ADVENTURE RACING

Tussle for Lead Position On Day Two of GODZone

By GODZone

Queenstown’s Team Tiki Tour is holding the lead race position as the GODZone field moves into the second night (Sunday) of the seven-day expedition race.

Tom and George Lucas from Queenstown and Mike Kelly and Floortje Grimmett from Wanaka have pushed their way into the front and look determined to stay there after a day of abseiling and white water rafting on the Shotover River.

Team Yealands Family Wines and Team Swordford are following close behind in second and third place respectively.

“ Those leading groups are going to try and stay together from now on,” says Race Director Warren Bates.

“Tiki Tour’s local knowledge of the technical mountain bike trails through the Moonlight track, Gold Digger trail and orienteering at Queenstown’s 7 mile bike park has greatly assisted in the team pushing out in front. Tiki Tour will have ridden those trails a hundred times, so have the upper hand there.”

Bates says there is not a lot in the distance between the leading trio and the state of play could change dramatically once they move onto the second major alpine trek overnight on Mt Crichton.

“ That's going to be a real suffer fest up and over there so who ever has the most fuel in their tank will win. All three teams have banked good sleep last night so everyones still amping.”

The rest of the 70 team field continue to make their way through the Skippers Canyon white water rafting sections of the race. Day three will see most teams head onto the 21 km alpine Mt Crichton mountain trek and 18km kayak on Lake Wakatipu.

Two teams are now travelling through the course unranked. Team Rebelfood teammember Richard Ussher withdrew from the course this morning due to a chest infection and Team Ginger Ninja teammember Brian Wilson also withdrew with a cold. Both teams are continuing on the journey.