Wildside Adventure Race

For Whom The Bell Tolls

Richard Old (Wildside Adventure Race) / 09.10.2014

The course, landscape and weather are starting to take their toll on racers.

Teams are slowing as they manage fatigue; sleep deprivation, injury and illness. Behind the scenes the race crew are juggling multiple components as well as dealing with technology breakdown in an effort to keep teams moving along the course safely.

Day 3 began with all teams except for the first 4 being shuttled to a alternate start points for the 100k MTNB to Barrington for a modified course start point at Bulahdelah. This was put in place to keep teams away from logging operations in the forest and also to keep them moving towards the finish.

Racers rose out of the Ellenborough Gorge with stories of huge boulders and unrelenting climbing.  It was a hard leg but visually stunning.

As the morning progressed the lead pack – Team Mountain Designs, Bear Hunt, Tiger Adventure & Stromlonauts chipped away at the longest leg in the race, methodically capturing CP’s. This leg took racers over the beautiful Tiri Bridge that crosses the Manning River. A secret spot not known to many, that will most likely go unappreciated by teams as they battle their demons.

As the day progress all but Tiger made it through to Barrington. Ill team mates and fatigue resulted in a few nav errors for Tiger and they ended up spending the night out on the course.

Teams that reached Barrington cruised down the river on the tubing leg taking the time to recharge their batteries before the next big ride. As the night wore on temperatures dropped and river grew cold. This made it hard for some teams to get going ‘post tube’ and they elected to start the ride the next morning.

The teams of 2 – HardTale, 2FinishAdventureRacing, Search4Hurt and RustyIronmen arrived that the Falls TA late in the day and took the modified course option with a shuttle to Bulahdelah. From here they started the 17km trek deep into the Myall Lakes National Park.

Day 3 certainly tested teams. All worked hard. The highlight for the day would have to be the reception the small community of Elands gave racers. Cheering people and hot food greeted each team as they climbed out of the Falls Gorge. I think both the racers and the town won’t forget the experience.

You can follow the race tracking at http://www.wildsideadventurerace.com.au/info/live-race-tracking

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