The North Face Peak to Peak
Record Field in Peak to Peak
Geoff Hunt / 24.07.2008
Some of the South Island's best multisports competitors provided much of the excitement in the record field, made up of 97 teams and 51 individuals, in The North Face Peak to Peak race from The Remarkables to the Coronet Peak Ski Area on Saturday (July 19).Race Director Geoff Hunt says the event continues to be a big drawcard and a feature of the field, which included former Olympic cyclist Glen McLeay of Invercargill and leading multisport paddlers Ian Huntsman and Paul Massie of Christchurch, was the large number of secondary school teams fielding entries.
“Obviously it is great for the event to attract the elite athletes but it is also exciting to see younger competitors, who will be the future podium finishers, taking part.�
The 44km race started at the top of the Shadow Basin lift at The Remarkables in very windy, snowy conditions but the remainder of the event was raced in excellent weather.
Following the ski/snowboard run, cyclists rode down The Remarkables access road
to Frankton Beach, on a hard and fast road, with a number of competitors completing the 17km cycle in around 26 minutes. Lake Wakatipu was calm with a tail wind and Huntsman, racing for Physio Med Pain Management of Christchurch, and Massie competing for The Mob, also of Christchurch, completed the 7km paddle in a record 30 minutes.
A challenging 9km run from Queenstown led to the change over to the cycle near the base of Coronet Peak for the final 9km sprint.
The open team section which is the most hotly contested category saw 2007 defenders Physio Med Pain Management bumped into second place by The Mob, but only after a hard fought battle.
The two teams were neck and neck at the change over to the Coronet Peak cycle but The Mob's cyclist Scott Wilder managed to make the break over Phil Patterson and put his team over the finish line in 2.08.47 just ahead of Physio Med in 2. 13.57See All Event Posts
