CARRYING one of their team mates across the finish line was the final test for Queensland team Mountain Designs as they won the inaugural Wildside Adventure Race last week.
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After five days of trekking, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding and mountain biking, the four-person team finished in first place with a time of 110 hours and 28 minutes.
As part of the course, teams navigated 492kms through the Great Lakes, the Manning Valley, Gloucester and the Hastings starting on October 6 at the Great Lakes Winery before finishing on October 10 at Forster Marine Rescue.
Race director Richard Old said team Mountain Designs were forced to carry an exhausted team member for 10kms of the course.
“The relief on their faces when they finished said it all,” he said.
“The tenacity of these athletes is pretty incredible.”
Coming in second place was team Stromlonauts and in third Bear Hunt who are both from the ACT.
Mr Old said three teams were able to finish the set course while eight teams had a modified course so everyone was able to finish on the same day.
“On Wednesday we realised there were some teams who wouldn’t make it in time for the finish on Friday. We wanted to get everyone home so we shuttled some teams forward otherwise they wouldn’t have made it in time,” he said.
“The slightest error in navigation can mean you’re out there for another hour or like one team found an extra five hours.
“As they move along the course decisions they make influences their pace and how fast they get through it.”
When the official finish time of 6pm came and there were still teams making their way to Forster, organisers moved the finish line to the awards dinner at The Laneway Bar.
Teams were greeted with a souvenir beer stein and by 9.30pm all teams were home.
Mr Old said overall the new event had been a great success and had shined a light on the Mid North Coast, particularly the Great Lakes.
“The race was an incredible success and allowed us to showcase different regions. We took people to Ellenborough Falls, Myall Lakes and the One Mile Beach sand dune,” he said.
“Teams were very complimentary of the course and said they had a great time.”
The next Wildside Adventure Race will be held in two years time at a different location.