2017 Percival Property Race Report

Following a successful outing in 2016, Team Percival Property - Port Macquarie was again keen to test their skills in Australia’s premier Adventure Race. Chris and Dan made the difficult decision to drop 7-time Solo 24hr MTB World Champ, Jason English, and the experienced Gavin Cole, to bring in the two strongest athletes they know..... Their wives!!!

Pre-Race

Getting organised for Geoquest always feels like a fairly monumental task, arriving at the start line; fit, rested, gear organised, with a keen support crew and someone to look after the children..... It’s no small feat, especially when you’re a team of two couples! Dan, who is currently a ‘stay at home trophy husband’, put in many hours coordinating logistics and his final ‘Race Trailer’ set up was fantastic. Thanks to Gowie from Big Red Cleaning and Pest for the trailer!

On Friday night, we sought refuge from the wind and rain in the garage of our Sawtell accommodation. The forecast rain and pending flood warnings resulted in some significant changes to the course, three things were obvious; the pace would be fast, we had purchased too much food (predicted 3am finish) and done way too much paddle training! Dan and Chris got stuck into the maps, the girls organised gear and food into boxes and bags. In hindsight, it’s amazing that the race even went ahead, given the amount of rain and the regions tendency to flood. Interestingly, Hugh from Thunderbolt AR had instructed his team to ‘get out in front and stay there’ as the race could be cancelled any time.

Leg 1 - Paddle, Jetty Beach (3 Laps - sort of)

With torrential rain, strong winds and a rising swell forecast, the planned ocean paddle from Sawtell to Coffs was always unlikely. However, the (somewhat) protected waters of Jetty Beach, provided Craig with an opportunity to include some paddling and as he mentioned post race, teams had travelled a long way with boats, so why not use them? Standing on the beach with the other competitors, watching a tricky dumping shore break and bracing ourselves against a severe squall, conditions looked challenging to say the least, but given our team’s ocean experience, we were feeling confident and hopeful that a paddle would give us a small advantage into Leg 2.

Things didn’t exactly go to plan - Chris and Michelle were one of the first boats off the beach, just cresting the largest wave of a set and clearing the shore break. Dan and Ali, just a few meters back, weren’t so lucky. Video footage shows a solid wave crashing on Dan’s head, resulting in what can only be described as a ‘washing machine of whitewater, fibreglass and people!’ (See photo below).

Eventually Dan and Ali were back on board and motoring through the field on lap one, although at one point Ali mentioned the bailer on the Stellar didn’t seem to be working. Turns out the bailer works just fine but the large hole in the hull, from a collision at the start with Peak Adventure, was taking in water faster than the Titanic! They were forced to jump overboard and began swimming the boat 400m back to shore. To avoid penalty, Dan and Ali declined assistance from the Sawtell Surf Club members and made steady progress towards the beach. Once on the beach, Craig advised that due to the approaching lightning storm, all competitors were being called from the water, so we were free to head onto Leg 2 without penalty. Controversial.... we know!

Leg 2 - Run, Coffs to Moonee Beach (13km)

Full of adrenaline after a frantic paddle and freezing cold from an extended swim, we had a quick transition and were keen to get moving and warm up. We could see several teams on the beach ahead of us and did our best to reel them in over the next few kilometres. Dan and Ali have previously raced in this area and the nav was straightforward, so we moved fairly quickly. We came into transition with Peak Adventure and noticed that Thunderbolt was yet to leave TA, other teams soon followed, close racing!

Leg 3 - Ride, Moonee Beach to Bucca (19km)

We had a couple of small issues in TA, a slow leaking MTB tyre and a broken tow rope that must have happened in transit. Our support crew got us going as quick as possible, onto the first solid bike climb. With Chris and Mish out front and Dan and Ali suffering a little just to stay on the wheel, we were still able to appreciate the fantastic views offered by the Coffs hinterland. The race certainly offered many spectacular vistas, often obscured by the rain! Again no difficulties on the Nav, a few passing dirt bikes out for a muddy trail ride, we decided to climb up to Store Rd (rather than right into Cemetery Rd) which proved a good choice, as we hammered down the main trail into TA. We definitely didn’t hit top gear on this leg, with Team #22 (Tiger Adventure) hammering past us, showing the pace needed to stay at the front of the field.

Leg 4 - Rogaine, Lower Bucca Forest (8km)

Again navigation seemed quite predictable with little route choice and very few off trail CPs. With the top teams all moving quickly, any mistakes would be costly. We chose an anticlockwise loop, as did most teams, dropping CPC and CPD. We picked up CPH behind the Gravestone and headed south straight onto Cemetery Road. CPG perfect. In an effort to make something happen for us we chose to go directly from CPG to CPF along the creek and then after CPE cut over to Plonk Road from just past the creek on Store Road the shortest routes possible. In the end these choices resulted in no discernible time lost or gained. We moved well, jogging forestry trails, our only holdup was a seriously thick section of lantana on Hoosens Rd on route to CPA. Kudos to Tiger who had one of the quickest times through this leg in bike shoes!

Leg 5 - Ride, Bucca to Boambee (40km)

Back onto the bikes, we rolled out of TA with the BMX Bandits in equal 3rd place, Thunderbolt and Tiger just up the road, Peak, Rogue and CBRAR close behind. We made a mistake on McNamara Rd, heading past the turn into Schooner Rd, meaning we would have to climb back up to CP8. Likewise Bandits overshot the turn, allowing Peak to leap frog both of us into 3rd spot. The Bandits got away from us briefly as the clay based mud on Apseys Road locked up Michelle’s front wheel, perhaps a common problem as this video on FB shows. We rejoined Bandits and worked together, swapping turns, pulling Peak back. Our three teams rode together through Fridays Creek and
up the tough Tower pinch. Chris and Mish both came unstuck on the muddy descent down to Wedds Road, thankfully the rain meant soft landings! Our support crew provided some delicious pizza in TA and we changed into warm, dry gear in preparation for the night ahead, which meant we stayed longer than needed in TA. Bandits and Peak were well up the road as we left.

