---

Day and Night in Queenstown

Photos by Alasdair Roy / 04.11.2006

New Zealand\'s elite adventure racers battled it out in the 24 Hours of Southern Traverse, on a challenging and spectacularly scenic course in the Queenstown region, with line honours going to the high profile Richard Ussher and Nathan Fa\'avae led team, R and R Sport NZ.

The Nelson based team included Finnish adventure racing ace Elina Rautila, and Luke Vaughan of Christchurch, who is recognised as one of New Zealand\'s up and coming adventure racers.

R and R Sport NZ won the 103km race in 15 hours 09 minutes about half an hour ahead of the highly experienced Video Ezy team of Tane Humphrey, Sally Pearson, Tim Pearson and Ray Hope, a combined Queenstown, Alexandra and Dunedin team.

The race began at 12.30pm this morning and the first stage took the 20 four and two person teams in the darkness up on to Queenstown Hill.

Race director Geoff Hunt says it is the first time that a 24 hour race has started at this time of night but he wanted to make a point of difference.

\"We have had a great response from the athletes who particularly enjoyed racing the first Queenstown Hill stage in the moonlight.\"

See All Stories On This Race