Swisse Mark Webber Tasmania Challenge
Race Day One
Will Gray (Webber Challenge) / 07.12.2011
It was stunning blue skies in the Freycinet National Park as competitors kayaked, trekked and biked their way around some of Australia’s most beautiful costal scenery, with sandy turquoise bays lighting up as brightly as the beaming faces of competitors on the return of this truly engaging adventure race.
Back after a three-year break, the event, which will now run for at least another two years, saw competition rules given a twist with the addition of optional and compulsory checkpoints – making the course ideal to suit the mix of elite and corporate competitor teams.
It was a frantic start as we watched competitors heading left, right and straight ahead from the start line, as they kicked off with a 15-minute orienteer around the picturesque grounds of the Freycinet Lodge Resort. It was also a chance to get fresh, as one checkpoint required teams to dive in off the deck and swim part of the bay.
From there we travelled to follow them kayaking across the sparkling bay with a transition to bikes taking them away from prying eyes into the long dirt roads around Friendly Beaches, where there were a few scratches and scrapes along the way.
At the other end, the trailhead to the famous Mount Amos summit trek, the lead team of Mark Padgett and Mark Hinder revealed they had an encounter with a scary member of the local wildlife – a tiger snake. “It scared the life out of me,� said Padgett. “I nearly threw myself off the bike because I saw it at the last minute on the track. It was massive and I swerved big time!�
The bike leg also had a few optional checkpoints, mostly at the end of the main route, before the teams set off on a climb up Mount Amos to reach the summit and a rewarding view of the picture postcard Wineglass Bay, looking its best on such a fantastic day.
It was a gruelling climb even for the following group of media, photographers and film crew, as we slithered and slipped up the rolling slabs, splashed with oranges and pinks of colour, picking on the odd convenient crevasse or branch to help us on our way.
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