Leg 6 - Night Rogaine, Boambee to Crossmaglen (19km)

A 19km night rogaine, so close to the finish, meant this leg was always going to be pivotal. Joggin along Wedds road, turning right up the long muddy hill, we struggled to stay on our feet on the super muddy climb. With trails often at odds with the maps, we lost a little time on this stage. Team Rogue caught us on the Saddle Trail and we travelled together, on and off, for the next few hours. The descent down the southern side of Peak Trail was crazy, super wet and muddy, with gradients nudging -30%. We moved clear of Rogue as we rejoined the tar at the western end of Crossmaglen road. The team was absolutely powering at this point, except for Chris, who was happy for a more leisurely pace. We lined up for archery at the TA, spraying arrows all over the place.... (except the target!) Despite the ‘novelty’ factor of these types of challenges, it’s does add a different dimension to the race and it’s nice to see event organisers mixing things up a little.

Leg 7 - Ride, Crossmaglen to Mylestom (22km)

Pretty determined to maintain our 5th position, we got onto the bikes and rode hard, in what can only be described as the wettest riding conditions anyone could possibly experience. The rain was torrential and visibility poor, but in a weird sort of ‘it cannot possible get any worse’ way, it was actually pretty fun. No issues with nav, bikes running smoothly thanks to a mid race service from Norm.... That is, until we hit the sandy Rutile Trail behind Mylestom beach. At which point every pedal stroke was met with the sound of grinding sand in the chain. Bikes soon to be listed on eBay!

Leg 8 - Beach Run, Mylestom to Sawtell (14km)

There were several good things about this final run; first - it was the final run, second - the tide was low and the sand firm, and third - with a small lead over Team Rogue, we didn’t have to fight to maintain our position (the battle between Tiger and Bandits sounded painful). That said, the girls in particular were still super motivated to get through the leg in a reasonable time, have a hot shower and climb into bed. We moved quickly up the beach, passing a few half teams, in what was a fairly uneventful stage until the Bonville Creek crossing. As we approached the Bonville Headland, we could see a dozen or more head lights in the distance, all paused at the crossing. We overheard one competitor talking to Craig on his mobile, suggesting the crossing was too dangerous to safely pass (apparently someone had attempted to cross and got swept off their feet). We hesitated for a few minutes and then chose what we considered to be the safest route, convinced our wives that ‘nothing could possibly go wrong’, linked arms and went for it. In the end it wasn’t too bad, Chris later commented that it ‘was barely waist deep’ - and if you check out our team photo you’ll see he was probably right! His wife however was well and truly swimming!

While it was disappointing to have 3 legs cut from the race (including two of the paddles and an interesting bike rogaine - possibly our team strengths), it’s completely understandable given that ‘participant safety’ will always be a race directors number one consideration. The 2017 Geoquest still provided some close, exciting, fast paced racing, with the top teams challenging one another for final positions. Added to this, travelling alongside some of the half course teams in the later part of the race (which rarely happens), made for a more social and enjoyable atmosphere.

Final Thanks

As usual, many people helped make our participation in Geo possible. First and foremost, our support crew were amazing, suffering through horrendous conditions and still smiling each time we saw them. Hauling boats, cleaning and repairing bikes, serving food and juggling gear! Thank you so much, Norm, Bob and Keiran. Plus of course, the grandparents for babysitting!

Thanks to Craig, GeoCentric and their team of volunteers (including Nuts and his merry scouts) who also braved the elements.

A final thanks to Michael, from Percival Property in Port Macquarie for his generous, ongoing support. Michael is an experienced endurance athlete, having participated in Geo previously, and his business supports many local events and athletes. Check them out at www.percival.com.au

Until next time.

GeoQuest Report by Jodie Willett (Tiger New Caledonia)

I’m sitting here with my feet elevated trying to reduce the swelling which is apparently ‘normal’ after a 29 hour adventure race. If I had to pick an area that took the worst beating it would be the feet. Though, considering the brutal terrain they covered, I’m surprised they don’t feel worse. I love that each Geoquest is different and the 2016 course was a change-up from last year. Located in Port Macquarie, there was actual single-track, paddle legs where navigation would be critical, and a night abseil. Thankfully I couldn’t see any leg that would require naked swimming (see 2015 report). At briefing we were also warned the second foot rogaine would be ‘epic’, taking between 6 and 8 hours.

Our team name, Tiger New Caledonia, reflected the work of Trevor from Tiger Adventure matching adventure race legend Gary Sutherland and I, with Laurent and Martial from the French-speaking islands. Along with our Hungarian-heritage support crew, Attila, we were like the United Nations of racing. We only met two days before the gun went off but we were going to give it a crack and make it work. I knew we were at pro-level when Gary brought his laminating machine to waterproof the maps. Everything had a process that has clearly been tried and tested. There was a ‘WTF?’ exclamation when he saw my rookie beanie which may have been a little bulky and 50 grams overweight. I didn’t know there were beanies for weight-weenies!

A little dance was performed (by me) when the traditional ocean paddle start was cancelled due to big swell. Relocating to the quiet river mouth, the first leg was a game of strategy allowing teams to split up and get checkpoints (CPs) using any combination of running and paddling. Our strategy turned out to be rubbish and we lost a bit of time when Gary and I got tangled in rope from an oyster farm and the New Cali guys got a hole in their boat after a close call with some rocks.

On to the run leg and due to things getting lost in translation we discovered a CP hadn’t been punched on our card when we passed. It was a case of everyone thinking that someone had done it so no one did it. The most important skill in AR is clear communication with team mates, closely followed by the ability to put mistakes behind you and focus on a solution. After a 30 minute round trip we were back on track, across the rocky coastline and on to the mountain bikes. This Geoquest was one for the climbers so the buff Police Tactical Squad member on our team was not enjoying this scenario.

Gear was showing the signs of strain as the event went on – skis filled with 10 kilos of water; the MTB helmet clasp failure which induced a blind-folded descent; lost screws from vital equipment. They were all fixed with two things – stubbornness and gaffa tape. Stuff broke and we fixed it as best we could. On the night paddle all 12 of our glow sticks failed to glow so we begged around other support crews for spares. Thanks to Team 21 for the multi-coloured glow bands which meant we were prepared for any raves we should encounter on the way. It was incredible the camaraderie with other racers and their crews. We arrived at one transition well before our support guy and were showered with offers of hot soup, chips and assistance from everyone there. To the lady who fed me the bacon and cheese scroll – you are a legend!

