An Epic Mountain Designs Hells Bells 2022 at Kenilworth

This year the annual Mountain Designs Hells Bells 24 hour adventure race was the biggest in its 19 year history, and one of the toughest too.

Ninety teams arrived at the race HQ, set up on the Kenilworth Show Ground by race organisers Wild and Co. and they were preparing to race either the full ‘Hells Bells’ course, or the shorter ‘Fairy Bells’ course.

Both have a 24 hour time limit, and include runs/treks, paddling and mountain biking to checkpoints in back country and wilderness areas.  Finding these requires good map and compass navigation and there are always a few surprises and twists in the course.

All of the teams set off from the Show Ground at 11am, shortly after the course maps had been handed out.

Everyone got wet feet at the start as they had to run across the Mary River to get the first checkpoint; an opening gift from Race Director Chris Dixon!  Then both courses headed towards Kenilworth Bluff, where a summit checkpoint required a lung-busting climb and a rapid descent.

The Hells Bells racers paddled down the Mary River for 13km, and this carried more water than usual, so it was a faster paddle than might have been expected, and there were a few capsizes in the small rapids to add to the fun.

The defending champions in the premier category (for mixed teams of 4), Team 3 Points of Contact, lead after a short bike ride took them to the Bluff, where many of the Fairy Bells teams were already at the top.

They had ridden there directly, and one of the attractions of the race is that racers on both courses meet up throughout the race.  The Fairy Bells racers shared many stages with the Hells Bells racers, and any teams who were falling behind could opt out of some stages. The end result was that all but 7 teams finished the course in 24 hours, having completed as much as they could.

Almost all the rest of the course was set in the Imbil State Forest with teams riding out via dirt roads and trails to find checkpoints on the way to Transition 3 near the junction of Imbil Forest Road and Derrier Road. 

This was race central for a while, and as night fell teams set off on foot orienteering courses to pick up checkpoints in any order.  The Hells Bells teams also had a 20km mountain bike orienteering stage here, so the surrounding forest was full of bobbing headlights going in every direction.

Jan Leverton of Tri Adventure Women

Axe Throwers in the Night

To head back towards Kenilworth both courses had to follow a 25km mountain bike route ‘over Mount Borumba’, taking the infamous Pitsaw Road.  It wasn’t a straightforward ride!

On the way they stopped at checkpoint 10 for a ‘mystery discipline’ and in a first for adventure racing it was ... axe throwing!  The challenge was devised and run by Craig Bycroft and his son, Sam, both dressed in lumberjack shirts of course! 

“It was at the top of big hill, so everyone arrived exhausted and it was a welcome break,” Craig explained. “We could hear the racers’ excitement as they came up the hill and heard the big, Bang! Bang! Bang! as the axes hit the wooden target.  It was the middle of nowhere and there was a lot of speculation on what it might be, but few guessed what it was!”

“Team #23, WMP, were the only team that blitzed it, hitting the bullseyes on all  of their throws straight off, which was incredible.  Everyone else took a little while and some got frustrated, while others just took it as a bit of fun.  There was a fire there and some teams hung around.  We didn’t lose any axes and no one got hurt!”

He added, “The ride was tough and there were quite a few questions about how much further it was and were there any more big hills?”

Majestic Trees in the Imbil State Forest

Pitsaw Punishment

There were, and the ride along Pitsaw Road will be the most memorable stage for most.  The weather didn’t help as rain on Saturday morning turned the trails into a red, muddy quagmire, clogging up the bikes, and forcing teams to push.  There were many weary comments at the finish about it being unrideable.

Jan Leverton, of the Tri Adventure Ladies Team, who were the 3rd team to finish the Fairy Bells course, said, “It was relentless hike-a-bike for quite a few hours and the slippery mud meant many hikes downhill as well.  It was like a pitsaw;  up -down, up-down, up-down, until the final down, which was very steep and slippery. I was glad I didn’t wear my bike shoes!”

After the ride there was a short trek and a final paddle down the Mary River for the Fairy Bells teams to the finish back in Kenilworth. The first team to finish Fairy Bells were ‘Amazing Rejects’ (Stephen Maskiell and Dave Blunden) in 13.16.56.  Tri Adventure Ladies (Jan Leverton and Hayley Kellner) were the first female finishers.  Team Hoodwinked (all male) were the first team of 4 and Team Wwac were the only all female team of 4  to finish the course.

The Hells Bells teams had the same finish but with a tricky extra checkpoint on the paddle stage.  To get CP16 they had to go upstream and were not allowed to carry their kayaks along the bank!

Team Brandon and Gullo + Chatter at Dawn

Repeat Winners

Team ‘Three Points of Contact’ (Gary Sutherland, Clint Falla, Sara Barratt and Russell Stringer), defended their title in 16.45.09, and claimed a place in the ARWS Oceania Championship final at Gold Coast in October.

Sutherland commented on how difficult the navigation was. “We led from the start and kept expecting teams to catch us as the maps were largely inaccurate.  We took extra time and careful route planning once we realised this, but still had more than one go at many checkpoints.”

He added, “The terrain was reasonably physical with 3700m of vert and the quirky axe throwing was a good laugh.  The logistics crew and personnel were spot on and we couldn’t have asked for a better weekend getaway.”

Leverton agreed, “It was a brutal course but stunning at the same time. From riparian land to rainforest and back again!  The event management was faultless and my personal goal now is to upskill on axe-throwing, which was the funniest mystery discipline I have ever done.  It was great to see it happen in our cotton-wool wrapped world!”

Kelsey Harvey & Nathan Munson

Everyone a Winner

All the Tri Adventure teams had a good race.  Team ‘Tri Adventure x Trente AR’ (Oskar Booth and Nick Baker) were quickest on the Hells Bells course, finishing in 16.31.37 and just staying ahead of ‘3 Points of Contact’.   The youth team ‘Tri Adventure Youngies’ (Kelsey Harvey & Nathan Munson) were the 7th mixed team to finish Hells Bells in 21.22.25.

Nathan’s mum, Amie, was racing on the Mountain Designs Wild Women’s team and there was some family rivalry there.  It was close, but the Youngies finished ahead by just 11 minutes!  The Wild Women were the first female team of 4 to finish and the other female team racing, ‘The Dancing Queens’, got to the finish line 3 minutes before the 11am course close time!

Another team pushing the 24 hour deadline were ‘Death and Taxes’, Sandy and Robert Scott.  They were on the winning mixed Fairy Bells team last year, Sandy has been on the reality show SAS Australia, and now the couple wanted to step up to the Hells Bells course for an “extreme date night”.  It was definitely extreme.

“We expected a step up in distance,” said Rob, “but this was a major increase in difficulty compared to last year. This was serious adventure racing!”

The pair took swims on both the paddle stages, and one of their highlights was “the gorgeous forest on the climb to Kenilworth Bluff, and the spectacular view over the valley, and above the clouds”.

