2012 RESULTS NOW HERE!

Maungatautari Mission
RED EVENTS (Waikato cycling sports academy),
Po Box 84, Cambridge,

Enquiries Phone 0275770079.

2011 Race Note:
A couple of things: At prize-giving I didn't acknowledge the first all female team winners. It was the Septic Sisters, in an excellent time. Also that the female school team Velocity from St Peters School took out the female school section. I apologise for not acknowledging their results at the time, and want to encourage all female teams in the future. It has been rectified in the report below:

Race Report:
I thought we had experienced all the drama last year, but no ! Lots again this year. After torrential rain overnight, the weather gods gave us a reasonable day for the race. The first cycle started slower than usual, but by half way the hammer went down, with Elliot O'brien from The Mountain Road Cycle Team breaking away. Elliot held this lead coming into the first transition 45 seconds ahead of Mike Rodgers from the Cush Team.

Due to a course change caused by the silly feud that is threatening the mountain's future, the run detoured through an obliging farmers land. This meant a tough start to the run with an extra 2 kms of climbing. Individual Andrew Turnbull blitzed the field on the run, passing the leading team runners to finish well clear in an approximate time of 1 hour 34 minutes. Team Cush were next in, followed by the Boatshed runner.

The Individual womens' race was tight the whole way. Past winner Rachel Cashin was first off the bike but closely followed by Loise Mark. Coming off the mountain run they were neck and neck. Andrew Fraser was leading the Vet men category until a fall dislocated his shoulder. Another competitor managed to readjust the shoulder, and Andrew was able to carry on to the finish in a brave effort .

Meanwhile at the Kayak transition, Andrew Turnbull still had a good lead going onto the water.Team Cush were next in, their team member choosing the rowing option for this leg (with a time penalty). At the finish Team Cush had passed Andrew on the water, but a time adjustment gave Andrew the fastest time of the day - 3hrs 53 min overall, a very impressive time for an individual. Hamilton's Stephen Smith was second individual with Adam Fraser third. Vet mens' was won by Jonathon Thompson and Rudy Baptist took out the masters' section.

The womens' race came down to a sprint up the hill to the finish, after the girls paddled most of the last leg together, Louise beating Rachel home. Bridget Leonard won the womens' vet section.

The 3 person womens' team Septic Sisters were right up there with the mens' teams, in a time of 4hrs 45 mins. The winning school girls' team, Team Velocity, also finished well.

The two individual school boys did extremely well finishing top ten in the open section.

The day wasn't without its dramas, with some competitors lost on the mountain run, some spending up to five hours finding their way off the mountain! Some justifiably withdrew after that experience. Some continued with the last determined competitors finishing in the dark. What a long day for them, but congratulations on your achievement.

Cheers Richard

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