Each team had different strengths and I’d say ours was navigation. Between Gary and Laurent we found crazy rogaine CPs in indescribably dense scrub littered with fallen trees from recent storms. It was impossible to walk around all of them but treading on top risked falling through the branches. Making a path through thick vegetation is not my gift apparently and I constantly lagged behind. Having short legs and protecting the recent stitches in my knee I was being far too dainty. After hours of frustration I went full-blown ninja on the branches and vines while punctuating the forest with F-bombs. I’m not sure it was effective but it made me feel better. 6 hours of bush-bashing later, we emerged and agreed to never speak of the Punchbowl Rogaine again.

The sun had come up by this time and we had a straightforward MTB to our last TA before a 2-3 hour paddle to the finish. Making our way down the river was lovely and serene but not what you really want when you’re sleep deprived. Every few strokes my paddling partner’s stroke rating dropped as he had micro-sleeps so I had to yell and splash him with water to keep us moving. It was when he started hallucinating and dodging boats that weren’t there that I showed concern. I did this by laughing so hysterically I almost fell off the ski.

It was a big relief to cross the finish line at 29 and a half hours. To finish 6th after last year’s DNF was unbelievable. The post-race analysis started immediately and there were definitely time-savings to be made but seeing the winning team 5 hours ahead of us, the mind boggles at the consistent speeds they must have been moving at.

I had such a great time and learned an incredible amount that I’m looking forward to putting into practice at my next adventure race. It’s refreshing to start at the bottom and have so much to improve on and I don’t seem to lack any motivation for those 4.30am starts. I haven’t been able to say that for a while.

Thanks to:
Team mates: Gary Sutherland, Laurent Devaud and Martial Devillers – seriously tough guys. Our support crew of one who did an amazing job with almost no instruction or experience – couldn’t have done it without you Attila Kiss.
Tiger Adventure: for throwing us all together.
Bikes and suspension: For the Riders and NS Dynamics for the immaculate pre-race service
Ride Mechanic: The new Bike Mix longer lasting lube was perfect and went the distance
Shotz nutrition: Gels to keep the carbs going in
Tineli Australia: Best fitting kit around

Geoquest Port Macquarie 2016 - Race Report - by Kim Beckinsale

Mountain Designs Adventure Racing Team

Tuesday, 14 June 2016

Geoquest Port Macquarie 2016 - Race Report - by Kim Beckinsale

This year for Geoquest, Leo Theoharis and I were joined by two fresh young athletes, Alex Austin, and Peter Preston. On paper we had a strong team with Leo, Peter, Alex and I having being on the podiums of previous Geoquest and Geoquest Half races, as well as Godzone finishers back in April. We were all very looking forward to testing ourselves out there against some of the strongest and most experienced athletes and teams in the country; ranked as follows Peak Adventure (1), Thortz Sports Shots Nutrition (2) , Adventure Junkies (3) Dynamite (4) Neverest (5) and other dark horses such as Rapid Ascent (8). Geoquest being a supported race, means that having an experienced support crew can make a difference, so we were pretty excited to have Lea Schloss (wife of my former Team MD Team mate Dave Schloss) there with Adam Mc Kane one of Alex’s best mates and one of Noosa’s best lifeguards.

HQ was Port Macquarie and location for the briefing and competencies, and the most exciting of them all .....Map handout. With the course revealed at 3pm Friday it was obvious we were sitting at the finish line, the ocean paddle was set to start at Bonny Hills and there were 11 legs including one ‘mega split’. After map handout the team rushed back to our accommodation at Flynns on Surf Beach, and started getting stuck into map preparation. While Lea cooked up a storm in the kitchen, with Adam worked on gear land logistics. We heard at about 6pm that the ocean paddle had been cancelled, which was not what strong paddling teams had hoped for. By the time we finished the maps we had a team plan – Peter lead navigator, Leo support navigator with myself on logistics as well as backup navigation on trek legs and Alex too on the role of the ferret. We probably finished all of our maps and gear sorting by around 10pm, so a good 8hrs sleep was awesome, with the later start.

Leg 1 Mega Split Paddle/Trek 8k

Teams lined up on Pilot Beach for a classic Geoquest mass paddle at 8am for an 8.30am start, except we did not have to venture out into the ocean. This leg allowed teams to split in pairs and then split again and go solo, which was an advantage for teams with 4 navigators. Alex and I paddled together and collected CP A & B from the kayak then split. I collected two on foot while Alex paddled to H then picked me up on the way back to the TA. Meanwhile Leo and Peter paddled up towards CP C and split up to also collect CP G, D and F on foot. Our plan worked well as we arrived into the TA in 2nd just behind Adventure Junkies, and near some of the half teams; Linda and Mandy – Wondering Wandering Wookies and Greg Krome’s Tri Adventure M & M’s. I really enjoyed the Mega Split as encouraged teams to use strategy and it once again tested the navigation skills of the entire team.

Leg 2 Coastal Trek 8k

We were treated to a very spectacular run north along the coastline up to Bonny Hills. Alex being a surfer was in awe of the pumping waves and glassy conditions on Grants Beach. It was not long before the lead teams were all together looking for a track on the headland up to Grants Head, we were with Adventure Junkies and Thortz Sports, knowing that Peak Adventure were also hot on our heels. The pace was on, but not enough to stop Leo from having a chat to all of his training mates! Alex and I even stopped for a hug and a chat as we passed the ‘Cowgirls’ doing the Half. It was a pretty social time out there even though we were all racing!

Leg 3-5 Mountain Bike 35k Trek 8k Mountain Bike 10k

The crew had set up an amazing transition spot for us, with our chairs all at four corners of a tarp and all our gear and food spread out ready to pack into our bags. From this point we would not see our support for almost 8 hours so we did not rush this TA at all. We needed maps 4,5,6,7; mandatory gear, tracker and our Ay Up Lights – check!

Not long off the bitumen the ride turned rough and soon we had our first hike-a-bike, actually the only one of the race. We were stoked to find the trail off the spur after CP 6 leading to CP 7, however we were soon stopped in our tracks as Peter had a slash in his tyre. So a bit of team work required to get a tube in, gas it then top it up with the hand pump. Strangely, no teams went flying past us, so we must have chosen a slightly different route to others, as by the time we had negotiated the single track through Spring Gully and made it to the highway, we could tell there were definitely a few extra full course teams now ahead of us, one of them Dynamite. We collected our map from CP 13 and worked out how to complete the Q & A Orienteering at the historical town of Herrons Creek. This consisted of riding around the town and reading all of the historical signs, at places like the old post office and the memorial hall. We then set off to CP 15 for the long climb up Blackbutt Road and Sandy Hollow Road to the next TA at CP16. We weren’t killing ourselves on the bike, we were just riding together as a team and discussing the next leg preparation. We arrived at the TA in 5th spot behind Peak Adventure, Thortz Sports, Adventure Junkies and the men’s team Percival Properties.

