseries.com/resources/

On top of the ARWS list it is highly recommended teams come prepared for both heat and cold – it is very likely to be up to warm during the day and then drop below zero overnight during the race. If conditions are also wet, it could become challenging.

Team Chipesti Win the First Oceania Adventure Racing Title at Gold Coast

The first ever Oceania Adventure Racing Championship was held at Gold Coast and in the city’s hinterland hills and parks, and it delivered an innovative and tough course, world class racing, and a weekend to remember!

The weather was the wild card, as it has been at so many adventure races this year. With heavy rain and storms predicted through the weekend some sports events were called off, but adventure racers are tough, adaptable and equip themselves for the conditions, so the race went ahead.

The winners of several past series races were in the line up, racing for the title, a place at the Adventure Racing World Championship in South Africa, and a prize pool of $10,000. They would paddle, trek and mountain bike non-stop over a 178km course, which would stay open for 36 hours. There was also a shorter course of 143km which would be open for 24 hours, and both courses started near the Aquatic Centre, which served as a comfortable race HQ.

Among the favourites on the Championship course were Alpine Avengers, 3 Points of Contact, Thunderbolt AR and Team Rogue. These teams included some of the most experienced and successful Australian adventure racers of the past decade, with lots of international and expedition race experience between them. Joining the favourites were Team Chipesti from North Queensland, who have had strong races in the past couple of years and shown their potential, without yet notching up a win.

The start for the 36 hour teams was at midnight, so getting any rest before the race was challenging, especially with the excitement and uncertainty about what lay ahead. Teams set off in kayaks towards the Nerang River, making their way through the city nightscape in a very unique start.

Luke Smyth from Chipesti said, “Paddling through the skyscrapers of the city and the million dollar houses on the canals was very different to the paddling we do back home, or in any other adventure race, and was one of my favourite stages. We had a strong paddle and made a break from the pack (or so we thought).

“We cruised into the first transition and to our surprise Alpine Avengers were already there assembling their bikes! They made a strategic move to portage their boats along the city roads on a trolley for a big section of the paddle which paid off. The race was on!”

It was, and these two teams would dispute the lead for the entire race, on a course which offered navigation challenges and tactical choices, as well as demanding endurance and strong team work.

Teams were only given the checkpoints for the next stage at each transition, and Race Director Chris Dixon set teams a puzzle by giving them the choice to collect the first paddle checkpoints on leg one at the start, or on leg 9 when they paddled back the same way to the finish. It was the same format for legs 2 and 8, mountain biking on the trails of the Nerang National Park.

All of the top teams made the same choice on the paddle checkpoints, but as they rode into the night on stage two, teams took many different options. Team 3 Points of Contact opted to collect all of the checkpoints, leaving none for stage 8, while the other lead teams left some for later. It was a bold move, which left 3 Points of contact behind the other lead teams, but with more checkpoints in hand, and would only play out towards the end of the race.

Legs 2 and 3 (trekking in the Nerang Conservation area), also allowed teams to collect the checkpoints in any order they chose, and it was the same on a paddle from Hinze Dam around the south western arm of Advancetown Lake, and on a later hill trek in Numinbah. There would be no rest for the navigators and most teams would have to make smart choices based on their speed and endurance, deciding how much of the course they could tackle in the deteriorating conditions.

For the leaders, it was simpler; they would do the whole course as fast as possible!

Alpine Avengers and Chipesti swapped the lead, twice taking completely different routes on free navigation stages, but these choices didn’t separate them by much. Thunderbolt AR stayed in a consistent third, just behind the leaders, while 3 Points of Contact gradually slipped further back, and in the end didn’t stay close enough to the leaders for their early tactical choice to get them on the podium.

Smythe picks up the story for Chipesti. “It was a game of cat and mouse, constantly swapping positions with Alpine Avengers. We had lost some time looking for two checkpoints on Leg 7 (18km trek) so we knew we had some work to do going into Transition 4.

“Leaving the transition we started a 60km MTB leg with over 2000m of climbing! We pushed hard to catch the Avengers and make the most of the remaining hours of daylight. The last 10kms of the bike leg went through the Nerang MTB Park, with multiple checkpoints. We knew the race could be lost in the bike park, being so close to the finish and as it was the last challenging navigation in the race. With some extra serves of caffeine we worked our way through picking up the checkpoints.

“To our relief we rolled into the final transition still in the lead! We quickly packed our bikes and jumped into the boats. The remaining legs to the finish were an 11km paddle and 7km beach run. We knew the teams behind us were all seasoned athletes and not going to let us get away easily, so we knuckled down and emptied the tanks, leaving nothing to chance to cross the finish line and take the win!”

Their winning time to take the title of the first Adventure Racing World Series Oceania Champions was 24 hours 36 minutes 55 seconds, and after the win the team posted on Facebook; “Feels so good to finally pull off a win in the adventure racing scene! Bring on South Africa!”

Only the top 4 mixed teams and the male pair, Team RUSH, completed the full 36 hour course, getting all of the checkpoints.

The Vortex Divas were the only all female team to cross the finish line and Liz Woodgate summed up their experience.

“We planned our route working on the slower times, knowing the weather would be a factor in making the cut-offs. Our priority was to cover as much of the course as possible, collect as many CP’S as we could and finish every stage.

