XPD Australia
Island Adventures
Geoff Hunt (AR World Series Director) / 19.05.2010
5.15 - the alarm goes. Around the hotel many other alarms are also going. The time of departure for the racers is ‘at 6.10 to depart at 6.20' for Mission Beach. We depart the loading area for the bar shuttle at 06.00 and avoid the chaos as the teams are roll checked onto the buses.Arriving at Mission Beach at 07.45 allows time for coffee and a chat to the locals. We discover that actually we are not quite in the right place and shift a few kms to Wongaling Beach. This word appears not to be English but there it is on the map, and sure enough on the beach is the water taxi office a and a boat bobbing in the waves. A quick check assures as that we are indeed in the right place … but we are the only people here.
The water taxi skipper arrives a few moments later with the words 'lets go'. Now? - 'yes now' - so quick grab the pack and we have our own taxi service to Dunk Island . Ross the taxi skipper entertains us on the way out with stories … still no sign of a race.
We have a quiet hour on the island with coffee and a walk before any sign of the race arrives in the shape of one ferry (50 pax) and one water taxi (25 pax). It takes a while before all the 47 teams and assorted media and officials are on the island. While the last few arrive those who have been on the early boats carry their inflatable 'kayak' ashore and pump them up in readiness for the start of the race.
Most teams are quite relaxed - enjoying the quiet moment to have a coffee and chat before the real racing begins. Noone appear too nervous and I’m surrounded by kiwis who are all relaxed and joking - each team intermingling. (I should declare here that I am also a kiwi so will admit freely to bias in all the stories!)
I am assigned to check point A (Muggy Muggy Beach) to help - it's only 1km from the start, and we expect that a lot of teams will arrive very close together.
The start - originally for 10.00 has been pushed back by the boat schedule to 11.00 but actual time of departure was about 1136.
At CPA we debate who will arrive first - the Australian official betting on team no. 1 Blackhart.com.au, while the kiwi officials bet on Orion Adventure. Orion it is who arrive there first in the company American based team Merrell/Alkali.
From CPA teams have to ascend to the summit of Mt Kootaloo (244m) and descend back down the Palm Valley to CPC and then aback around to the start aty "The Spit"
From there teams 'squeeze' all four into kayaks built for two and head out into the strengthening wind and waves. With the tide well in the Race Director allows teams to paddle inside Kumboola Island (saving some time after the late start and also a easier paddle in the conditions). Two snorkelling points must be paddled to and underwater cp points D & E, and then F & G recorded.See All Event Posts
