Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge
Fights, Scooters and a Fast Start
07.11.2006
The Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge is a gruelling six-day international event where survival of the fittest takes on new meaning as teams travel over some of the toughest terrain in Tasmania.
Straight out of the blocks, Webber and his Pure Tasmania team of sporting heavyweights including UK Gold Medallist, James Cracknell; white water kayak champ, Matt Dalziel; and elite adventure racer, Guy Andrews; delivered an early lead nudging close to six and a half minutes ahead of nearest rivals Team Telstra.
While Webber’s Team made their intentions clear, the Telstra Team, who say they’re a ‘bunch of blokes who do a bit’, realistically feature some enthusiastic and supremely fit Telstra employees who weren’t far behind Webber’s team of athletes. Telstra Managing Director, David Moffatt; was due to take a place on the team, but was forced to pull out last week due to an injury sustained while training.
As the teams eased into the first day of the event, there was a bit of fun as they flew through the Launceston streets on scooters before the more serious business of chasing the lead made the more spirited athletes step up a notch and pursue the action through more tricky terrain and into the ice-cold water at Cateract Gorge.
And it wasn’t just the traditional adventure race sports of kayaking, running and cycling the teams had to deal with, they also faced up to Commonwealth Games Gold Boxing medallist, Daniel Geale, having to step into the ring and land a punch on the boxer who has won his last thirteen fights through K.O.
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