“We were happy with our navigation and it's great to have a team with 4 navigators. Angela did have to hand over the map when she lost her glasses in the big hike, but unbelievably the other female team, Wild Women, found them and handed them in!

“The big (last) MTB stage had us pushing our bikes for what seemed like hours up steep rocky trails that even the local teams said they never ride. The sting in the tail was there were many descents that were also too steep and rocky for us to ride down! It poured with rain, turning the trails into little rivers!

“We had a strong tailwind and torrential rain for our final trek along Surfers Paradise Beach, more famous for bikinis and skyscrapers than thermals and waterproof pants!

“We always knew the Oceania Champs would be a hard race, and it delivered, but at no point did we think of quitting. That's just not in our nature and I’m super proud of this tough, resilient, thoughtful and upbeat group of women we call Divas.”

The 24 hour race experienced the worst of the weather, and all of the teams had to miss some checkpoints.

Six male pairs managed to finish the 24 hour course, lead by team Pair of Kooks, and the Premier Mixed class winners were team Crazed Curlews Kooky Kiwi, even though they crossed the finish line last, after more than 23 hours of racing in torrential rain.

They put their success down to good navigation (by Mitchell Krome), strong team work, and being able to make changes to their plan on the fly. Tara Hassan commented. “I think we managed to pick just the right amount of course to do to still make it to the finish inside the cut-offs and on the (mostly) intended route.”

The team are all part of the Tri Adventure (Noosa) training group and benefitted from the experience gained there. The group founders, Jan Leverton and Kim Beckinsale were racing too, and putting into practice the combination of self-awareness, critical judgement and determination they coach, to be the only female pair to reach the finish.

Beckinsale said; “Jan and I raced as Mountain Designs Vintage Wild Women and we had all the gear we needed, plus more, and we either put it on straight away or carried it just in case. I think that made a huge difference.

“The most challenging part was riding in Nerang on flooded trails when it got dark as the rain was so heavy you could not see much, which was hard enough without trying to navigate!

“We got to TA5 for the paddle back just on daylight and it was still pouring with rain and a slog with rain and tide against us. Finally, when we arrived at TA 6 it had stopped raining, but we kept on all of our wet weather gear as it was so windy!

“We headed to the beach. Wow! The ocean was a crazy washing machine and there was no one on the beach at all. Usually Sunday morning at Surfers it would be packed with bikini clad tourists, but not that morning!

“What got us through? Persistence, a positive outlook, having and carrying the right gear, and the navigation skills to find the checkpoints I guess.”

You can find the full results and information about other Wild and Co. races at https://www.wldnco.com

Race photographs and reports can be found on the Wild&Co Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/wldnco

For a full calendar for the 2023 ARWS Oceania Series see; https://www.wldnco.com/arws-oceania-series . The next ARWS Oceania Championship is scheduled for 27-29th October 2023.

The next race in the series is the Alpine Quest 48 hour race, starting on November 10th and organised by https://adventurejunkie.com.au

Mountain Designs GeoQuest NZ 2023 Update

It’s been a real privilege to spend time in the Hawke’s bay region, meet some amazing people and explore the incredible landscapes in the surrounding area.

Date: 20-23th of January 2023
Location: Napier, NSW
Duration: 48 hour event
Entries:  ENTER HERE
Team size: 4 person, Supported + Un-Supported Options
Part of the ARWS Oceania Series

Although GeoQuest has a long history in Australia, the Hawke’s Bay event is the first edition in New Zealand and will be a new experience for many racers. For those familiar with GeoQuest Australia, the New Zealand event will be organised in exactly the same way using the same program, logistics and systems. The main exceptions will be a little bit of extra mandatory gear and for 2023, the use of Pack Rafts in the full course (something we are exploring for Australia in 2023).

All the competitor information on the GeoQuest website is relevant to both NZ and Australia events. For those new to GeoQuest, this article highlights a few important points in support of the information on the GeoQuest website.

EVENT INFORMATION KIT AND EVENT DOCUMENTS

One to two weeks before the event we will send out the event information kit via email, it will also be posted to the website and on social media. This contains all the essential information teams need to know ahead of the event including the event logistics plan so teams can prepare their gear appropriately.

On the day before race start – Friday 20 January – registration is open from 9am to 12pm, at 3pm the course is revealed at the race briefing. Teams will receive a course guide and two sets of race maps. This will contain all the information teams will need to complete the course. A PDF Document for support crews will also be made available with details of how to get to each transition area and what is available at each.

You can see an example of the 2022 Australian Info Kit, course maps, course guide, support crew notes and control cards in the Geo Docs folder here: 2023 Race Docs

RACE HQ

Race HQ for the event will be the at the Napier War Memorial Centre along the foreshore. This is where teams will register, receive the course and is the location of the finish line and presentations.

Address: 48 Marine Parade, Private Bag 6010, Napier 4140, New Zealand

COMMENTS ON THE COURSE

The Hawke’s Bay course will be a typical GeoQuest course, this means about 10 legs including approximately 120kms of mountain biking, 50kms of kayaking or water based travel, and 50kms of foot based travel. The half course is approximately half this distance with a bit of extra on the bike. Of course teams need to be prepared for anything on the day and there is often a bit of give and take with these distances as we build the course around the local landscape. In terms of navigation, the course is a linear course where teams will need to collect check points (CPs) in order to complete each leg. There will be a couple of orienteering or rogaine style legs as well with multiple route choices available.