At the TA we were required to mark up 6 CP’s on our maps and collect these in any order. We opted for the anticlockwise route (J P O N M L K) as did most teams, however we did see a few teams going in the opposite direction as we headed back up the creek, so I got a hug from Thor and a kiss from Kev along the way. Peter was clearly on his game at this point, and I happily followed behind holding map and compass feeling very confident and as a team we were pretty stoked when we arrived back to the TA in 4th spot. Unfortunately after the race, we did find out that we received a 15minute penalty on this leg, as we did not punch the ‘control card’ just the wristbands – the TA officials told just to punch the wrist bands, but as the CP’s were written on the ‘Control Card’ we just should have known we had to ‘our responsibility to know the rules’, so you do have to be on the ball all the time!

The ride out of this TA was interesting as the track that most teams would have travelled along to CP 18 ended in a creek full of overgrown Lantana, and there was no way anyone would have wanted to back track. So Leo forged ahead through the very overgrown trail and then when it seemed to end, I went to the front and found a way through the lantana to the spur, and then we found the track we were after. We worked out that we had actually travelled down the trail before our marked course, so now it all made sense. At this point we were with two other teams, Brett’s all male half team, ‘Just Ride Run Paddle’ and the all men’s team – ‘Percival Properties’. We all rode into CP20 / TA at Bago Winery together. The support crew had had a lovely time at the winery enjoying the wine and beer and local produce, but it was full on when we arrived just on sunset.

Leg 6 Trek – Abseil – Trek 15k

This leg was a trek with an abseil and the crew did promise us hot chips at the next TA, so we had a pretty slick transition here, leaving ahead of both teams we had arrived with.

The trek to the abseil seemed to take no time at all expect for our brief encounter with a pretty upset resident near the quarry. She was concerned their dogs would be up barking all night and we explained we were in a race, but in an area that was not marked OOB, so politely suggested she go down to the TA and chat to someone down there, as we knew other teams would be going the exact same route as us. We punched CP21 and headed towards the abseil, as we approached we could see the city lights in the distance. The full course all male team ‘Percival Properties’ were catching us, so we did speed up as we approached the top of the hill as we didn’t want to have to wait. It turned out there were two lines set up and the rules were one line per team, so all good. Both teams did the abseil together, then headed off down off the top of the hill on a pretty gnarly bit of steep single track. The next CPs 23 in the creek junction, and CP24 - track junction, were not too hard to find before a 4k run to CP25/ TA in Wauchope. I am pretty sure we got through this leg in less than 2 1⁄2 hours.

Leg 7 Paddle 17k

Lea and Adam had hot chips and our ski’s waiting for us when we arrived. They told us to rug up as it was getting cold and that Adventure Junkies portaged from the TA. We opted not to portage from the start as we thought our boats were too heavy. We seemed to have a lot of glow sticks on us and our craft, as we headed down the river. The story goes....last year our support cut off our glow sticks and we received a penalty for not replacing them, even though it had been a daylight paddle.....so the upshot was we learned from this mistake, so decided if it’s not glowing add another one and keep adding, but never remove. We were enjoying our night-time paddle under the stars until we realised the short option we had marked up was shallow and rocky at Narrowgut. We tried a very short portage over the rocks, however this proved troublesome as both of our ski’s rudders did not function well after that. So as a result we had to paddle the long way, except the problem was we were off the map. We continued paddling, expecting to come to a bridge at Rawdon Channel however the boys worked out as we went past Rawdon Creek, that we had taken the north channel instead, so we would not see a bridge. Thankfully we were going the right way as we were slowly getting very cold. As we were travelling along Balyngara Creek on the final stretch to the approaching the TA we saw Brett and his team heading towards us. Now this was a little confusing as we wondered, what’s happening here? Brett told us they had ridden from the previous TA to our paddle finish TA, and the half course started paddling from Pembroke Village in the opposite direction. We were so frozen at the end of the paddle, I attempted to run from the water to the TA did not warm up at all. Rowdy and Lea went and collected the second ski for us (this was allowed) however were not permitted to punch in until we had our two boats in TA. After we dried off and did a complete change of clothes we were treated to some home cooked pumpkin soup and some hot coffee....just perfect, thanks!

Leg 8-10 MTB 35k Trek – 12-16k MTB 34k

It was 11pm and we were told that the trek could take over 6hrs, and our MTB legs 2-3 each, so we were in for a big night! I was wearing everything Gore- Tex and looked a bit like the ‘Michelin Man’. I didn’t care as last year at Geoquest after the night paddle, I could not get warm on the bike and spent the next 6hrs falling asleep, so just did not want that to happen again. I did soon warm up and after about 20mins off with the Gore-Tex pants! Not long after this our race came to a dramatic halt, and Peter crashed right in front of my eyes and I had to take evasive action to avoid not running over him and his bike. He was riding over a bridge and suddenly noticed an obstacle on the left side, causing him to react and slightly change direction, however this action at speed on a wooden bridge with planks running in different directions resulted in him flying forward over the bars. He certainly hit the ground pretty hard, but like most was more worried about his bike than himself. Leo did a quick bike check for him and soon we made our way up the big climb to the TA at Bellangry .

Alex and Pete sat by the fire here chatting to Linda Davis (TA Official) while Leo and I marked up the maps, it was important for Peter to just rest a bit here and make sure he was ok before heading out on this crucial part of the race. There were 8 CP’s here and we had to find 6. We agreed on a course and off we set, jogging the flats and down hills, walking the hills. All the CP’s were off-track, so there were not to many easy options out there. We opted for CP Q S T then made our way to the Punch Bowl, CP U. This was a pretty spectacular place, but challenging travel, as there were cliffs and waterfalls all the way down the creek as we travelled to CP V. We saw up high above us at one stage another team, we think it was Team Neverest, as we thought we heard Paul Elby’s voice. Travel was slow and I had quite a few falls along the way and felt my luck was running out, so we opted to finish the trek with CP X instead of staying in the creek. It was a bit longer but it meant less climbing and we realised we would be likely to cover the ground much faster than we would in the creek. We hit CP X just as it was getting light. On our way back to TA we ran into Ray, Johnny and Mike - Team Damaged Goods; they had forgotten their maps for the next ride. So we checked at the TA if we could give them our second set, and it was ok, so we did. We arrived back at the TA in around 5hrs 30, similar to the 4 teams ahead. Linda and Suwati the TA officials, were in for a long day and night it seemed as many of the teams were still on their way up to their TA.

