Southern Traverse

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Teams Head for the Beach to Finish

Victoria Warman/Southern Traverse / 14.11.2003

The race may be won but the teams will continue to cross the finish line in the Southern Traverse over the next 24 hours. At the end of day five, eleven teams remain on the course, five competing on the full course, four on the shorter adventure course and one on the shortest experience course.

Focus Chartered Accountants were the first team to finish in the adventure course race at 3.53pm. Two of their team members, Linda Wright and Andy Beale, emigrated from the UK 18 months ago to train for and compete in the Southern Traverse and were delighted in their result.

\"We first came across the Southern Traverse three years ago and thought it looked awesome. Then we were helping some friends in the Adventure Racing World Champs two years ago and realized half the field were Kiwis so we thought we\'d better come down and see what you put in the water!\"

The only all-girls team on the race, Fat Tyre Adventure, came fourth in the experience course race and they were in high spirits.

\"We had a lot of laughs,\" said Vicki Addison. \"The coasteering was great although the waves got a bit scary at times and we loved the mountain biking, the downhills were awesome.\"

Team captain, Sonya Sparrow said the team was feeling great although tired. \"When we stopped at a transition area last night the support team gave me some water and I fell asleep with the tube in my mouth! My head didn\'t even reach the pillow, I was just resting on a very uncomfortable piece of wood!\"

Teams will continue to arrive at St Clairs beach overnight with the final team is expected to finish at around lunch time tomorrow (Saturday).

[The top five positions were Icebreaker Bridgedale, Cycle Surgery Scott USA, Ruahine Kayaks, Green Decoys and Aberdeen Asset Management.]See All Event Posts