The course will feature a very wide range of terrain including remote rivers, forestry roads, tramping trails, overgrown tracks, bike ways, an alpine crossing, and a canyoneering leg down a gorge. Some sections of the course will be steep and slow and some very fast and flat – it’s going to be a real adventure.

Kayaking – the kayaking legs on the full course will require pack rafts (teams to provide) with teams expected to trek and paddle with their gear so it’s worth being prepared for this. Half course teams do not need pack rafts and will use inflatable rafts which will be provided. Paddles, PFDs and white water helmets will be available for all teams but these need to be pre-booked for a small cost ($5 per item) to ensure we have enough at the event – booking information will be included in the information kit. The kayaking for both courses is along grade 2 waterways with some fun and challenging sections. Both the full and half course teams will need white water helmets.

If you’re interested in pack rafts and would like to explore purchasing one please contact www.blueduckpackrafting.co.nz

Alpine Crossing – depending on the weather conditions on the day, teams will travel into an alpine area. The gear on the mandatory gear list is sufficient to ensure your safety in this area, but should be considered a minimum requirement. It is worth planning ahead to ensure you have a few extra layers as it will be exposed can get quite cold and windy. There has been snow in the area in January.

Canyoneering – for many this will be a unique experience and one of the highlights of the full course. Canyoneering involves following a free-flowing river through gorges, waterfalls, rapids, canyons and whatever else arises from nature. In order to do this you'll be walking, scrambling, jumping, sliding, swimming, floating and possibly swearing. One thing's for certain – you're going to get wet! If you feel the cold, it’s worth packing a wetsuit or wetsuit top and pants or extra thermal top, fleece and shell layer for this leg. PFD and white water helmet will be mandatory for this leg.

LOGISTICS

Un-supported Teams (teams that do not have support crews) will need 2 x 100 litre gear boxes clearly marked with a team name and Box A and Box B. The logistics plan included in the Information Kit will tell you where these will be placed around the course. Both full and half un-supported teams will need a Bike Box clearly labeled with team name. Dimensions of the bike box are available on the website at https://www.geoquest.com.au/mandatory-gear

The GeoQuest logistics team will move gear around the course for unsupported teams.

Support Crew Cars – For teams with support crews all areas will be accessible with a normal car, 4x4 vehicles are not necessary. There will be travel on shingle / gravel roads so an SUV, AWD or 4x4 is highly recommended.

MANDATORY GEAR

GeoQuest competitors are required carry mandatory items to maximise their safety during the event and need to be familiar with the event logistics for AR races.

Mountain Designs GeoQuest is an ARWS Regional Round and has adopted the Mandatory Gear Lists promulgated by the Adventure Racing World Series. GeoQuest uses the ‘Regional Rounds’ list found at http://arworldseries.com/resources/

On top of the ARWS list, there are also a few additional items that are necessary for the GeoQuest NZ event. These are:

• White Water Helmet, cycle helmet is not acceptable (these will be available for hire)

• Fleece Top, synthetic, minimum 100 weight

• Rain Pants / Shell Layer Bottom, to the same specifications as the Shell Layer Top on the mandatory gear list

• Thermal Gloves

Also recommended:

• Wetsuit or extra warm gear for getting wet on the canyoneering leg

Gold Coast gets ready to host the first Adventure Racing World Series Oceania Championships

The first Adventure Racing World Series Oceania Championship race takes place in Gold Coast and its hinterland hills and rivers between October 21st and 23rd.

The best Adventure Racers in Australia will arrive in the city for 36 and 24 hour races, combining river paddling, trekking, coasteering, beach running, and mountain biking.  They will race non-stop, navigating by map and compass, and must find all the checkpoints and finish as a team if they want to claim the Oceania title.  The podium teams will share a $10,000 prize pool, and the winners claim a free place at the Adventure Racing World Championship in South Africa next year!

Welcoming the event the Gold Coast Mayor, Tom Tate, said, “The Gold Coast's varied natural landscape is the perfect location to host this tough international competition and will provide the ultimate challenge for Oceania's top adventure racers.

“Securing this pinnacle international event reinforces our reputation as an appealing sports and events destination and helps diversify our city’s event calendar.”

The race is the culmination of the 2022 series, and for race organisers Wild and Co. is third time lucky.  Event Director Chris Dixon said; “It’s been exciting to see the ARWS Regional Series developing around the world with over 50 races now part of the global movement.  In Oceania it’s taken time to get the ball rolling but in 2022 we’ve had three great races: Terra Nova 24, GeoQuest and Hells Bells.

“After attempts in 2020 and 2021 to run a championship event, we will finally stage the first ARWS Oceania Championship race and it’s going to be awesome!  We have 40 teams competing, including the top four teams in the Oceania rankings.

“It’s been a challenge and privilege to design and develop a course on the Gold Coast in Queensland.  There are plenty of interesting and challenging nature corridors and waterways that give access to some fantastic trails and bushland. We’ll include spectacular coastal and hinterland sections with a big hill (or three) and some great paddling and world class mountain biking connecting it all together.  As with every race this year, there will be some hike-a-bike, but the views will be worth the effort, and of course it wouldn’t be a Gold Coast race without a beach run!”