Back from the trek getting ready for the final MTB

We knew that Peak Adventure had a penalty, but did not know how much, so we just continued to work well as a team, set a good pace and not make mistakes. Peter now was solo map man and we had 3 CP’s on the way to the final paddle. Most of the ride was downhill, so a great reward for the nights effort. We arrived at the final TA at around 9am, unbeknown to us at the time that the crew had only arrived 4 minutes earlier as our tracker had not shown how close we were till we were just about 3k from the TA. They must have handled this like professionals as we had absolutely no idea, our little set up was once again set up perfectly and our ski’s out ready to go....what an amazing crew!

Leg 11 Paddle 27K

We knew now it was just about staying strong and consistent and getting to the finish. I was a little worried about getting sleepy and cold, so we all dressed sensibly and ate well before we set off. We decided to portage 1k which meant carrying our ski’s but saving 6k of paddling. It took us just 16 minutes, so it definitely worked. Alex and I were having a few troubles with the rudder sticking, so paddled the last 6k without steering, Alex was strong just as he had been for the entire race. After we punched the final CP we had one short portage over the weir to the finish. What a relief the final CP always is to find, but approaching the finish line is the best feeling ever. We crossed the line 5th outright and 4th Premier Mixed and absolutely stoked with big smiles on our faces. We were greeted at the finish by our supporters and support crew who were all pretty confident that we may be upgraded to 3rd Premier Mixed following the issuing of penalties.

Final Results Premier Mixed
1st Adventure Junkies; 2nd Thortz Sportz Shots Nutrition; 3rd Mountain Designs; 4th Peak Adventure

5th Neverest

To finish off the report, here are a few bits of extra trivia for those who are still reading..... Most Interesting Leg - Mega Split - because we had no idea how we would end up

Most Challenging Leg - Leg 7 Paddle - because we got so cold and we were off the map
Most Spectacular Legs - Leg 2 Coastal Trek - the ocean was magnificent; Leg 6 Abseil Trek – the reflections off the rocks as we bounced off the rock were

amazing; Leg 9 Punchbowl Rogaine – spectacular waterfalls and stunning cliffs.

Funniest Leg - Final Paddle - Seeing Leo’s eyes light up when he saw Sloshy on the shore with his piece of carrot cake that he had been promised for the entire race.

Congratulations to all the other teams out there racing the full and half, some of whom we crossed paths with along the way. As always it was a tough event and getting through it always a true test of endurance, mental toughness, team work and sometimes just a little patience.

Thanks Lea Schloss and Adam Mc Kane, our super slick support crew and all the other support crews out there looking after their teams, we know that without you our gear and nutrition would not be on par! We always had the right gear when we needed it; Mountain Designs Gore-Tex Jackets and thermals; Ay Up Lights; Hokas; as well as our trusty Trek Superfly mountain bikes and the list goes on!

Thanks to Geocentric Outdoors for setting such an amazing course once again and allowing us to explore some more of the spectacular NSW coast and hinterland.

Thanks to our major sponsors - Mountain Designs, for not only supporting our team, but for your continued support for the sport of Adventure Racing. Mountain Designs have been sponsoring #GeoquestAR for over 15 years which is testament to the quality of the gear and its ongoing commitment to Adventure Racing in Australia.

Finally I would like to thank my awesome team mates for such an amazing race. Leo Theoharis - The Smiling Assassin (for his never waning enthusiasm) Alex Austin - The Pin Up Boy (for making our photos look good)
Peter Preston - P1 (because he’s our favourite Preston)

I really enjoyed our time out there, so thanks for being a part of the Team and I look forward to getting out there again with you all soon.

Team AdventureJunkie.com.au won Geoquest!

Finished first place in 24hrs 27min 15sec (a new record time for Geoquest apparently)

This was the team’s first hit out since Godzone and we had finally recovered from that epic expedition and were excited and ready to race together again.

Hugh Stodart – team captain and chief navigator
Serge Kurov – second navigator on foot
Josh Street – backup bike navigator, team welfare captain and general packhorse/strongman/fix-it-guy Bernadette Dornom – “token chick” (and primary author in case you were wondering)

Ably supported by

Duncan (brother of Hugh) chief support crew officer bringing a wealth of experience and tactical support Jamie (son of Hugh) with enthusiasm and helpfulness to burn just waiting till he is old enough to race himself Jurgen (friend of Josh) chief enthusiast and likely converted participant for next year

Leg 1 Bonny Hills Sea Kayak and Mega Split

With the cancellation of the ocean kayakcomponent of leg 1 we had disappointmentfrom our seafaring captain Hugh, althoughcould not contain the jumps of joy from landloving Josh. The mega split first leg providedendless prerace discussions on strategies andtactics that were debated right up until thestart line. When the start gun sounded Hughand Bern paddled off to collect the 2 CPs inGogleyÕs Lagoon which required a fair bit ofwading with the kayak making us wish thatwe had portaged from the start. Then Hughdropped Bern off at the Laurieton boat rampto run and collect 2 land based CPs beforeheading back to the transition area. Hughthen paddled solo to collect thesouthernmost CP then paddle back totransition. Meanwhile Josh and Sergepaddled north up Stingray creek collectingthe first checkpoint by boat but then leavingthe kayak and splitting up to each collect theremainder checkpoints of foot beforerendezvousing back at the kayak to thenpaddle back to transition together. Turnedout our strategy worked pretty well as not only did Josh and Serge meet up with Hugh about 300m from transition but Bern could see the two boats paddling as she ran towards transition all arriving within a minute of each other.

Leg 2 Grants Beach Coastal Hike 8km

We left the TA in first place but were caught by the all male team Percival Property early on as they took a more efficient route to the 4WD track behind the beach. We were then joined by Thoughtsports/Shotz and Mountain Designs so the coastal run quickly became quite social as we compared leg 1 stories– one of the joys of Adventure racing and Geoquest (particularly when you put Josh and Leo together).

