GODZone Chapter 12 Marlborough
World’s Best Adventure Racers Prepare For One New Zealand Godzone In Marlborough
Press Release / 26.11.2025
New Zealand’s world champion adventure racers Chris Forne, Sophie Hart and Simone Maier will line up for One NZ GODZONE next week in Marlborough alongside new team member Sam Clark to tackle the 12th chapter of the prestigious expedition event.
Together, Chris Forne and Sophie Hart are unmatched at the event, with Forne having won ten GODZONE champion trophies and Hart seven. The pair have also won multiple AR World Championships and Eco Challenge Fiji. Simone Maier is a five-time Coast to Coast world champion and won GODZONE Chapter 8 alongside Chris Forne in Canterbury.
“Without doubt, they are the team to beat,” says One NZ GODZONE Race Director Adam Fairmaid. “They are all highly competent, skilled competitors who, over the years, have exceeded all expectations at the highest level of adventure racing globally. Chris’s navigational expertise is second to none, Sophie and Simone are the strongest female adventure racers to date, and no other team matches their experience and adventure racing knowledge.”
The event is set to welcome adventure racers to Blenheim on Thursday, 27th November for official registration at the Marlborough Events Centre, where the start location and 615km racecourse will be revealed.
Queenstown's team Tiki Tour, featuring Tom Lucas, Eryn Cutler, Mike Kelly, and Wellington's Alison Wilson, returns with strong experience.
“We are pleased to see Tiki Tour back, who are long-time GODZONE adventure racers and generally highly competitive at the front of the field. They won the event back in Queenstown at Chapter 7 with a massive effort on their home turf. That was one race Chris Forne was pretty disappointed to not take out.”
Naomi Whitehead, Dan Moore, Dan Busch, and Jeremy McKenzie represent Team Isabel Marlborough - KLT Bayleys, bringing local expertise.
“They are a very competitive team with expert local knowledge, which will be of great advantage,” says Fairmaid. “Dan Busch and Dan Moore have been in successful GODZONE-winning teams before and are phenomenal strong competitors.”
Nelson Vets Gearshop teammates Brendan Hickman, Dave Quested, Sakkie Meyer and Rachel Baker bring seasoned GODZONE experience, with team captain Hickman having won the Pursuit category at Chapter 5 in Tasman.
“Brendan Hickman is a solid performer, as is Sakkie Meyer, who is a strong guy and has featured in many GODZONE teams over the years,” says Fairmaid. “Together with Dave and Rachel, this team may hold off a few teams to make the front pack.”
“We are also pleased to welcome the return of Tim Farrant with his team, Kaikoura Adventure Race Over 20’s. Tim is a highly experienced rogainer and repeat GODZONE offender, so I am looking forward to seeing what action he brings to Chapter 12.”
Fairmaid says several young adventure racing teams are bringing fresh faces and energy to the line-up.
“We are excited about newer adventure racing teams coming through, including team Fear Youth featuring Flynn Mitchell, Molly Spark, Sam Anderson and Josh Pearson. This team has raced GODZONE before and internationally and is currently the hottest young team on the adventure racing scene. I expect them to race solidly in Marlborough.”
“The AWS Legal Motueka team, featuring Tide Fa’avae, Louie Burger, Leo Easton and Nika Rayward, has been mentored by champion adventure racer Nathan Fa’avae. They will have good navigation skills, and we hope to see them finish the full course on their first GODZONE hit out.”
“In the Pursuit (shorter in length) category, we welcome the Kaikoura Adventure Race u20 team of Finn van Keulen, Max Groer, Henry Lovegrove and Isabelle Schwarzenbach, who are already showing promise with their regional racing. They could be in the running if their race plays out.”
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