For an extra challenge the 36 hours teams will start at midnight on Friday, with the 24 hour teams starting their course 12 hours later at midday on Saturday. The Gold Coast Aquatic Centre will be the HQ and start/finish.  The races are unsupported and open to teams of 4 and pairs, and it is the 36 hour premier mixed category teams of 4 who will be racing for the ARWS Oceania title and the big prizes.

Looking at the contenders Dixon said; “Thunderbolt AR and 3 Points of Contact have been the most active in 2022 and both have wins under their belts from races this year.  Alpine Avengers and Rogue are both very strong and there is the talented Queensland team, Chipesti, who are hungry for a win.  It’s safe to say the race for the win is wide open.  Will local knowledge play a factor?  It’s going to be very fun to watch.”

The team with the most local knowledge are 3 Points of Contact, led by Gary Sutherland, and they think they have guessed where the course will take them, but will only find out if they are right when the maps and route book are handed out at 14.00 on Friday.  For this race their regular team are joined by Mark Murray, and they will be hoping to repeat their win from Hells Bells earlier in the year.

Thunderbolt AR lead the ARWS Oceania rankings and team captain Hugh Stodart said, “Most of us have been to the Gold Coast before but not explored or raced in the area. We expect the locals will have a significant advantage! We are just looking forward to racing again. As always we will not be the fastest but will do our own thing and see how it goes.”

Chipesti are the jokers in the pack (in more ways than one), not having raced against the other teams in the Oceania series this year.  A 36 hour race is ‘short’ for this team, who have years of ultra endurance experience in mountain biking and ultra running behind them.  (Sarah White has won the international 7 day MTB stage race, Crododile Trophy in the past.)

Luke Smyth said, “As a team we've only raced the longer expedition length races, so we're excited to see if we have the pace required to race at the front on a 36hr course.  We are also really excited to see what the Gold Coast region has to offer, as we’ve not done much racing in that area before.”

Over the coming weekend teams will find out exactly what the area has to offer and Dixon says, “With its majestic sub-tropical rainforest, spectacular waterfalls, pristine beaches and iconic skyline, the Gold Coast is the perfect backdrop for an epic Oceania Adventure Racing Championship event.”

He added, “There will be several legs with multiple route choices and the race winners will need to make good decisions look for any advantage they can get, and still be the fastest on the day.”

Fans, friends, sponsors and family will be able to follow those decisions and see how the race develops by watching the live race tracking at https://live.trackmelive.com.au/Oceania22/ and there will regular news, photos and video on the Wild and Co. Facebook page throughout the race. https://www.facebook.com/wldnco

For more information see;

https://www.arworldseriesoceania.com/

https://www.wldnco.com/

https://arworldseries.com/

Taking on the Terra Nova 24 at Kangaroo Valley

Nature threw some extra challenges into the mix for this year’s Terra Nova 24 hour adventure race, held in Kangaroo Valley, NSW.

The race took place over the weekend of September 3/4th and teams of 2 and 4 arrived in the valley to take on courses of 120km and 80km in 24 hours of non-stop trekking, paddling and biking in the surrounding rivers, State Forests and National Parks.  The terrain makes the race challenging enough, but the weather always plays a part, and this year non-stop rain, mud and cold conditions ensured the racers needed all of their endurance and determination to reach the finish line. 

Race HQ was at the showground in the town of Kangaroo Valley, and soon after the start the race route took teams to the historic Hampden Bridge, but not in the way most visitors see it!  After scrambling down a steep bank from the showground carrying an assortment of colourful inflatables, the racers launched themselves into the river, paddling over small rapids and floating under the bridge to reach the first checkpoint.

Adventure racing can include almost any kind of outdoor challenge or skill (it was axe throwing in the last Wild & Co race) and never takes itself too seriously!  

After a run along a narrow and slippery riverside trail carrying the inflatables the racers collected their bikes for the first big stage of the race, a 30km ride into the Morton National Park. They were wet from their time in the river and would not dry out again for the rest of the race as the rain kept falling. 

The ride took them along McPhail’s Trail, pushing for some of it, towards the spectacular Fitzroy Falls and then along the Redhills Fire Trail, which was easier going on top of the gorge, with stops at checkpoints which give stunning views of the falls, on a clear day anyway! 

A varied course continued with trekking and navigation stages in the Meryla State Forest, before a return to the valley and one of the toughest stages on Beehive-Griffins Flats.  It was described as a bike/trek, which meant there would be some unrideable terrain and plenty of ‘hike-a-bike’, which is a mountain biking challenge specific to adventure racing!

Race Director Chris Dixon said in the racer notes to expect “rough terrain and technical riding”, and that “some sections of the Beehive Walking Track were extremely overgrown”. He explained the route here was affected by landslide damage from the flooding in April, which is when the race was originally scheduled to take place.  (The Half Course teams had a much shorter route on this stage.)