Rob summed up their race.  “We shuffled over the finish line at 23 hours and 29 minutes, totally exhausted and overwhelmed. What a mission!

“If adventure racing is the ‘special forces’ of endurance sports, this year’s Hells Bells took no prisoners!  Thank you so much to the volunteers at the TA’s who reassured us, fed us and gave advice in the middle of the night, to the other competitors who gave us a spare torch when one of ours died, and to Chris and the Wild & Co. team for an incredible event.  While the bikes might be in the shed a few days after that, we will definitely be back next year!”

You can find the full results and review the tracking at https://www.hellsbells.com.au/

The next adventure race from Wild & Co is the Terra Nova 24 hour race in Shoalhaven NSW over the weekend of Sept 3/4th. 

https://www.terranova24.com.au/

Hells Bells and Terra Nova are part of the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania calendar and Wild and Co. will organise the ARWS Oceania Championship at Gold Coast from Oct. 22-24th. The race has a $10,000 prize pool and the winners will receive a free place in the Adventure Racing World Championship in South Africa in 2023.

Hells Bells! It’s the biggest 24 Hour Adventure Race yet!

The Mountain Designs Hells Bells adventure race returns this weekend (August 6/7th), and it will be the biggest 24 hour adventure race ever held in Australia.

A total of 90 teams (240 racers) will arrive at Kenilworth Show Grounds, ready to take on 24 hours of trekking, mountain biking, paddling and navigation on the trails and rivers of the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

The course details will remain secret until teams are given their instructions shortly before the start by Race Director Chris Dixon of outdoor events company Wild & Co, but racers know they are in for a hell of a challenge, whichever category they race.

Those on the ‘Hells Bells’ course can expect to race around 120km, and the teams racing the ‘Fairy Bells’ course 80km.  Both teams have 24 hours to finish the course, which is a linear route, finishing back at Race HQ at Kenilworth.

It’s not all about the distance, whether racing as a pair or in teams of 3 or 4, good teamwork is needed as everyone has to stay together and finish together.   All the teams will be navigating in the dark, the slower teams for much longer than the elite racers, and there are the climbs and the weather to cope with.

This year Dixon has promised a slightly shorter course to “make up for the extra elevation” and that will be no surprise to teams who know the area.  The racers have been given a plan of the stages and expected timings, so not everything will come as a surprise. The Hells Bells racers know they will start with a 13km paddle stage ...  they just don’t know where the start is!

Last year’s Hells Bells winners, Team 3 Points of Contact, are back to defend their title.  They race in the premier category, which is for mixed teams of 4, and these teams score points towards the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania rankings.

Last year they finished in 16.06.19 and only the all-male Team ‘Out all Night’ were close to them.  ‘Out all Night’ will be back to challenge them again, but the title holders will also expect a strong challenge from ‘Team Rogue’.  They are one of the country’s top teams, with many expedition races and race wins on their record.

Team Captain Liam St. Pierre said, “We are expecting a tough little race at Hells Bells this year.  There is no flat terrain around the venue, so I am sure there will be some big climbs and a few hike-a-bikes.  Judging by the route planner, there will be a lot of short, sharp stages, so efficient transitions will be the key to a good race.”

It is a race he knows well. “Hells Bells was my first long adventure race, back in 2007, and this will be the 13th edition I’ve raced.” 

Like all good sportsmen he is playing down his team’s chances of another win before the race.  “We are just keeping it pretty casual with our competitive aspirations and focussing on completing the course, minimising mistakes and having a fun time together.”

In the All-Female category last year’s winners, Mountain Designs Wild Women, are also back and will be racing one other all-female team - ‘The Dancing Queens’.

Dixon thinks the racing in the Fairy Bells race will be wide open, and of course, for most teams it will all be about achieving a finish.  A full course finish is the goal for most, but how many will achieve that this year?

Last year the top mixed team of 4 on the Fairy Bells course were ‘Buckleys and None’.  Two of the team, Gary Fahey and Sandy Scott have taken part in the reality TV show, SAS Australia, and strengthened by that experience Scott is back again this year with her husband Rob, this time to race the Hells Bells course.

“We are back for the full course as a team of two and as my husband Rob is a doctor and I’m an accountant, our team name had to be Death and Taxes!”  She said, adding, “We even a team logo this year.” 

“Last year I was lucky enough to be a recruit on the TV show SAS Australia. I was looking for challenges that pushed me mentality as well as physically.  Adventure Racing prepared me to endure the days of low calories, lack of sleep and maintain focus on achieving the goal of making it to the finish.  On SAS Australia within days you feel bonded to people you've only just met through that shared adversity. The same can be said for Adventure Racing.

“I highly recommend AR to anyone wanting to try something new or step out of their comfort zone.  You will find all of the teams willing to support and encourage you.  It's a great community and we are lucky to be a part of it.”

She added, “My husband and I see Hells Bells as an extreme date night!”

You can follow Death and Taxes, and all of the teams, and see where the courses take them, by following the live satellite tracking at https://www.hellsbells.com.au/live-tracking

The races start at 11.00am Saturday and there will be news and commentary on the Wild and Co. Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/wldnco

Hells Bells is the second race in this year’s Adventure Racing World Series Oceania calendar. 

Teamwork Tops Tough Conditions at The Mountain Designs Geoquest Adventure Race

A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN 48 HOURS, JUST ASK THE TEAMS WHO CROSSED THE FINISH LINE OF THIS YEAR’S MOUNTAIN DESIGNS GEOQUEST ADVENTURE RACE.

Racing in teams of 4, they had paddled, navigated, mountain biked and trekked through cold weather, high winds, choppy seas, flooded trails, and surf swept beaches, on a course up of to 223km. They raced without sleep through 2 days and nights, the outside world totally forgotten, living for the moment and racing only to achieve their own goals, and for their team mates.

This year was the 20th anniversary Geoquest race.  It’s Australia’s original and premier adventure race, and one of the toughest sporting challenges in the country.  The race has a new venue and course on the NSW coast each year, with a unique, and very addictive, mix of coastal and inland adventure racing.

Shoal Bay was a new venue for the 20th race and 39 teams of 4 set off from there to kayak across to Hawks Nest on the first stage.  They included both novice and elite teams, and they would race the same courses, either the full distance, or a half course route, both with 48 hours to get to the finish.

With a severe weather warning in place for high winds, it wasn’t an easy start.  The start point for the opening kayak was moved away from the mouth of Nelson Bay due to the wind and surf and Ange Tokley of the all-female ‘Team All Talk’ described it like this.

“White caps on the water everywhere. After a quick briefing from the Race Director we were told we now must start the kayak leg about 1.5km north towards Nelson Bay to allow for the hazardous conditions (so that we don’t get ‘sucked out to sea’ were his exact words!).

