---

Balance Vector - Champions

Rob Howard / 19.11.2005

At the race prize giving Geoff Hunt in the Buller Community Centre Geoff Hunt read out the stage winners ... and Balance Vector won almost every stage, on foot, on bikes and in the water. “Its no wonder they finished up so far in front!� he said.

Their performance was one of the most extraordinary in the history of the sport, to beat a world class field by more than 12 hours is a remarkable achievement, and a fitting finish to the racing careers of Kristina Anglem and Nathan Fa’avae. Speaking for defending champions Nike Balance Bar, Ian Adamson paid tribute to Balance Vector, who he said had a “perfect race�. He added, “Sometimes this sport can humble you, and there is no doubt Balance Vector humbled us all this week.�

After a speech from Mike Trousselot, the CEO of the West Coast Development Trust, the principal sponsors and hosts of the race, the winners took the stage to loud applause and received their cheque for $NZ100,000 and the new World Championship trophy. Anglem said, “It was a very special week, and everything clicked. It was very emotional too, being my last race. Now I’m going to concentrate on my kayak training for the Olympics and have to give it my all, as if I’m competing I’m going for gold.�

That winning mentality was one of the reasons for the team’s success, and another was the leadership of Fa’avae, who was also in his last race. “It’s been great travelling round the world and seeing so many great places, but it’s time to move onto new challenges now. I regard myself as one of the second generation of New Zealand racers after the likes of John Howard, and it’s now time for the third generation, like Richard here, to pick up the torch.�

Then he said the one thing he wouldn’t miss was the gear checks and had the audience laughing with a description of how to pass checks by borrowing gear. “I even borrowed a bike, so some poor guy had his bike didymo washed twice!�

After the presentation the team from Explore Sweden gave a presentation on the next World Championships (to be held next August) and Race Director Michael Nordstrom did well to hobble onto the stage and speak, as he’d only just finished the race with Team Halti. He said it would be 800km long, but not necessarily harder than this race! The course will run through Sweden and Norway, using glaciers and fjords, but not include any skiing.

The partly went on late into the night with music from ‘Diabled Parking Only’, but there was not much dancing! Next morning the new trophy was in HQ for engraving ... and repairing, and race official were relieved when team Orion came down off the mountains. When they heard the team were OK the race was finally over!

See All Stories On This Race