Teams had free choice of route to find the checkpoints here and were navigating in the darkness by this stage.  It was difficult even for race leaders Thunderbolt AR, one of the world’s top adventure racing teams.  “We had a pretty good race but lost some time on that bike/trek stage, mainly due to poor selection of approaches to the checkpoints and trouble finding a couple of the them.” Said Hugh Stodart. 

He added, “It was wet and quite cold so that made it a bit slower and harder than we were expecting and forced Chris to shorten the last paddle and take out the final foot/navigation leg to allow more teams to finish.

“We managed to pull away again on the final legs kayaking and on the bike and it was great to come away with the win.  Wild and Co. should be congratulated on another excellent race with the logistics all working well, in spite of the inclement conditions.”

When they crossed the finish line at 12 minutes past midnight in the pouring rain, Thunderbolt AR’s winning time was 15 hours 39 mins 15 seconds. They will score maximum points in the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania rankings, and go into next month’s ARWS Oceania Championship race at Gold Coast on a high.  (A win there would secure their place at the AR World Championship in South Africa next year.)

Race Director Chris Dixon, took the decision to shorten the courses in the poor weather conditions.  All of the teams needed to reach the finish before the 24 hour cut-off and while a few had retired due to the cold and bike damage, most were still racing.  (Some teams wore out their brake pads completely!)

The course is also designed to allow teams to make their own choices, so newcomers and elite racers can take part together. Slower teams can drop checkpoints (or stages) if they need to move more quickly around the course, and all of the teams were back in Kangaroo Valley in good time.

The final stages were a paddle on the Kangaroo River and then a ride back into town, with a last checkpoint at the Hampden Bridge, this time on top of it!

The top pair on the full course were Resultz Racing (16.14.35) and the only all-female team, Vortex Divas, crossed the finish line with a time of 26.06.06 (with a penalty time added after opting out of some checkpoints).  Only one team retired from the full course, due to cold and fatigue.

In the shorter Half Course race the JTM Kings pair was quickest in 11.46.27, while the first premier mixed team of 4 were The Kooks of Hazard (15.50.28). 

With all of the teams meeting each other around the course and at transition areas, where race staff could encourage them, there was a high finish rate despite the weather, and the novice adventure racers in the field were not daunted.

Trent Maxwell, of Team Tickles and Tumbles,said after finishing.  “My first 24hr adventure race is done and dusted!  It was a great event with lots of challenges. It was cold, wet, muddy and long, but we continued through the night with a smile and determination to finish (with my mate Piers Craig.) We ended up finishing in 6th place and I’m now hooked and can’t wait for the next adventure and challenge!”

There were two unranked teams on the Half Course, including the ‘Landloping Lassies’.  This novice team had to retire due mechanical problems with their bikes, but still relished the experience.  Simi Chee said, “The race was a fantastic challenge, and being in environments that I would not usually visit, was extremely special.

“The experience was a roller-coaster of emotion, with an unequalled sense of achievement; gruelling, inspiring, and with a wonderful sense of camaraderie amongst the competitors.  It was an event that against all your better judgement you want to do again!”

At the prize presentation Dixon congratulated all the teams and thanked the businesses and residents of Kangaroo Valley and Shoalhaven City Council for their help and support, and he now moves on to planning the ARWS Oceania Championship race over the weekend of October 21-23 at Gold Coast. (Entry is still available for this.)

For more information about adventure races from Wild and Co. see www.wldnco.com

For more on the ARWS Oceania Championship race see - https://www.arworldseriesoceania.com

2023 Series dates and entries now live!

We hope you're itching for adventure as much as we are, because entries were up for our 2022 events and we're pumped about the line up and locations for 2023!

MOUNTAIN DESIGNS GEOQUEST NZ

ENTRIES OPEN: www.geoquest.com.au
DATES: 20-23 January 2023
LOCATION: Hawks Bay, New Zealand
DISTANCE: 48hrs / 220km & 120km (full and half course)

LEGEND EXPEDITION RACE

ENTRIES OPEN: www.legendexp.com.au
DATES: March 2023
LOCATION: High Country NSW, Australia
DISTANCE: 6days / 500km & 250km (full and half course)

TERRA NOVA AR

ENTRIES OPEN: www.terranova24.com.au
DATES: 1-2 April 2023
LOCATION: Shoalhaven NSW, Australia – 2 Hrs South of Sydney
DISTANCE: 24hrs / 120km & 80km (full and half course)

MOUNTAIN DESIGNS GEOQUEST

ENTRIES OPEN: www.geoquest.com.au
DATES: 9-12 June 2023
LOCATION: Mid-north Coast NSW, Australia
DISTANCE: 48hrs / 220km & 120km (full and half course)

HELLS BELLS AR

ENTRIES OPEN: www.hellsbells.com.au
DATES: 5-6 August 2023
LOCATION: South East Queensland QLD, Australia
DISTANCE: 24hrs / 120km & 80km (full and half course)

ARWS OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIP

WEBSITE: www.arworldseriesoceania.com
DATES: 27-29 Oct 2023
LOCATION: TBA, Australia
DISTANCE: 36hrs / 180km & 120km (full and 24hr course)

Kangaroo Valley gets ready to Host the Terra Nova 24 Hour Adventure Race

The Terra Nova 24 hour Adventure Race will return to the Shoalhaven region on the weekend of September 3/4th , and this time the race will move into the hinterland, with a base in Kangaroo Valley and courses spreading into the surrounding hills, rivers and lakes.