Adventure Racing often takes athletes out of their comfort zone, but not usually from the start line!  Liz Woodgate, one of Australia’s most experienced racers, was leading the ‘Vortex Diva’s’ team with two inexperienced racers, Kate and Fiona, and said, “I think they were terrified, wondering if they could go the distance, survive the cold and stay awake.  It was all quite overwhelming.” 

As trail runners and inexperienced paddlers, they worried about the kayaking the most, and the 32km stage up the Myall River and across Bombah Broadwater was challenging, even for experienced paddlers. “It was dark, cold and choppy and we had our heads down, just getting through it” said Woodgate. “I was aiming for a green channel marker and we had to keep going. There was no plan B.”

The courses made a circuit back to Shoal Bay, heading inland and gaining height through Nerong and Myall River State Forests, before turning south to Karuah, with the full course teams having another long paddle down the Karuah River.  There were foot navigation stages on the way through the Wallaroo State Forest and then long cycle stages south to rejoin the coast at Fisherman’s Bay, before a final coast and beach trek back to Shoal Bay to finish.

No stage was easy and Ange Tokley described the mountain bike on the Goring Ting Trail as “one of the hardest mountain bikes I have EVER done. We passed through swamplands (so much icy cold muddy water as the trails had been decimated by rain) to ascend to the high point at 517m. The best way to describe these hills is that they literally looked like walls upon walls. They were relentless.”

Laura Newton with the ‘Three Points of Contact’ team described the final coastal stage.  “We were hoping to rock and beach hop along the coast, but a very high tide and 4m waves put a stop to this pretty quick.  Instead we had to walk on sand dunes and push our way through some very dense coastal scrub. The size of the ocean and the pure force of the waves was insane! We were unable to safely walk along the beach due to the surging mad sea and some waves were breeching the top of the sand dunes!”

Her team finished in third place, have disputed the lead with the eventual winners, Thunderbolt AR, for much of the race.  A difficult Rogaine stage split the teams and Thunderbolt went on to win and retain their Mountain Designs Geoquest title in a time of 35:52:19, the second longest winning time in the history of the race. ‘Team AlpineQuest.com.au’ were second and ‘3 Points of Contact’ third.

These elite teams completed the full course and in the conditions only 7 teams were able to do this, including the winning All Female team, Mountain Designs Wild Women (who also finished 5th overall).  The quickest Half Course team were the all-male team, ‘Time Wounds all Heels’ in 22:58:57, and the majority of teams chose to miss some checkpoints to enable them to finish within 48 hours.

The ‘Vortex Diva’s’  team were among the last few teams to reach the finish line and Woodgate said, “I think the achievement took a while to sink in with the team.  Half way around Kate said adventure racing wasn’t for her and she was pulling out.  We pushed on, determined she was going to finish, and she did.  

“All the interaction we had with other teams around the course kept us involved and engaged, and there were a lot of female racers this year.  We never really felt we were struggling alone.  At the finish Kate was already making plans for the next race! ”

For the majority of teams finishing the course is their aim, and despite the conditions all but 6 teams managed to get across the finish line.  Some teams were racing for a cause and had an even bigger incentive to complete the course.

Kylie Royal was racing with the team ‘Every Mila-Meter Counts’ and explained the team name and objectives.  “Mila, my 6 year old niece, has been diagnosed with stage 3 mid-brain stem Glioma and I wanted to tackle something extreme to raise funds and awareness towards brain cancer. 

“GeoQuest was our team’s first ever Adventure Race.  None of us had done anything like it before.  The race was definitely tough and we all had our weak moments along the way, but knowing we had a purpose and sooo much support kept us pushing. At each transition area we went live to pull in as many donations as we could.  $10K was our target and we hit that right as the very moment we crossed the finish line.  It was an unbelievable moment and we want to thank everyone for their support for Mila and The Mark Hughes Foundation.”

There were also three teams racing from the Melbourne based Kaiarahi Cultural Collective, aiming to raise awareness of male suicide and mental health issues in the Maori community. (Kaiarahi means ‘guide’ in Maori.)

The teams were organised by Jeremy Nikora and he explained; “I was inspired by watching the “World’s Toughest Race” with the kiwi team led by Nathan Fa’avae.

“When my brother in law was struggling with depression, I came up with the idea of us attempting Geoquest. He is 67, and not very fit, so he wasn’t confident, but decided he wanted to try and use it as a platform to talk about depression and suicide. That was in December 2021.

“I put a call out to our community and all of a sudden we had people, putting their hands up to do the event or support us. We entered 3 full teams and had a support crew of 10 family and friends.  

“We went into it as completely naïve novices, but we met up once a week to train, trying to focus on paddling and biking and doing our best to understand how AR works (transitions, logistics etc).

“We also fundraised as hard as we could, approaching organizations and our community. No one had any idea what “Adventure Racing” was, so this was a first for all our community and obviously as we were all first timers, we needed to buy appropriate gear etc.

“In the end we had 2 fathers and sons competing, 3 women, and 4 under 25 year olds, with our youngest racers being 20 and 21.”

“We finished with a belief in ourselves, that we could overcome the challenges that many wouldn’t have thought possible previously. We also inspired many others from our community to try to push their boundaries and want to enter next year and helped to raise important awareness for suicide prevention and mental health.

“I think the other teams loved the sense of family and culture that we brought to GeoQuest. We were such a big group, but we moved as one, and we were open and positive to everyone who came across us.  We felt so much inspiration as well and hope left a great mark with all the other competitors, especially those who were there at the finish line to witness the Haka performed by our family.

“We learnt a lot about preparation and what it takes to be competitive, but it will not change the family approach that we have to adventure racing.  It just means we will start training sooner and be more organized for the next race!”

More information and the full results of the 2022 Mountain Designs Geoquest are available at https://www.geoquest.com.au/

Geoquest is organised by Wild and Co. who run adventure sports competitions throughout the year (https://www.wldnco.com/) and is part of the ARWS Oceania series (https://arworldseries.com/arws-oceania/).

The first Mountains Designs Geoquest in New Zealand will take place at Hawkes Bay from Jan 20-23rd 2023.

The Iconic Mountain Designs Geoquest Adventure Race 20th Edition Event is at Shoal Bay this Weekend

The 20th Mountain Designs GeoQuest adventure race will take place this weekend with its headquarters in the coastal hamlet of Shoal Bay, NSW.  Teams of 4 will race for up to 48 hours; trekking, mountain biking and paddling on rivers and the ocean, as they tackle Australia’s oldest, toughest and premier Adventure Race.

The event is Australia’s original adventure race and the keystone date in the country’s adventure racing calendar, with regular teams regarding it as an annual get together.  Teams new to adventure racing are welcome too, as the race has ‘full’ and ‘half’ distances, both allowing teams a full 48 hours to complete their course.  The leaders will finish in much quicker times, and the aim is to allow enough time for every team to have the best chance to cross the finish line.

