Swisse Mark Webber Tasmania Challenge
Webber Delighted By Successful Challenge Return
News Release / 11.12.2011
F1 adventurer Webber re-launched the event this year on a three-year agreement and joined the field for the opening day in Freycinet National Park before having to leave to attend the end of year F1 awards gala in India on Friday and do a show car run with his Red Bull Racing team in Milton Keynes on Saturday.
Tasmanian Mark Padgett and Briton Mark Hinder, of Team Iron House, won the Elite Van Diemen Cup category with Webber’s Team Tasmania, of Guy Andrews and Darren Clarke, second. Jarad Kohlar and Emma Weitnauer of Team Pure Tasmania finished third.
Webber followed the action online and by calling his dad Alan, who is one of the many volunteers on the event, and speaking from London he said: "This year's Challenge has been incredible and Mark and Mark really deserve the victory after the performance they have put in over the whole five days.
"I got a great vibe when I was out there and I felt it was shaping up to be one of the best yet. It looks like it turned out that way. Great weather, mind-blowing scenery, clever tactics and some really great racing.�
Webber is clearly passionate about the adventure sport event, which first ran in 2003 when he and some mates travelled right across the Australian island state of Tasmania, and he is keen to build on its success in raising money for supported charities, with Save the Tassie Devil and Whitelion, this year’s beneficiaries.
This year’s race began in Freycinet National Park and moved each day to a different location, taking in the Tasman Peninsula, Bruny Island and the Hartz Mountains before concluding with a race to reach nine different peaks in and around Hobart.
The five-day competition attracted an international field of 28 teams, including entrants from France and Italy, with five additional teams doing three days and a number of teams and individuals joining for the final day.
Racers included a number of well-known Australian sports stars including V8 Supercars driver Rick Kelly and AFL legend Glenn Archer, as well as leading Australian businessman David Moffat and a number of participating international journalists.
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