The combination of easy access from both Canberra and Sydney, and the variety of landscapes in Shoalhaven, make it an ideal location for adventure racing, and in the past the area has staged the Adventure Racing World Championships.

The two previous Terra Nova races have had courses on the bays and inlets of the Pacific coast, but for the third Terra Nova it’s time to move inland and Race Director Chris Dixon of Wild and Co. is excited to give teams the chance to explore the region around Kangaroo Valley.

“It’s a really beautiful area!”  He said. “The patchwork farmland of the valley has the Kanagroo River flowing through it and there’s rain forest on the surrounding escarpments.  The Buderoo National Park and Fitzroy Falls are to the North, the Cambewarra Range Nature Reserve is to the South and the Tallowa Dam is to the West.  We’ll be putting checkpoints in some fantastic locations for teams to reach by bike, on foot and in kayaks.”

Teams will have up to 24 hours to find all their checkpoints in order, on either the Full course (120km) or the Half course (70km) routes.   The winners are expected to take around 12 hours and the courses are designed to allow novice teams the time to complete their course, while sharing the same race experience as the world class racers in elite teams.  They will line up at the start together and can swap race stories at the finish line.

The race is open to mixed, male and female teams of two or four, making it easy to get a team together.  This year there are 56 teams in total, with 23 racing the full course, and 33 the Half course.

The race is part of the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania calendar and the four person teams taking part on the Full Course will all score ARWS Oceania ranking points.  There is $1500 worth of prizes for teams who make the podium, and for the winners there is the added prize of a free place at the 36 hour ARWS Oceania Regional Championship, which will be held at Gold Coast in October.  (And the team winning that race gets a free place at next year’s AR World Championship race.) 

For those who just want a challenging and fun weekend in the great outdoors the reward is the chance to explore new places and the satisfaction that comes from finding the checkpoints and getting to the finish line. 

That experience will be delivered by Geocentric Outdoors and Wild and Co., who have combined to put on the race.   Geocentric have been staging adventure races and other outdoor events in Australia and around the world for 20 years, and Wild and Co. for the past 4 years under the leadership of Chris Dixon. 

There is advice on preparing for the race on the Terra Nova website from Craig Bycroft of Geocentric, who knows 24 hours of racing is a tough challenge, but that good strategy and team work make it possible for competitors to push their limits and succeed.

“Not all teams will race for 24 hours straight without sleep. Some teams may decide to catch a power nap when they need it most, or spend more time in the transitions. Whatever the strategy you choose, the successful teams will know their strengths and weaknesses, and plan their race accordingly.”

He added, “What makes adventure racing so different from any other form of multisport is teamwork. Without it your team may fall apart at the first sign of stress. It is THE major element in successful teams.”

The race finish will be set up in the scenic and historic Kangaroo Valley village, which is a great place for family and friends to stop over for the weekend, and cheer the teams across the line.

The race is supported by Shoalhaven City Council and Mayor Amanda Findley said, “We are extremely proud to be hosting Terra Nova 2022 and warmly welcome all competitors, officials and supporters to our beautiful region. “  The racers will certainly get to explore more of the region in a day than most visitors!

The race begins on Saturday morning with teams dropping their bikes off and registering, then, following a race briefing, everyone will be transferred to the start line before the race begins at 11.30am.  For those watching from a distance there will be live web coverage and tracking which you can find at https://www.terranova24.com.au/live and on the Wild & Co. Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/wldnco

To find out more about the race visit: https://www.terranova24.com.au/

An Epic Mountain Designs Hells Bells 2022 at Kenilworth

This year the annual Mountain Designs Hells Bells 24 hour adventure race was the biggest in its 19 year history, and one of the toughest too.

Ninety teams arrived at the race HQ, set up on the Kenilworth Show Ground by race organisers Wild and Co. and they were preparing to race either the full ‘Hells Bells’ course, or the shorter ‘Fairy Bells’ course.

Both have a 24 hour time limit, and include runs/treks, paddling and mountain biking to checkpoints in back country and wilderness areas.  Finding these requires good map and compass navigation and there are always a few surprises and twists in the course.

All of the teams set off from the Show Ground at 11am, shortly after the course maps had been handed out.

Everyone got wet feet at the start as they had to run across the Mary River to get the first checkpoint; an opening gift from Race Director Chris Dixon!  Then both courses headed towards Kenilworth Bluff, where a summit checkpoint required a lung-busting climb and a rapid descent.

The Hells Bells racers paddled down the Mary River for 13km, and this carried more water than usual, so it was a faster paddle than might have been expected, and there were a few capsizes in the small rapids to add to the fun.

The defending champions in the premier category (for mixed teams of 4), Team 3 Points of Contact, lead after a short bike ride took them to the Bluff, where many of the Fairy Bells teams were already at the top.

They had ridden there directly, and one of the attractions of the race is that racers on both courses meet up throughout the race.  The Fairy Bells racers shared many stages with the Hells Bells racers, and any teams who were falling behind could opt out of some stages. The end result was that all but 7 teams finished the course in 24 hours, having completed as much as they could.