Leg 3 Burrawan Forrest – Heron Creek Bike 35km

Course & Navigation comments: The navigation was pretty straight forward, but the megasplit (ie the team can split up and get the checkpoints individually) made it very strategic with lots of options combining running and paddling.

This was a straight forward run up the coast with a mix of pavement, trails, headlands and beach with two straight forward CPs to find on the way.

The first section was up the hill and through a local MTB park with a few CPs located on various single track sections, followed by a ride inland with a short “history orienteering” interlude at Heron Creek.

This leg on the bike soon had a rude awakening as we hit a steep hike-a-bike section to the first CP. Once again the 4-5 lead teams all swapping position numerous times taking slightly different routes through some single track and fire roads. We cottoned on to the map and signage we had to read for the history orienteering slightly faster than the bunch we arrived with, so left with a slim lead for the ride up the hill to the rogaine.

Leg 4 Fork Creek Rogaine 8km

We managed to come into the TA just slightly ahead of Peak Adventure with Thought sports hot on their tails. We went in a clockwise direction whilst most other teams collected these CPs in anticlockwise direction. We continued to set a steady pace running downhills and flats and walking ups.

Returning to where we had left our bikes at the TA we were back in third position with Thoughtsports having a 15 minute gap and Peak Adventure not too far ahead of us.

Leg 5 Bulls Ground Forrest to Winerey Bike 10km

Short and mainly downhill, but a couple of CPs on old (ie often overgrown) logging trails made this a bit of a lottery for trail selection.

Hugh navigated expertly through the tricky and often overgrown trails in this area, recognising some of them from a previous Wildside AR. Bern had a bit of fun with a small excursion off her bike at one point serving only to cover herself in mud. We came into the TA at the winery having taken a more direct route and jumped into second place. We were met by our support crew and birthday cake as it was SergeÕs birthday. Having just enough time to blow out his candles and Josh to do a short media ÔinterviewÕ we quickly transitioned for the following hike

We got the CP locations in transition so quick assessment of options was required. There was an obvious loop so the main question was clockwise vs anti-clockwise.

Leg 6 Broken Bago Hike and Roping (Abseil) 22km

Simple navigation mostly on major roads and trails so this leg was all about speed.

Leaving the TA as darkness set in we were met by a not so friendly, in fact very irate, quarry man in his grader a little surprised by our team wandering past him. Think he was in for a bigger shock when the rest of the field started to come past. As night fell we arrived at the abseil as Thoughtsports were halfway through. There was a bit of a delay as the second rope was out of action, temporarily having started to fray as it rubbed over a sharp edge. Worth waiting for that to be fixed. We could see the night lights of Wauchope in the distance. We were joined by Peak Adventure as we ran down some steep tracks, then fire roads, then a bit of street race through Wauchope to get to the start of the next kayak.

Leg 7 Balyngara Creek Paddle 17km

Peak Adventure transitioned quickly and we managed to score their leftover hot pizza (Thanks Kim!). As they paddled off down the river we (having been encouraged by reports of Thoughtsports portaging and already being back on the river) carried our boats up and over the bridge, across quite a few paddocks and fencing to put in at the start of a small river tributary effectively cutting off the first 4 kms of the paddle. We later learned that the farmer, whose paddock we had traversed, had called the police, not happy we were crossing his land (Sorry for that trouble Louise.) We navigated the river system in the fog and darkness well somehow. The portage option must have been effective as when we got to the transition we learned, much to our surprise, we were the first team to arrive, having put in after our portage ahead of Peak Adventure and passing Thoughtsports as they did a few extra kms up an ÒalternateÓ river route.

This paddle up the meandering river gave rise so some portage options that had some risk, but gave significant potential gains. Finding the turns in the dark meant we had to keep concentrating.

Leg 8 Bellangry Road Ride 35km

Long plod mostly on bitumen with one token CP.

Road riding but lots of hills especially one never ending dirt road hill up to the transition. We rode most of this ride with team Peak Adventure again having a few good laughs and chats out on course.

Leg 9 The punchbowl Rogaine 16km

The crux of the race and what eventuated as where the race was won for us. Hugh and Serge copied the CPs from the master map and then tried to plot the best most accessible route to collect 6 out of 8 CPs that we needed to get. Josh and Bern managed to sneak in some cheeky fire time as we swapped stories with the CP staff. Well this leg certainly had lots of bush bashing and felt like such slow going as we slogged our way over lots of wind-fallen trees. Our navigation remained strong though as CPs kept appearing in front of us, but we struggled a bit with a number of the trails we planned to use being overgrown and either slowing us down or forcing us to cover extra distance.

As we headed back to the TA after 5 hrs on foot we passed a few teams just heading out. Arriving at the TA we were nervous to check which other teams had already come in feeling like we had taken longer than we should have. Again we were pleasantly surprised to find out we were the first team to arrive back and in the lead. Better keep our skates on then and get on our bikes.

Again we only got the CPs in transition. With the requirement to collect 6 of 8 CPs strategies were plentiful. There were no really obvious options so we chose a route that looked easy for nav and which kept us on trails as much as possible (at least that’s what we thought at the time).

Leg 10 Rollands Plains Ride 24km

Adventure Junkie Australia - Team AdventureJunkie.com.au won Geoquest!

The ride to the first CP was a bit slow on our route due to more of those annoying fallen trees, but after collecting the first one and getting back up on the ridges, the ride down to the TA to the start of the final paddle was largely downhill which was welcomed.

Leg 11 Wilson/Hastings Rivers Paddle 29km less a portage

Straight down the river with the only interest coming from a couple of very attractive portage options.

We knew we had the lead coming into this leg and so it was our race to lose from here. Strategy was donÕt stuff it up. Daylight was just breaking as we paddled off after some warm soup and encouragement from our support crew, which we hadnÕt seen since the end of leg 7. The decision to portage our kayaks across a 1km road section to cut out nearly 7km of kayak was motivated not only by being quicker but it was great to stretch the legs out of the kayak.

After collecting the final CP34 we thought we were doing the right thing paddling behind the ferry (as per water rules) but perhaps went a little closer than we intended due to the tide and the ferry driver did not seem too happy – he was about to meet quite a few kayakers throughout the day some of whom would test his patience more than us.

