Kohlar & Pretto Extend Lead As F1 Star Webber Joins The Action As Australian Formula 1 star, Mark Webber, took to the rugged trails and coa

News Release / 30.11.2012

As Australian Formula 1 star, Mark Webber, took to the rugged trails and coastal waters on the East Coast of Tasmania, the battle for the lead of his adventure race, the Swisse Mark Webber Tasmania Challenge, has continued.

Heading into the event’s third day, the Swisse Active team, with Victorians Jarad Kohlar and James Pretto, held a 22-minute lead over pre-event favourites Team Tasmania, consisting of New Zealanders Richard Ussher and Braden Currie.

Many expected that buffer to evaporate in the hot conditions on Tasmania’s East Coast on the run, cycle paddle course, but the Swisse Active team was again supreme, setting the fastest time for the third consecutive day and pushing their lead out to 23 minutes, 25 seconds.

Day three of competition took in an 80-kilometre loop around the Scamander and St Mary’s regions.

Running low on water on the mountain bike leg, Ussher and Currie opted to miss one of the optional checkpoints, and arrived at the finish well clear of their rivals.

However, the Victorians visited every checkpoint, gaining a vital-45 minute time bonus that helped them to increase their leading margin.

Team Iron House, Tasmanians Mark Padgett and Mark Hinder, are third, one hour 58 minutes off the pace, their hopes of back-to-back wins seemingly gone.

The Pure Tasmania team of French pair, Mimi Guillot and Jacky Boisset, are fourth, and the Renault combination of ironman great Guy Andrews and Robert Pomie are fifth.

“We made a few little mistakes through the bush bash on the first ride which probably didn’t pay off as Richard and Braden (Team Tasmania) got in front of us,” Swisse Active’s James Pretto said after 81 tortuous kilometres.

“The two Marks (Iron House) caught up to us as well, I think we were just a bit knackered from hauling our bikes through the bush for a few kilometres.

“We really enjoyed the paddle leg, but the first run was tough and the climb up to the summit at St Patricks Head was pretty tough, but it was beautiful once you got up there and there was a nice breeze blowing.

“On the last ride we smashed it home.  In preparation for tomorrow I’ll have a dip in the pool and get a massage, and just do the same as we’ve done so far, because it seems to be working.”

The New Zealanders weren’t without their own dramas.

“We just focussed on everything that we could do and tried to dig deep and push it along as best we could,” Richard Ussher said.

“We were very low on water late in the day and decided to miss one of the optional check points and complete the course as quickly as we could.

“The kayak leg would have been awesome, but yesterday we broke a pedal off our of our boat, and while that was fixed, the rudder line wasn’t, so we had no steering and had to stop a few times.

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