Almost all the rest of the course was set in the Imbil State Forest with teams riding out via dirt roads and trails to find checkpoints on the way to Transition 3 near the junction of Imbil Forest Road and Derrier Road. 

This was race central for a while, and as night fell teams set off on foot orienteering courses to pick up checkpoints in any order.  The Hells Bells teams also had a 20km mountain bike orienteering stage here, so the surrounding forest was full of bobbing headlights going in every direction.

Jan Leverton of Tri Adventure Women

Axe Throwers in the Night

To head back towards Kenilworth both courses had to follow a 25km mountain bike route ‘over Mount Borumba’, taking the infamous Pitsaw Road.  It wasn’t a straightforward ride!

On the way they stopped at checkpoint 10 for a ‘mystery discipline’ and in a first for adventure racing it was ... axe throwing!  The challenge was devised and run by Craig Bycroft and his son, Sam, both dressed in lumberjack shirts of course! 

“It was at the top of big hill, so everyone arrived exhausted and it was a welcome break,” Craig explained. “We could hear the racers’ excitement as they came up the hill and heard the big, Bang! Bang! Bang! as the axes hit the wooden target.  It was the middle of nowhere and there was a lot of speculation on what it might be, but few guessed what it was!”

“Team #23, WMP, were the only team that blitzed it, hitting the bullseyes on all  of their throws straight off, which was incredible.  Everyone else took a little while and some got frustrated, while others just took it as a bit of fun.  There was a fire there and some teams hung around.  We didn’t lose any axes and no one got hurt!”

He added, “The ride was tough and there were quite a few questions about how much further it was and were there any more big hills?”

Majestic Trees in the Imbil State Forest

Pitsaw Punishment

There were, and the ride along Pitsaw Road will be the most memorable stage for most.  The weather didn’t help as rain on Saturday morning turned the trails into a red, muddy quagmire, clogging up the bikes, and forcing teams to push.  There were many weary comments at the finish about it being unrideable.

Jan Leverton, of the Tri Adventure Ladies Team, who were the 3rd team to finish the Fairy Bells course, said, “It was relentless hike-a-bike for quite a few hours and the slippery mud meant many hikes downhill as well.  It was like a pitsaw;  up -down, up-down, up-down, until the final down, which was very steep and slippery. I was glad I didn’t wear my bike shoes!”

After the ride there was a short trek and a final paddle down the Mary River for the Fairy Bells teams to the finish back in Kenilworth. The first team to finish Fairy Bells were ‘Amazing Rejects’ (Stephen Maskiell and Dave Blunden) in 13.16.56.  Tri Adventure Ladies (Jan Leverton and Hayley Kellner) were the first female finishers.  Team Hoodwinked (all male) were the first team of 4 and Team Wwac were the only all female team of 4  to finish the course.

The Hells Bells teams had the same finish but with a tricky extra checkpoint on the paddle stage.  To get CP16 they had to go upstream and were not allowed to carry their kayaks along the bank!

Team Brandon and Gullo + Chatter at Dawn

Repeat Winners

Team ‘Three Points of Contact’ (Gary Sutherland, Clint Falla, Sara Barratt and Russell Stringer), defended their title in 16.45.09, and claimed a place in the ARWS Oceania Championship final at Gold Coast in October.

Sutherland commented on how difficult the navigation was. “We led from the start and kept expecting teams to catch us as the maps were largely inaccurate.  We took extra time and careful route planning once we realised this, but still had more than one go at many checkpoints.”

He added, “The terrain was reasonably physical with 3700m of vert and the quirky axe throwing was a good laugh.  The logistics crew and personnel were spot on and we couldn’t have asked for a better weekend getaway.”

Leverton agreed, “It was a brutal course but stunning at the same time. From riparian land to rainforest and back again!  The event management was faultless and my personal goal now is to upskill on axe-throwing, which was the funniest mystery discipline I have ever done.  It was great to see it happen in our cotton-wool wrapped world!”

Kelsey Harvey & Nathan Munson

Everyone a Winner

All the Tri Adventure teams had a good race.  Team ‘Tri Adventure x Trente AR’ (Oskar Booth and Nick Baker) were quickest on the Hells Bells course, finishing in 16.31.37 and just staying ahead of ‘3 Points of Contact’.   The youth team ‘Tri Adventure Youngies’ (Kelsey Harvey & Nathan Munson) were the 7th mixed team to finish Hells Bells in 21.22.25.

Nathan’s mum, Amie, was racing on the Mountain Designs Wild Women’s team and there was some family rivalry there.  It was close, but the Youngies finished ahead by just 11 minutes!  The Wild Women were the first female team of 4 to finish and the other female team racing, ‘The Dancing Queens’, got to the finish line 3 minutes before the 11am course close time!

Another team pushing the 24 hour deadline were ‘Death and Taxes’, Sandy and Robert Scott.  They were on the winning mixed Fairy Bells team last year, Sandy has been on the reality show SAS Australia, and now the couple wanted to step up to the Hells Bells course for an “extreme date night”.  It was definitely extreme.

“We expected a step up in distance,” said Rob, “but this was a major increase in difficulty compared to last year. This was serious adventure racing!”

The pair took swims on both the paddle stages, and one of their highlights was “the gorgeous forest on the climb to Kenilworth Bluff, and the spectacular view over the valley, and above the clouds”.