Our final obstacle was a portage over the weir where we passed some Geohalf teams. Serge and Josh also learnt how slippery the weir was, much to the amusement of Hugh and Bern. In the final few kms of the Hastings River we finally let ourselves enjoy the fact that we were about to cross the line as winners.

The race was a rare and amazing experience and achievement for us as a team. Adventure racing is about minimizing mistakes and recovering fast when you do make them. It was very satisfying to have a race where we did not need the recovery bit.

GeoQuest Report by Type 2 Fun

13 is not a lucky number - but luck is never enough in these races anyway!

2016 marked the 13th time on the beach for me, but the shore was angry and the start was moved to a protected inlet for the 15th running of the Mountain Designs Geoquest adventure race. The six or so kilometre ocean paddle that we were meant to do was the same as the one we knocked out in 2005, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I remembered the channel entry and trying to negotiate a mirage 730 across the bar. It would have been better on the ski this time around, maybe....but low tide and dumping waves usually don’t go well with fibreglass vessels.

This was ‘geo’ number three for our current team, and we had all enjoyed pretty healthy lead ups. Scott had not been hit by a car, Su did not have a torn hamstring, and Nath had just run Ultra Trail fast enough to earn a silver buckle. True to form though, Nath and Su were late to rego and slid into the competencies 30 minutes after they had closed. Scott the early bird ticked off our nav and first aid competencies and narrowly avoided the pre-race walk of shame, with some more notable teams fairing less lucky.

With the annual pilgrimage taking us to Port Macquarie, we were hoping to improve on our 10th place in 2014 and 9th place in 2015, we figured more running was required with faster transitions. We achieved both.....but struggled with the real game changer...navigation. The telling factor was Mr sleep monster at the crucial moment, brought on by a series of sleepless nights in the lead up.

The start was a bit chaotic and knowing exactly how to split up for stage one seemed to mark a trend that would haunt me later on. We sent Su and Scott off in their ski to fetch the checkpoints to the North, racking up some 13km of paddling. Nath and I paddled into the river and then split for the land based CPs. Arriving at the CP2 transition in 45mins, I quickly realised that I had not done enough, and the others would have to do too much. Nath ran in 15 minutes later, and then we began to wait as the leaders charged off for stage 2.... after a further 20 mins, watching the big guns race through, our guys beached their ski and we began the chase.

Stage two’s run was solid and our times showed similar to everyone in front. I love a good coasteer (thanks to a low centre of gravity), and the highlight was popping out at the back of our accommodation at the top of the only climb, after some flowing single track under the shade of beach bush. Sweating bullets, but in good spirits, we thanked our support crew, guzzled some sports drink and set off on stage three.

The road quickly turned to dirt and at the base of the first hill, Calamity Jane kissed us fair on the lips! First up my shoe broke. WTF! Stealing a Velcro strap off my frame bag, we cinched it as tight as possible and pressed on. Then, on the descent, Su yelped and swallowed a mouthful of liquid sealant as Scott’s rear tire sliced open on a rock. It took four stops and lots of vigorous pumping to get it to finally seal. Somewhere in the confusion of flat tires and busted boots, Nath’s trip computer gave up and we were left with just one, on my bike, to call distances and cross check the maps. With teams still all about I found it incredibly hard to concentrate and took a few silly turns before finding a rhythm. Then Scott dropped off the back. Just as I was about to get angry, he re-appeared, sans his map board! A friendly little branch had ripped it off for him and destroyed the mount! There goes the pace notes and a second set of eyes on the maps! 2016 Advantage lost.

The key to these races is momentum. Momentum and minimising mistakes. So far we had fluffed two of the first three stages. Not monumentally, but significantly enough to really hamper our momentum, and in that time the great teams and the good teams were gaining ground and disappearing until next year.

Clearing away from the teams around us just before CP13 and the Heron Creek map, the rest of the ride was pretty straight forward, possibly even fun. We’d learned how to be a better team after XPD Townsville and the quiz ride through Heron Creek flashed by in no time.

Quickly transitioning into joggers and gaiters (thanks Bike Bag Dude for your crack saving seat bags) saw us skedaddle back down a track with photographer in tow to the first of maybe 6 checkpoints on a rogaine leg. I think we did this pretty well, but seeing Peak collect their last CP (our first) gave us some idea of the time we had lost so far. It was pretty gnarly in some of the creeks and there was

just enough lawyer vine to rip us open and call in the leaches. The team worked really well together

th th
-10 were

Scooting downhill is so much fun on the MTB, even with wet mtb shoes, and stage five was short and sweet. It ended with a weirdly marked and random entry into the winery, but the tin spaghetti in TA made everyone feel better. A quick mandatory gear check and an even quicker change into poly tops and running shoes and we are away.

Running was the plan, but 400m of elevation was the reality for stage six. It was the reverse of a bike stage at last years Wildside adventure race, so Scott held the map and my brain had a rest. We jogged as often as possible and the boys were kind enough to tow Su until we reached the abseil while I ate and drank and tried not to fart in front of anyone. Par for course at Geoquest abseils is for yours truly to tangle up with a tree on the way down, which I managed yet again. (One year I descended about two thirds of the way only to realise that the rope beside me was actually the tail of my rope, stuck in a bush above me. It was a 15 minute wait in no man’s land while the climbing guy abseiled to the jagged rope end to free it. The poor bugger had to prussic his way back up, so I didn’t whinge too much).

Hearing “rock rock rock” is never fun, but I figured it signalled Scott was on the line and soon we would be off again, which is better than shivering in a huddle. 30 seconds later he appeared on the ground and off we went, still chewing in as manay calories as the pace would permit. More running,

and it was such a bonus to get out of the bush before dark, knowing that teams placed 5
all fairly close together. Transitioning just on night fall, we were buoyed with the knowledge of cracking into the top ten.

a little looking in a creek, then more running. We were joined by Liam’s team and it was pretty straight forward all the way to TA.