The race always takes place somewhere on the NSW coast, and Shoal Bay is a new venue, though a few competitors from years gone by may recognise some of the locations on the course.   Shoal Bay Mayor Ryan Palmer, welcomes the race, and said, “Port Stephens is the perfect location for the GeoQuest Adventure Race – with spectacular waterways, stunning sand dunes, coastal walks and national parks - our environment will provide a race course that’s tough, but a real adventure.

“We love hosting events like GeoQuest – it’s not only great for our community, it’s great for our economy. By just being here, competitors and their families are supporting our local businesses.”

Teams know the outline of the race, but they won’t know where they are going until they get their maps at the race briefing.  There are plenty of options in the surrounding National Parks, with Myall Bay to the North, Hunter Wetlands to the South, and Wallaroo and Karuah inland.  There’s the magnificent 32 km long Stockton Beach as well, with some of the largest, moving, coastal dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. 

The Port Stephens region will provide an inspiring and testing adventure playground for a weekend of adventure racing, and Race Director Chris Dixon of Wild and Co. has hinted at choosing tyres for beach riding, and maybe having an underwater checkpoint.

He says, “The temperatures look like being cold for the time of year, so the 3 paddle legs are going to be the big challenge in temperatures of 5-15 degrees and with a cold 18 knot westerly wind.

“There will be beautiful coastal sections, a huge hill in the hinterland, and some muddy, wet off-trail sections following recent rains.”

All the teams will use map and compass navigation to find the checkpoints, and have been given a plan of the course.  For the Full course, that’s a total of 4 run/trek stages, 3 paddles, including ocean paddling, and 3 mountain bike stages.  The race finishes with a long run to the finish which will take teams 3.5 to 6 hours.  The half course has 3 paddles, 4 runs and two bike rides, but with no ocean paddling.

The teams can race with or without a support crew to back them up, and there is a good mix of male, female and mixed teams in the entry of 22 Full Course teams and 15 Half Course teams. 

Many of the racers have been attending for years, and the race history goes back to the first Australian adventure race in 2002.  The winners list is a who’s who of world class Australian adventure racers, and many have since established their own events around Australia as the sport has grown. 

For the elite teams, it is a race title which matters, and long time race sponsors Mountain Designs offer an extensive range of prizes from their outdoor equipment range.  This year there is even more at stake as the race is the opening event in the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania Series. 

The winners will get a place in the 2022 Oceania Regional Championships at Gold Coast in October, and the winners there will claim a free place at the Adventure Racing World Championship in South Africa next year.  A strong performance in NSW this weekend could take teams a very long way!

Last year’s winners, Thunderbolt AR, are returning.  Last year they combined with the Alpine Avengers team after Covid travel restrictions affected who could travel to the race, but this year they are returning with most of their original squad.  They also won in 2017 and are ranked 16 in the Adventure Racing World Series global rankings, so will carry the favourites tag.

Speaking before the race Bern Dornom said, “We can't wait to race Geoquest again. It's an annual pilgrimage and a chance to catch up with fellow adventure racers and swap stories both pre and post race. I’m looking forward to racing with team Thunderbolt as it's been a couple of years and a baby since I've raced with the team. And there is nothing better than getting lost in the bush with your mates!

Hugh (Stodart), Josh (street) and I are original Thunderbolt members and Myall Quint (my partner) stepped into the team when he got me pregnant.  Some would say that was a strategic move!   We are definitely expecting to have a lot of laughs out on course and hopefully bring back some of the Thunderbolt magic efficiency.”

One of the teams most likely to challenge Thunderbolt is ‘3 Points of Contact’ lead by one of the country’s most experienced racers, Gary Sutherland.  “Geo is the race that started AR in Australia and it’s always a great ocean/beach/hinterland adventure.”  He said.  “Our team is relatively new.  I did Clint’s (Falla) first race with him 3 years ago, Laura (Newton) is an obstacle course racer who has been doing adventure racing for a couple of years and Etienne (Gautier) is a young guy who is constantly improving and wanted to join us for the experience of racing slower and smarter.  We are looking to enjoy what Chris has planned for us this time.”

The Alpine Quest team is also racing again, this time with founder Serge Kurov bringing all his experience to the team.   He said, “I’ve not been racing for 3 years and we have a team coming together from all around the country, so we are super excited.”  He has raced for almost 20 years, including many AR World Championships, and offered teams an instructional video on Facebook before the race with a breakdown of how to pack and prepare ahead of the race.  He too was highlighting the cold overnight kayak and long final run as the stages teams will need to prepare for.  

Another team to watch, who have youth on their side, and the experience of racing Geoquest before, are Capital AR. They entered Geoquest as a youth team in 2021 and finished as the top male team, with only two mixed premier teams ahead of them.    

This time they are racing in the Mixed Premier category (for AR World Series qualification) and Charlie Henshall said, “We’re a group of friends who got into AR at university in Canberra and have been training through the chilly winter to make sure we are underprepared for the big race.  This will be our second Geoquest and after having a ripper time last year, and doing pretty well, we thought we would come back.  It’s a home town race for Brad ‘Loaf’ Vallette, and a good excuse to avoid exam study!  Our expectations are to get through the full course and get weird out there.”

For all those taking part it promises to be a memorable weekend of incomparable experiences with their team mates. Friends and family will be able to follow their progress as the race has live satellite tracking, and there will news updates and photos on the Wild and Co. Facebook page.

You can find out all about the race and see the link for the live tracking at; https://www.geoquest.com.au/ and  https://www.facebook.com/wldnco

The race is organised by Wild and Co. who run adventure sports competitions throughout the year (https://www.wldnco.com/) and is part of the ARWS Oceania series (https://arworldseries.com/arws-oceania/).

Adventure Racing World Series Oceania Champs Set for the Gold Coast and Alpine Quest Join the Series

The venue for the Oceania Championship final of the Adventure Racing World Series has been announced today as the Gold Coast, and the race will now be part of a 5 race series, following the news that Alpine Quest has joined the premier adventure racing series in the region.

The ARWS Oceania Championship final will take place in the Gold Coast from 21-23rdOctober, when adventure racing teams will mountain bike, paddle, trek and navigate their way around 180km (full) or 100km (half), non-stop courses.  

The ARWS Championship category is open to teams of 4 which must be mixed sex, and the elite teams will be chasing the Oceania title, ARWS ranking points, and the ultimate prize of a paid-for place in the 2023 Adventure Racing World Championships.  There is also a cash prize pool of AUD$10,000.

The race isn’t just for the elite teams, however. The course will be designed to be achievable and accessible to all abilities, remaining open for 36 hours, and allowing teams some choices to provide short-cuts should they need them.  (2 person teams and all-male and all-female teams can also enter, but won’t be included in the ARWS championship category.)  The sport of Adventure Racing is unique in allowing the world’s best and novice teams to compete together on the same terms. 