Rob summed up their race.  “We shuffled over the finish line at 23 hours and 29 minutes, totally exhausted and overwhelmed. What a mission!

“If adventure racing is the ‘special forces’ of endurance sports, this year’s Hells Bells took no prisoners!  Thank you so much to the volunteers at the TA’s who reassured us, fed us and gave advice in the middle of the night, to the other competitors who gave us a spare torch when one of ours died, and to Chris and the Wild & Co. team for an incredible event.  While the bikes might be in the shed a few days after that, we will definitely be back next year!”

You can find the full results and review the tracking at https://www.hellsbells.com.au/

The next adventure race from Wild & Co is the Terra Nova 24 hour race in Shoalhaven NSW over the weekend of Sept 3/4th. 

https://www.terranova24.com.au/

Hells Bells and Terra Nova are part of the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania calendar and Wild and Co. will organise the ARWS Oceania Championship at Gold Coast from Oct. 22-24th. The race has a $10,000 prize pool and the winners will receive a free place in the Adventure Racing World Championship in South Africa in 2023.

Hells Bells! It’s the biggest 24 Hour Adventure Race yet!

The Mountain Designs Hells Bells adventure race returns this weekend (August 6/7th), and it will be the biggest 24 hour adventure race ever held in Australia.

A total of 90 teams (240 racers) will arrive at Kenilworth Show Grounds, ready to take on 24 hours of trekking, mountain biking, paddling and navigation on the trails and rivers of the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

The course details will remain secret until teams are given their instructions shortly before the start by Race Director Chris Dixon of outdoor events company Wild & Co, but racers know they are in for a hell of a challenge, whichever category they race.

Those on the ‘Hells Bells’ course can expect to race around 120km, and the teams racing the ‘Fairy Bells’ course 80km.  Both teams have 24 hours to finish the course, which is a linear route, finishing back at Race HQ at Kenilworth.

It’s not all about the distance, whether racing as a pair or in teams of 3 or 4, good teamwork is needed as everyone has to stay together and finish together.   All the teams will be navigating in the dark, the slower teams for much longer than the elite racers, and there are the climbs and the weather to cope with.

This year Dixon has promised a slightly shorter course to “make up for the extra elevation” and that will be no surprise to teams who know the area.  The racers have been given a plan of the stages and expected timings, so not everything will come as a surprise. The Hells Bells racers know they will start with a 13km paddle stage ...  they just don’t know where the start is!

Last year’s Hells Bells winners, Team 3 Points of Contact, are back to defend their title.  They race in the premier category, which is for mixed teams of 4, and these teams score points towards the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania rankings.

Last year they finished in 16.06.19 and only the all-male Team ‘Out all Night’ were close to them.  ‘Out all Night’ will be back to challenge them again, but the title holders will also expect a strong challenge from ‘Team Rogue’.  They are one of the country’s top teams, with many expedition races and race wins on their record.

Team Captain Liam St. Pierre said, “We are expecting a tough little race at Hells Bells this year.  There is no flat terrain around the venue, so I am sure there will be some big climbs and a few hike-a-bikes.  Judging by the route planner, there will be a lot of short, sharp stages, so efficient transitions will be the key to a good race.”

It is a race he knows well. “Hells Bells was my first long adventure race, back in 2007, and this will be the 13th edition I’ve raced.” 

Like all good sportsmen he is playing down his team’s chances of another win before the race.  “We are just keeping it pretty casual with our competitive aspirations and focussing on completing the course, minimising mistakes and having a fun time together.”

In the All-Female category last year’s winners, Mountain Designs Wild Women, are also back and will be racing one other all-female team - ‘The Dancing Queens’.

Dixon thinks the racing in the Fairy Bells race will be wide open, and of course, for most teams it will all be about achieving a finish.  A full course finish is the goal for most, but how many will achieve that this year?

Last year the top mixed team of 4 on the Fairy Bells course were ‘Buckleys and None’.  Two of the team, Gary Fahey and Sandy Scott have taken part in the reality TV show, SAS Australia, and strengthened by that experience Scott is back again this year with her husband Rob, this time to race the Hells Bells course.

“We are back for the full course as a team of two and as my husband Rob is a doctor and I’m an accountant, our team name had to be Death and Taxes!”  She said, adding, “We even a team logo this year.” 

“Last year I was lucky enough to be a recruit on the TV show SAS Australia. I was looking for challenges that pushed me mentality as well as physically.  Adventure Racing prepared me to endure the days of low calories, lack of sleep and maintain focus on achieving the goal of making it to the finish.  On SAS Australia within days you feel bonded to people you've only just met through that shared adversity. The same can be said for Adventure Racing.

“I highly recommend AR to anyone wanting to try something new or step out of their comfort zone.  You will find all of the teams willing to support and encourage you.  It's a great community and we are lucky to be a part of it.”

She added, “My husband and I see Hells Bells as an extreme date night!”

You can follow Death and Taxes, and all of the teams, and see where the courses take them, by following the live satellite tracking at https://www.hellsbells.com.au/live-tracking

The races start at 11.00am Saturday and there will be news and commentary on the Wild and Co. Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/wldnco

Hells Bells is the second race in this year’s Adventure Racing World Series Oceania calendar.