AR World Championship 2005
World Champions
Rob Howard / 18.11.2005
As they approached the finish line at Tauranga Bay near Westport Geoff Hunt sprayed the team with champagne and the flashguns from dozens of cameras lit the scene. Then Nathan Fa’avae, Richard Ussher, Kristina Anglem and Marcel Hagener stood together on the finish line enjoying their rapturous reception, the champagne, hugs from their family, being World Champions, and the fact they’d finally finished!
“That was an emotional finish,� said Ussher, “especially as it’s Nathan and Kristina’s last race.� Asked when he felt they took control of the race he said, “Nathan’s navigation on the first trek was spot on and gave us the lead, but we never felt we had the race won until we got through the dark zone. We knew Nike Balance Bar were moving through the field and they are such great competitors you can never count them out. Then on Thursday we went at 24 hour race pace to get past the dark zone and then we knew we couldn’t be caught.�
Anglem, who is now going to concentrate on kayak training for the next Olympics, said, “For me the most important thing is we worked as a team unit, and the guys have been great all week. It’s amazing being together 24/7, never more than 100m apart. We faced a lot of challenges but always got through them together. Our team just rocked.�
“I’m not sure why we are so far ahead, our pace was steady all week and I don’t know what the other teams have been doing. I’m a bit shocked really and can’t explain it.�
Asked how she felt she said, “Great, and that’s after 100 hours racing and only 6 and a half hours sleep! It’s amazing what the body can do isn’t it!�
Once the interviews were over the team made their way inside the nearby Bay House Cafe to celebrate the most comprehensive win ever in an international adventure race.
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