The weekend of racing also includes the shorter (half) course, which has less distance and a shorter time limit, but many of the same amazing challenges and locations.

The event will be staged by specialist race Management Company Wild&Co and Event Director Chris Dixon is excited about the partnership with the Gold Coast and the opportunities it offers to racers. 

“With its majestic sub-tropical rainforest, spectacular waterfalls and cascades, pristine beaches and iconic skyline, the Gold Coast is the perfect backdrop for the inaugural ARWS Oceania Championship,” he said.  

He added. “The Gold Coast also offers visiting teams an abundance of accommodation and services for a great trip and is very accessible, by road from many population centres, or via the international airport.  It’s a great location for our Championship race.”

Gold Coast Mayor, Tom Tate, commented.  “Diversifying our city’s major events calendar is critical as we navigate our way out of the global health pandemic and this high-energy, international, event fits that bill perfectly. 

“The Gold Coast's varied natural landscape is the perfect location to host this tough competition and will provide the ultimate challenge for Oceania's top adventure racers. Securing this pinnacle international event reinforces our reputation as an appealing sports and events destination.”

Alpine Quest Strengthens the ARWS Oceania Series

The 2022 ARWS Oceania Series has now expanded, with the inclusion of the Alpine Quest race, which offers teams a very different location and challenge in the wilderness Alpine terrain of Victoria.  

The inclusion of the race also brings into the series the experience and expertise of Serge Kurov and Maria Plyashechko, who have organised over 30 adventure and outdoor events over the last decade.  The pair have a passion for adventure racing, and they have competed internationally all over the world; including in Patagonia, Abu Dhabi and China.

Maria commented. “We feel that the ARWS is the right community of experienced Race Directors in which we can run high quality races for our participants to enjoy. We will be a part of an established and transparent structure, with a clear vision and goals on all levels. The advantages the ARWS provides to Race Directors are well-defined and for the participants of the Alpine Quest the ARWS referee will offer an additional point of communication. 

“Participants will also have a chance to gain Oceania points to participate in the ARWS regional series ranking, and to compete for the chance to be ARWS Oceania Champions in 2023.”

She added, “It’s been tough couple of years due to Covid restrictions, but we are looking forward to a new chapter with the ARWS community of Race Directors and racers.”

Alpine Quest will take place on Nov. 11-12th and you can find full details at https://alpinequest.com.au

The ARWS Oceania Calendar

The first race in the 2022 Oceania ARWS Series will be the Terra Nova Adventure Race on April 2/3rd in Shoalhaven, NSW, with 120 and 70km courses, and a maximum 24 hour time limit for the full course.

This will be followed by the Mountain Designs Geoquest, which is the oldest 48 hour race in Australia (going back to 2002), and where the list of winning teams is a who’s who of world class of Australian adventure racers.  The venue will be Shoal Bay, NSW, and the course distances 220 and 120km.

The action then moves to S.E. Queensland, where the 24 hour Hells Bells Adventure Racewill take place over the weekend of August 6/7th. 

Entries are now open for all 2022 events in the ARWS Oceania Series, and you can find out more information about the races and the Adventure Racing World Series at; https://arworldseries.com/oceania. 

Interviews with the Race Directors and participating teams, plus details of media opportunities and participation, are available on request from Chris Dixon @arws address?.  

Photos with captions – available from arworldseriesoceania.com

About The Adventure Racing World Series

The Adventure Racing World Series is an association of 48 races across 5 continents and 23 countries. The series supports world-class, international, expedition races, which are the pinnacle of the world’s toughest sport, and the development of professionally organised racing at a national level through the ARWS Regional series. 

Each Regional Series has its own ranking and championship final, and the ranking points feed through into the global ARWS ranking.  The winners of the annual Regional Championship receive a paid-for place at the next Adventure Racing World Championships.

Adventure Racing World Series Oceania Champs Set for the Gold Coast and Alpine Quest Join the Series

The venue for the Oceania Championship final of the Adventure Racing World Series has been announced today as the Gold Coast, and the race will now be part of a 5 race series, following the news that Alpine Quest has joined the premier adventure racing series in the region.

The ARWS Oceania Championship final will take place in the Gold Coast from 21-23rdOctober, when adventure racing teams will mountain bike, paddle, trek and navigate their way around 180km (full) or 100km (half), non-stop courses.  

The ARWS Championship category is open to teams of 4 which must be mixed sex, and the elite teams will be chasing the Oceania title, ARWS ranking points, and the ultimate prize of a paid-for place in the 2023 Adventure Racing World Championships.  There is also a cash prize pool of AUD$10,000.

The race isn’t just for the elite teams, however. The course will be designed to be achievable and accessible to all abilities, remaining open for 36 hours, and allowing teams some choices to provide short-cuts should they need them.  (2 person teams and all-male and all-female teams can also enter, but won’t be included in the ARWS championship category.)  The sport of Adventure Racing is unique in allowing the world’s best and novice teams to compete together on the same terms. 

The weekend of racing also includes the shorter (half) course, which has less distance and a shorter time limit, but many of the same amazing challenges and locations.

The event will be staged by specialist race Management Company Wild&Co and Event Director Chris Dixon is excited about the partnership with the Gold Coast and the opportunities it offers to racers. 

“With its majestic sub-tropical rainforest, spectacular waterfalls and cascades, pristine beaches and iconic skyline, the Gold Coast is the perfect backdrop for the inaugural ARWS Oceania Championship,” he said.  

He added. “The Gold Coast also offers visiting teams an abundance of accommodation and services for a great trip and is very accessible, by road from many population centres, or via the international airport.  It’s a great location for our Championship race.”

Gold Coast Mayor, Tom Tate, commented.  “Diversifying our city’s major events calendar is critical as we navigate our way out of the global health pandemic and this high-energy, international, event fits that bill perfectly. 

“The Gold Coast's varied natural landscape is the perfect location to host this tough competition and will provide the ultimate challenge for Oceania's top adventure racers. Securing this pinnacle international event reinforces our reputation as an appealing sports and events destination.”

ALPINE QUEST STRENGTHENS THE ARWS OCEANIA SERIES

The 2022 ARWS Oceania Series has now expanded, with the inclusion of the Alpine Quest race, which offers teams a very different location and challenge in the wilderness Alpine terrain of Victoria.  

The inclusion of the race also brings into the series the experience and expertise of Serge Kurov and Maria Plyashechko, who have organised over 30 adventure and outdoor events over the last decade.  The pair have a passion for adventure racing, and they have competed internationally all over the world; including in Patagonia, Abu Dhabi and China.

Maria commented. “We feel that the ARWS is the right community of experienced Race Directors in which we can run high quality races for our participants to enjoy. We will be a part of an established and transparent structure, with a clear vision and goals on all levels. The advantages the ARWS provides to Race Directors are well-defined and for the participants of the Alpine Quest the ARWS referee will offer an additional point of communication. 

