Orion Health GODZone Adventure Race
Race Directors Picks For Godzone Adventure Race
News Release / 03.04.2012
New Zealand Adventure Racing squad, Team Seagate, who won the opening round of the World Adventure Racing Series in the Tierra Viva race held in Patagonia in February, are one of three New Zealand teams picked to place in Orion Health GODZone Adventure race, starting this weekend in Queenstown.
The team of Sophie Hart, Chris Forne, Trevor Voyce and Nathan Fa’avae, swept through the course in Patagonia to win by a significant margin and co-race director, Adam Fairmaid, says they should be in peak form for next week’s race.
“On past performances, these guys led by Nathan Fa’avae, have everything that's required to win this race so they certainly are a team to watch from the very start. Strong, determined and great adventure racers we are very excited to have them in the field.”
New Zealand’s current King and Queen of the Coast-to-Coast multisport event, Richard and Elina Ussher, are also expected to make a good showing alongside their Team Subway teammates, Braden Currie and Sam Clarke.
Co race director Warren Bates says their pedigree speaks for itself.
“ These guys have such incredible results as individual racers that together they bring a powerful presence to our field line up – we are really looking forward to seeing them race in the very first Orion Health GODZone Adventure.”
In addition, local Queenstown team R&R Sport also gets the nod from the Race Directors as a team to watch. Adam Fairmaid says while they have not raced together before, local knowledge may be an advantage.
“You’ve got Hadyn Key and Bas Smith who are both past Southern Traverse winners alongside Mat Woods and Jess Simson, so I think they bring a lot of experience and understanding of this area to the competition.”
The 124 strong competitor field is made up of 31 teams with 20 New Zealand and seven Australian teams along with representatives from Belgium, Denmark, Singapore, and Europe.
Warren Bates says out of the Australian teams, Team Blackheart.com is the most experienced and as world-class racers will bring some pace to the event.
He also rates Team One Square Meal from Christchurch consisting of former Coast to Coast winner Ian Edmond, 2008 AR World Champion Stuart Lynch, New Zealand champion rogainer Ross Rotherham and Danish multisporter Sia Svendsen.
“ It’s very hard to pick winners out of this bunch but we have such a superb field and a challenging adventure course that it will be an achievement just to complete the full course let alone place.”
We think we have the perfect balance of inspiration and challenge for the teams with a mix of iconic locations, genuine kiwi wilderness, and a course that will require the best tactics and good navigation. We have picked the very best of what New Zealand has to offer.”
Teams will carry locater tracking devices that will show exactly where they are on course throughout the race and live updates can be followed on www.godzoneadventure.com. The website will go live from 4pm Sunday (8th April).
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