Fun and Fierce Competition at Augusta

Rob Howard / 06.11.2016

On day two of the Act-Belong-Commit Augusta Adventure Festival  temperatures were much cooler and there was some light early morning rain as racers prepared for the longest event on the schedule – the marquee Augusta Adventure Race.

This followed a similar format to yesterday’s mini race, but with the distances doubled up and disciplines in a different order.  For the first time ever the race would begin with a mass paddle start –with over 500 boats on the water!   In the past the race has always begun with a run from the Leeuwin Iighthouse, but this time the race would begin in Augusta and as 08.00 approached the paddlers all moved into the water to stand expectantly by their boats in an impressively long line.

Just as they were about to set off the sun came out and then the race was underway! It must be the biggest mass paddle start in adventure racing history and as the competitors dug in to paddle against the current up the Blackwater River it was an impressive sight.  Just as impressive was the good order everybody kept and the race started very smoothly. (Not everyone thought it would with that number of boats.) As they set off I asked Race Director John Jacoby if he’d ever had a start like this and he just smiled and said, “No.”

After a turn around some up-river buoys it was time to swing round and go with the current out through the river mouth into the Southern Ocean, heading for a turn-around buoy just short of the lighthouse.  (A total distance for the stage of 13.8km).  As always, it was getting through the surf into the sea that was the major difficulty ... and not everyone got through the rolling breakers.  Some of those who took a swim were able to recover boats and paddles with the help of the jet-ski safety team but several pulled out onto the beach, their race quickly over.  

Getting back was, if anything, harder and a much higher percentage of the race field capsized into the water as they struggled to get back into the river and into the first transition to get on their bikes.  This next leg was 28.5km taking the riders on a circuit which took them into the Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park. The route was hilly and mostly on dirt roads and tracks though the forest.

Back at transition it was time for the 13.4km coastal run, heading down towards the lighthouse once again.  By now the weather had turned showery and as they headed due south the runners were racing directly into a very strong head wind. It was a difficult enough run route already, passing along the beaches and over rocky outcrops and boulders, and the wind made the outward trip a real struggle.

The return was easier of course, and used more tracks, and once back to Augusta the final stage was the 1.9km swim in the Hardy Inlet.   This began with swimmers being carried swiftly along on the fast river current before turning into the calm ‘deadwater’ lagoon, but on the way back they were directed to run across sandbanks and swim directly across the river channel ... so they didn’t have to try to swim 200m upstream against it!

At the sharp end of the race it was the relay teams leading, naturally enough, and out front all the way were the Shotz team.  This team were put together with specialists in each discipline so it wasn’t a surprise they lead out each stage and they stayed ahead of the 3 elite ‘State of Origin’ teams, winning in a super-fast time of 3.25.58.  The new inter stage competition was won by Team WA (2nd overall), which was of course a popular result, and the top ladies team were ‘The Bike Shed B*itches’.

Jarad Kohlar was the paddler with Team Victoria and he said, “Our team are mostly all-rounders, often racing solo, so this was a good chance to race as team and have a more relaxed day – maybe have a drink before and after!”  

He said that with a smile, and while others might not agree on the ‘relaxing day’ comment he was probably comparing it to the Adventure Racing World championship, a 10 day non-stop 500km race he’s tackling next week in New South Wales.  (He’s not the only one either, Rapid Ascent General Manager Sam Maffett is heading there too, to tackle his first expedition race.)

The solo male winner was Brody Baker in a time of 04.12.03 and he told me it’s his first win. “I competed last year,” he said, “and came 6th, so did a bit more training this time and it paid off.  It helps there are no any fast kiwis racing this year too!”

“I come from a paddling background,” he added, “and the bike ride was good for me as it’s not very technical and I could keep moving steadily. Biking isn’t my best discipline. The run was pretty hard and technical and the swim went well enough – especially being swept along in the current.  I liked the new course – it worked well.”

Ladies solo winner, Kriston Gadson, also praised the new course, which was generally  well received, and she also apologised to Jacoby for several emails warning him the mass paddle start would be chaotic!

Another notable winner among the many invited up for the prize giving, was the Masters winner Robert Lim, the only competitor to complete all 11 long adventure races solo – and he’s still #1 in his class.  

Jacoby also praised the performance of the only junior team in the long course race who are all under 16 and recorded an impressive time of 05.11.01.

The end of the prize giving wound up another successful festival weekend of racing with over 3000 participants, and you can see all the results on the race website at http://rapidascent.com.au/AugustaAdventureFest/

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