“Participants will also have a chance to gain Oceania points to participate in the ARWS regional series ranking, and to compete for the chance to be ARWS Oceania Champions in 2023.”

She added, “It’s been tough couple of years due to Covid restrictions, but we are looking forward to a new chapter with the ARWS community of Race Directors and racers.”

Alpine Quest will take place on Nov. 11-12th and you can find full details at https://alpinequest.com.au

THE ARWS OCEANIA CALENDAR

The first race in the 2022 Oceania ARWS Series will be the Terra Nova Adventure Race on April 2/3rd in Shoalhaven, NSW, with 120 and 70km courses, and a maximum 24 hour time limit for the full course.

This will be followed by the Mountain Designs Geoquest, which is the oldest 48 hour race in Australia (going back to 2002), and where the list of winning teams is a who’s who of world class of Australian adventure racers.  The venue will be Shoal Bay, NSW, and the course distances 220 and 120km.

The action then moves to S.E. Queensland, where the 24 hour Hells Bells Adventure Racewill take place over the weekend of August 6/7th. 

Entries are now open for all 2022 events in the ARWS Oceania Series, and you can find out more information about the races and the Adventure Racing World Series at; https://arworldseries.com/oceania. 

Interviews with the Race Directors and participating teams, plus details of media opportunities and participation, are available on request from Chris Dixon @arws address?.  

Photos with captions – available from arworldseriesoceania.com

ABOUT THE ADVENTURE RACING WORLD SERIES

The Adventure Racing World Series is an association of 48 races across 5 continents and 23 countries. The series supports world-class, international, expedition races, which are the pinnacle of the world’s toughest sport, and the development of professionally organised racing at a national level through the ARWS Regional series. 

Each Regional Series has its own ranking and championship final, and the ranking points feed through into the global ARWS ranking.  The winners of the annual Regional Championship receive a paid-for place at the next Adventure Racing World Championships.

Checkpoints & Challenges at the Mountain Designs Hells Bells Adventure Race in Mooloolaba

Adventure racing returned to Queensland’s Sunshine Coast last weekend when the Mountain Designs Hells Bells race, the oldest 24 hour event in the country, started and finished in Mooloolaba.

The race attracted a strong local entry after being rescheduled from earlier in the year, with many competitors new to adventure racing among the 53 teams who arrived to tackle either the full or half courses.   When they entered they didn’t know where the courses would go, but they came expecting an overnight adventure, combining paddling, trekking, mountain biking and map and compass navigation. 

The 24 hour ‘Hells Bells’ racers started on the beach, with teams paddling across the bay to the river mouth to start an 11km stage, which took them up river.  A brisk northerly wind sprang up before the start and the racers found themselves paddling out through the surf, with some of them taking an early swim.  

A few teams chose instead to run with their sit-on-top kayaks along the beach to the river mouth rather than set off into the surf – adventure racing is all about teams making choices.  They had to make choices anyway as the checkpoints could be collected either on the opening stage, or left to the end of the race. 

Kim Beckinsale of the experienced Mountain Designs Wild Women team explained, “We moved down the beach a bit for an easier launch, and were up for an ocean paddle to start the race on a fantastic spring weekend for racing. The tide wasn’t good to get the checkpoints at the start of the race, but we didn’t want to leave them to be done at the end and in the dark, so we pressed on to get them all.”

For the teams on the half course ‘Fairy Bells’ course, there was no choice but to get wet at the start as they swam across the river during their opening 7km ‘Urban Paths Trek’ around town, before picking up the kayaks left by the Hells Bells racers for their own river paddle stage.

Both courses then combined some fast mountain biking stages (if you were navigating well and going the right way) and short treks which looped out and back to the transition areas.  Hells Bells was 140km+, taking teams out to the Glass House Mountains and back, while Fairy Bells was 90km+, going out to and around the Ewan Maddock Reservoir.

Navigating to find the best route (and the checkpoints) is an essential part of adventure racing and as teams raced into the night this became much harder with some teams taking detours which lengthened their route and tested their resolve and teamwork.  (Those wanting a shorter route could choose to miss checkpoints and take time penalties as the aim is for teams to achieve as much as they can and get to the finish.)

Even those who had raced Hells Bells and other events in the area before, found themselves in new places and enjoying new views, especially as the fantastic sunset over the Glass House Mountains.

“I loved there were so many small stages, with the four short treks into the hills,” said Beckinsale. “It meant there were lots of transitions, which is all part of racing, and at some we had to mark up the maps for the trek ahead as they were not on our maps, which puts the pressure on and keeps you on your toes!  It is more manageable for the beginners too, as really long stages can be off putting.”

“Chris (Dixon) did a great job with the route and maps. We went a long way and everyone had a good time out there.  For us the sunset silhouette of the Glass House Mountains was superb and then the sunrise on the blue water as we paddled to the finish was spectacular. Like all the teams, we were glad to be out there on such a perfect weekend.”

The Mountain Designs Wild Women were one of the two all-female teams on the Hells Bells course and they were up for the challenge of racing the many all-male teams taking part, taking 4th place overall in a time of 18.58.43. (Only two of the 14 all male teams got ahead of them.)

The premier racing category is always for mixed teams of 4 and team ’3 Points of Contact’ were comfortable winners in this, and the overall winners.  With very experienced racers Gary Sutherland and Russell Stringer in the team, they were probably pre-race favourites, but Sutherland explained, “For me it was great having Laura (Newton) join us as she is a newbie to adventure racing, and to be with my mate Clint (Falla), who is coming back from injury and is quite new to the sport as he’s done 4 races.”

He added, “The race ran smoothly for us. It was a flatter than normal course and took us on a lot of cool trails Russell and I had never been on, and we have been racing in the area for 15 years. Our favourite sections were the running and riding around Mount Beerburrum.”

Their winning time was 16.06.19, well ahead of any other mixed teams, but they were pushed all the way by the all-male team ‘Out all Night’ who finished second overall in 16.30.17.

In the Fairy Bells race the overall winners were Tim Price and Scott Cuthbertson, racing as ‘Team Dodgy Backs and Shakti Mats’. They finished in 8.59.20 after a close contest with the ‘Back Up Team’ and team ‘Mr Wrong and Mr Wright’, also racing as pairs.  The top 4 person mixed team were ‘Buckleys and None’ in 12.12.51, and the best all female team were ‘Tri Adventure Girls’, who finished in 9.55.30, taking 4th overall.

Whichever course they did, and however many checkpoints they got, for all the teams the weekend was about doing the best they could and enjoying the course, the scenery and the Spring weather.  After all the teams had returned to Mooloolaba there was an informal, open air prize giving in the park, attended by many families, who had brought the kids along for a beach day to round off the weekend.

Chris Dixon of Wild & Co, gave out the prizes and said, “It’s great to see the race so well supported, and to have lots of new adventure racers come and give the course a go.  Mooloolaba has been a fantastic race venue for us, teams are buzzing about the course and I know they’ll be back to explore it a bit more at their leisure .. . and maybe to use it for training for their next race!”