We usually hit the night paddle after midnight, so setting off before 11pm was such a bonus. Forgetting the portage wheels however, was not. Stage seven gave the chance for some creativity, but we muffed the exit from the TA and added about 750m to the portage, before following Adventure Junkies foot prints into a poor farmers land and eventually a muddy mangrove swamp. We had marked following the road to the main river, but a very helpful TA marshal advised us another team had crossed a paddock and shaved even more kilometres off the stage. Our amended grand plan had spared our butts from 40 minutes or so of paddling, but gained no obvious time advantage. Liam’s team paddled past the junction just as we arrived, proving the plan was good but the execution was terrible. The last portage into TA sucked, but would have sucked more at low tide. It seemed we were alternating between well executed and poorly executed stages, meaning the teams in front were getting further away, and the teams behind were being given opportunities to catch up and pass us.

Shiver me timbers! Long road rides in the wee small hours, what a recipe for sleepiness. One sure fire way to stay awake is to watch your compass kamikaze dive off the map board and explode into hundreds of pieces on the asphalt. Lucky there was limited nav. Shame about the relentless climbing and my under prepared hiney though! The end of this race would tally more bike kilometres than the sum of my whole year! Thank Christ for chamois lube. I think someone towed me part way through stage eight, but can’t really remember. Scott calls it my witching hour and it happens on night one of every race! There was a hell of a lot of zig zagging going on and I’m surprised no-one fell asleep at the wheel. The best part was when my trusty old speedo stopped reading and we fumbled our way from there on.

Technology is going to be an issue for race organisers pretty soon me thinks. As more and more companies turn to utilising GPS technology to meet consumer demands in their distance measuring offerings, fewer will build quality ‘old school’ speedo’s and the cheap crap available won’t stand the rigours of adventure racing. What then I wonder? The reason only two of us had speedos in the first place is because we have all been using our watches or phones to record our awesomeness and post it on strava for at least three years now. As the motto goes, ‘if it’s not on strava, it didn’t happen’.

Shebang! There goes your race Type 2 Fun. Two maps makes no difference at all if your only navigator is sleep walking. The boys did a brilliant job deciphering the out dated maps and positioning us pretty close to the first CP on stage nine, but we took an awful long time to get there with Su holding me upright and out of harms way. By the time I had refreshed there was daylight filtering in and based on where we were, holding on to eighth place would be a tall order indeed. The hills were relentless and the creeks fairly slow going, with a few logged areas proving themselves the wrong place to be. Like most forestry managed areas, the tracks on the map were not always there and several new ones appeared without warning. This stage was always going to be for the

real navigators to use their smarts with route selection and checkpoint locating. Unfortunately I’m not one of those. Knowing that your choices are dumb as soon as you execute them always makes the next choice more difficult and seeing three of the teams that were behind us charging past on their way back to TA broke our spirits just enough for Su to admit that she probably should have lubed her feet seven hours earlier....they were blistered to blazes. We sat down and ate while she applied as much lube as possible, but our running was definitely done from that point on. Scott towed her back up the hill and she stoically pushed through without so much as a whimper.

Stage ten was a ripper of a ride downhill and we threw all caution to the wind in the hope of catching teams eight and nine on the final paddle. Then it got boring on the road and with Su on the front, Nathan finally cracked. He’d been carrying more than his fair share all race and his goose was truly cooked. We topped him up with gels as I changed the maps one last time and then headed into TA about 4 hours after we had planned to be there.

Paddling out for stage eleven we noticed plenty of debris floating in, signalling an incoming tide and a slow journey south. This was the same final paddle as 2005, with an obvious portage about ten kilometres in. It was marginal time wise given we had forgotten the portage wheels, but at least we could get off our butts for a while and reduce the risk of falling asleep and capsizing. Once more we managed to make a crucial point before sunset and heaved our skis up onto our shoulders just in time for some light rain. Putting back in was drama free and with a checkpoint and eleven kilometres remaining, we took off in search of pizza. Rating along at about 12km/h Nath and I surprised our

normally stronger paddling team mates for a couple of k’s before grinding to a halt on an unseen sand bar. I knew they were there somewhere, but in the dark it was really just a guessing game. It was a magic feeling to portage the weir near settlement village and turn over the last five minute stretch. Standing in the rain were our ever smiling support crew, tired wet and hungrier than us!

Showering, eating and sleeping a full night makes cleaning up the next day so much easier. Thanks again for inviting me Type 2 Fun. Imagine how fast you could go with a proper navigator! XPD is coming very soon and that’s where the next story will probably come from.

Thanks support crew, Flo, Kym and Terry, you know these things only run well with a support crew.

Thanks Sarah and Eli for letting me keep doing these races and helping me squeeze in some training along the way.

Thanks Craig and Lou for another Queens Birthday Long Weekend.

GeoQuest Report by Quality Nude Time

by Liam St Pierre

Just a quick update back from GeoQuest. If there were any doubts that this race is the premier AR on the Australian calendar, they were resoundingly quashed with the 2016 event. Geocentric Outdoors have their event organisation dialed to a tee. Two sets of maps, new control flags that reflected in the dark, a genuine ropes activity where we didn’t need to provide additional equipment and excellent support crew notes were some of the small touches that make this race special. I was lucky enough to be invited back by Dean to race with Quality Nude Time again after our fourth place success from last year. We were joined by long time training friend (but first time team mate) Luke Goodfellow along with Justin Whitley, who although relative new to AR is strong enough to mix it with the best athletes on the course.

A look at the team list suggested one of the most competitive fields at Geo to date, which was borne out with Adventure Junkies taking a well deserved win in a record finishing time on what most would agree was not the easiest Geo course ever. Given the relative strengths of our team and the fact that my ankle looked like bald puffer fish a week before the race care of a training accident, we were stoked to sneak in with our goal of a top 10 finish.

All told we had a very uneventful race. We got off to a slow start with me opting to paddle a total of 15km in lieu of running to any of the mega split check points. This turned out to be a mistake as the ankle ultimately held up really well and paddling was slower than our top theoretical pace due to tidal influences and having to pick our way through oyster leases to a number of the controls. However from a slow start we steadily picked our way through the field, navigating consistently and working well as a team. Highlights from the course for me were the abseil, stumbling across the Punchbowl Falls from upstream when were expecting a small water hole, Kimberley’s support crew garlic quiche slice, having the legs to race the last trek, bike and paddle hard and finishing in daylight. Lowlights were missing the traditional ocean paddle start, being frozen to the bone portaging our skis at the end of the second paddle from Wauchope, a sleepy and disjointed road ride on stage 8 and the slow start which really does set up the rest of your race.