Microsoft at Southern Traverse

Rob Howard / 11.11.2004

Team Mircosoft are now in New Zealand ready for the start of Southern Traverse, and they’ll be the rookie team in the race.

Team captain Mark Dodds has raced on New Zealand’s South Island before, with the Microsoft team which came 40th in Eco-Challenge in 2001, but two of his team mates and the support crew are new to big time expedition racing.

Tristan Taylor will be taking part in his first multi-day race (the longest race he’s completed was the recent Salomon X-adventure in Wales), while Tim Leggett has completed some 2 day races in the UK, including the Questars Coast to Coast. They are joined by Sam Dring who is the only team member who does not work for Microsoft. (There were no takers from within the company!)

Sam, who usually races with ‘Total Adventure’, has more long race experience from Adrenalin Rush and Red Bull Northern Exposure. A mountain guide and an experienced paddler, she will help strengthen the team as they take on one of the world’s toughest races.

Dodds knows the challenge they face. “It’s our first expedition race as a team and we’ll just have to see how it works out, but we are not putting ourselves under any great pressure. Our expectations are moderate as we’re a learner team. We get on well and are relaxed, and hopefully we’ll keep that spirit. Though there is a chance we could implode as a team in a spectacular way!”

“Going to Southern Traverse was a comfortable choice. It’s such a big race, with a real history and tradition, and we all love New Zealand. Microsoft are very supportive, they sponsor the Challengers Trophy and within the company are training many teams to take part in that. There is always some sort of outdoor activity going on, and all these projects, including this race, are used to raise funds for the NSPCC.”

Their support crew are Lee Waite, a personal trainer and masseur who has worked with team on preparation and diet, and Lyndi Leggett, Tim’s wife, who is a motivational speaker. But the pair have never crewed before and are not racers or navigators, so they won’t be able to mark up maps ready at the TA’s for example.

After the last minute rush to get all the kit and equipment prepared the team flew out to Christchurch on Tuesday, a trip Tim described as 32 hours of “airport and bike box hell”. They’ve picked up their boats and are settling in at the venue at Hokitika, ready for what Dodds describes as “a race that’s going to be a life experience for all of us!”

You’ll be able to follow their progress in our live coverage of the race, starting soon.