For the full results and more information on the race visit www.hellsbells.com.au

The Mountain Designs Hells Bells race is organised by adventure racing event management company Wild & Co. and is part of the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania calendar.

The next race from Wild & Co is Terra Nova in NSW held in April 2022. Find out more at www.terranova24.com.au  

For more information visit www.wldnco.com.au

Geoquest New Zealand Launches in the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania

Geoquest was one of the first Australian adventure races back in 2002, and has been the country’s premier race in all that time, attracting the very best Australian and international competitors.  Now, race organisers Wild and Co. have decided to launch the race in New Zealand as well, as part of the Adventure Racing World Series (ARWS) Oceania circuit.

The new Mountain Designs Geoquest New Zealand race will take place from January 20-23th 2023, and will be based in Napier, with courses set among the stunning rivers, parks and forests of the Hawke’s Bay region.

It will follow the same format as the Australian race, with the course open for 48 hours, and teams choosing whether to complete the full ARWS course, or a shorter ‘half’ course within that time.  The race will be open to teams of 4, who must race together, navigating with map and compass through trekking, mountain biking and paddling stages, plus some other outdoor challenges.

Race Director Chris Dixon commented, “It’s always exciting putting on a new race, and this time it’s with the pedigree and history of Geoquest, in the country where adventure racing began, and in the fabulous scenery around Hawke’s Bay.

“The 48 hour race format offers teams a chance to step up from the more familiar one day and 24 hour events and to push themselves to a new level. It will be ideal training for expedition races like GODZone Adventure, but at the same time the flexible race format makes the race accessible to new teams who want a full weekend of adventure activities.

“Team Seagate, led by Nathan Fa’avae, have been winners of GeoQuest and XPD in the past, and we expect there will be some great trans-Tasman rivalry, with the best Australian and Kiwi teams going head to head.”

As part of the ARWS Oceania regional series, the new race will join 4 others (so far), and teams taking part will earn qualifying points for the regional Oceania championships, and could ultimately qualify for the Adventure Racing World Championships. They will earn ARWS team ranking points too. 

Hawke’s Bay, located on the East Coast of New Zealand’s North Island, is an ideal location for the new race.  Bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the east and the towering Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges to the west, the area offers a variety of terrain including rugged mountain trails, pristine native forest, scenic waterways and alluvial coastal plains.

Notable landmarks include Cape Kidnappers peninsula, which juts out into the Pacific Ocean, Lake Waikaremoana, where the walking track is among New Zealand’s 10 Great Walks, Te Mata Peak, with its 360-degree view of Hawke’s Bay, and five major rivers that flow from mountain ranges and hill country to the Hawke’s Bay coast. 

Napier and Hastings are the two Hawke’s Bay cities, and the Mediterranean climate makes Hawke’s Bay a food and wine producing powerhouse. It’s New Zealand’s ‘Food and Wine Country’ where the wide-open skies are usually blue, and the event hub in Napier city will provide a perfect location to visit for the race, and the chance of some delicious food for that post-race pick-me-up.

Hamish Saxton, Chief Executive of Hawke’s Bay Tourism commented; “We are excited to welcome GeoQuest, its competitors and support crew to Hawke’s Bay in January 2023 for the ARWS Oceania Series. Hawke’s Bay is home to spectacular mountain ranges, adrenaline pumping riverways and pristine native bush, making it the perfect home for an adventure race of this kind.

“Our Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges, the Mohaka River and beautiful native bush will act as an incredible backdrop for GeoQuest’s very first New Zealand race.”

Free to use photos are available at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mjPUX9sOImVs4Xzh6YOfUdPmGCqUOfAV?usp=sharing 

You can find out all about the race at; https://www.geoquest.com.au/

The race is organised by Wild and Co. who run adventure sports competitions throughout the year (https://www.wldnco.com/) and is part of the ARWS Oceania series (https://arworldseries.com/arws-oceania/).

Photography and interview opportunities are available. To find out more contact Chris Dixon on +61 (0) 497 417 195 or email: hello@wldnco.com

The Macleay Valley Coast Hosts a Classic Mountain Designs Geoquest Adventure Race

The Mountain Designs Geoquest adventure race has been at the heart of Australian adventure racing for almost 20 years now, inspiring many to take up the sport, and some to organise their own races.  Chris Dixon and his team from Wild & Co. have a long history, great expectations and high standards to maintain, and they delivered last weekend, with a stunning race based at Crescent Head on the Macleay Valley Coast of NSW.

There was a reduced entry due to Covid restrictions and bad weather stopping teams travelling, but 17 teams made their way to the start for the Full course and another 20 for the Half course.  They came for 48 hours of challenge and adventure, and to share those experiences with friends in some great scenery.  The motto for the Macleay Valley Coast, is ‘Discover something new’ and it offered everything a great adventure race needs; rugged coasts and headlands, bays and rivers perfect for paddling, forest and wilderness to navigate in, and some amazing trails to ride.

The race is designed to encourage everyone to have a go, so there are categories for mixed, male and female teams, with or without support crews.  The Half course has the same time limit, just less distance (150km rather than the 230km for the Full), and parts of the course are optional.  If you can organise a team of 4 like-minded mates, you can have a go at Adventure Racing at Geoquest!

All of the teams set off at 8.00am from Crescent Head under clear blue skies, which promised a great day ahead.  It was chilly, but the most severe weather had thankfully missed the Macleay Valley Coast.

A coastal trek and beach run took the teams to the first transition and after this the Full and Half races followed different courses, but using the same areas.  The first 3 stages were relatively short, mixing trekking and mountain biking, and encouraging some fast competition, after which it was time to settle into longer stages.

For the Full Course teams, stage 4 was a 22km ocean kayak, paddling out of Korogoro Creek next to Hat Head and making their way to South West Rocks, passing by the spectacular coastline of the Hat Head National Park and the Smoky Cape Lighthouse.  By now the two race favourites were close together at the front, with Team Rogue trailing just behind Thunderbolt AR.  (Thunderbolt were the remaining members of Thunderbolt and Alpine Avengers who were still able to travel, and had teamed up. They’d not raced together before, but all knew each other well from many past events.)

These two teams stayed close together for a trek around South West Rocks and back up to the lighthouse, a paddle along the tidal Macleay River, and a 32km ride to Tamban, with Rogue never quite able to close the narrow gap.  Next was a trekking and navigation stage with teams splitting up into pairs to find checkpoints on foot, and it was here Rogue faltered and Thunderbolt opened what would prove to be a decisive lead, which they held to the finish. 

There were 6 more stages to go, including a paddle along Piper’s Creek, but Thunderbolt were sure in their navigation and made no big mistakes to allow Rogue to come back. They finished in 29 hours 12 minutes, with Rogue second in 30 hours 20 minutes.

Chris Delaney from Rogue summarised the race. “It was another iconic GeoQuest this year, a great course, a stunning location and the usual 'classic Geo stages', including ocean paddling, coasteering, and a beach run. Team Rogue pushed hard from the start, with the opening stages fast and furious. We swapped the lead with team Thunderbolt a few times and it was obvious both teams were chasing the win.

The early course highlight was a tough 22km ocean paddle from Hat Head, north along the coast to South West Rocks; crystal clear water, off shore breeze and dolphins. As we rounded Smokey Cape Lighthouse, the current, headwind and choppy conditions made the going tough.

Sixteen hours into the race, we arrived at Stage 8, a short foot rogaine with four checkpoints to be collected by the team split into pairs. A navigational error cost us at least an hour, another reminder that navigation training is so important.

We pushed on and kept working hard, thinking perhaps Thunderbolt might falter in the final stages?  They didn't. Despite our best efforts, we couldn't close the gap, and it was a well deserved win from a great bunch of athletes.”

Dave Schloss of Thunderbolt said, “We had amazing scenery, stunning views (even whales) and some sensational weather (although a little chilly).  The camaraderie amongst the competitors and volunteers was high, and with no pressure on us as we’d never raced together, it was a very relaxed build up and race. Everyone worked well together and used their skill set to help with the team as a whole.  It was a weekend to remember.”

Among the teams behind them on the full course was Team All Talk, a female team at the other end of the AR experience scale, who finished in just over 45 hours. 

Team member Lisa Matuzelis said, “As a team, and being first timers with little experience in adventure racing, I am really proud of our effort. My teammates and I only started training 17 weeks ago and had to juggle the demands of home and work life throughout this period. We had to learn new skills, specifically navigation and kayaking, which was challenging in itself. Just get to the starting line was a win for us!

“From my personal experience this event pushed me beyond limits I thought possible ... like maintaining activity for two days with only 1.5hrs sleep!  Even after completing such an epic course I still can't believe I actually did it!”

On the Half Course the fastest were the male team WebStudio AR, who lead the whole race and finished in 14.44.47.   Norman Kobelke explained, “We are a group of friends that enjoy adventuring in the Mid-North Coast of NSW, so they couldn't miss the opportunity to race GeoQuest in our own backyard.

The race strategy was to go out "full gas" early. This resulted in a sprint up the beautiful Crescent Head beach and slightly overshooting the first checkpoint!

The experienced support crew were fantastic! Among many other things they changed bike pedals and adjusted tyre pressures to suit the terrain for each MTB leg.  Having a support crew can make the event more enjoyable as you have some familiar faces and encouragement at Transitions.

Different members of the team had their moments during the race and this had us reflecting on the wisdom of our start strategy ... but the final MTB leg played to our strengths and it was fun to set up a pace line on the final ride to HQ. 

It was a great weekend, in a beautiful part of the world.”

Not far behind them was another of the all-female teams racing, and by far the most experienced.  Cowgirls Tri Adventure finished in 16.58.47 and were lead by Jan Leverton who was racing her final Geoquest.

“This was my swansong at Geoquest after competing there in the Cowgirls team since 2005.” She said.  “It’s been a wild ride for me and I’ve visited so many stunning locations because of this event and had some great team-mates.

Our mission since 2005 has been to build up a network of female racers who could contribute significantly to the team during the race and not just be a token female who keeps up with the men.  Our girls have subsequently become strong and capable racers who are adept in all aspects of the sport and I’ve always raced in an all-women’s team for this reason.”

Jan will continue to compete at shorter races, and will be missed at the next Geoquest . However, many of those she has inspired and trained will be there, as will elite teams looking for top class competition and AR World Series points, and they’ll be competing alongside first time racers seeking a new challenge. 

You can out more about the Mountain Designs Geoquest at https://www.geoquest.com.au/ and see many more photos of the weekend on the Wild & Co. Facebook page at;  https://www.facebook.com/wldnco

The race was part of the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania Region and teams won points to count towards qualifying for the Oceania Championship in October.

Wild & Co organise adventure and endurance races throughout the year and the next is the Hells Bells Adventure Race on August 7/8th.  Find out more at; https://www.wldnco.com/

Mooloolaba will be the start and finish of Mountain Designs Hells Bells 2021!

Famous for it’s family friendly beach, fresh seafood and…. a loo with a killer view, Mooloolaba in the heart of the Sunshine Coast will be the location of Hells Bells 2021!

Mooloolaba is located 60mins north drive north of Brisbane and just 20mins from the Sunshine Coast airport.

Over 400 competitors, and supporters from around south east Queensland and country will attend the Mountain Designs Hells Bells 24hr Adventure Race over the 7-8 August 2021 weekend.

We expect this year to be one of Hells Bells biggest, and with entries open until 4 August teams should get in quick as numbers are limited.

Accommodation can be booked through the discover Mooloolaba website at: discovermooloolaba.com.au

Mountain Designs Hells Bells involves 24hrs of non-stop endurance racing in the major disciplines of trekking, mountain biking and kayaking. Mixed, Male or Female teams of two or four must navigate their way through an arduous 120+km course that is only revealed to them the day of the race. The Mountain Designs Hells Bells is held annually in August on the Sunshine Coast and is Australia’s longest running 24hr Adventure Race. The race is moved each year to a different location between Bribie Island in the South and Rainbow Beach in the North with exciting new challenges for the teams.

The ‘Fairy Bells’ adventure race is run at the same time as the Mountain Designs Hells Bells. It covers only half the distance but teams have the full 24hrs to complete it. The legs will be challenging, but with the additional time available to complete the half course, teams have a greater chance to reach the finish line.

Teams will also score points in the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania rankings, through which teams can qualify for the Regional and World Championships.

The event receives enormous support from its major sponsor Mountain Designs each year.

You can find out all about the race and see the link for the live tracking at: www.hellsbells.com.au

The race is organised by Wild and Co. who run adventure sports competitions throughout the year (www.wldnco.com) and is part of the ARWS Oceania series (arworldseries.com/arws-oceania).

Adventure Racing Teams Get Ready to Explore the Macleay Valley Coast at the Mountain Designs Geoquest This Weekend

The 2021 Mountain Designs Geoquest adventure race will take place this weekend from Crescent Head on the Macleay Valley Coast of NSW.  Teams of 4 will race for 48 hours; trekking, mountain biking and paddling on rivers and the ocean, as they tackle Australia’s oldest and premier adventure race.

The race has ‘full’ and ‘half’ competitions, both allowing teams plenty of time to complete the course.  The ‘Full’ teams will cover 50-60km of trekking, 110-130km on mountain bikes and 40-50km in kayaks, while the ‘Half’ teams cover shorter distances and don’t kayak on the ocean.  

All the teams will use map and compass navigation to find the checkpoints, and while the winners might finish in 30 hours of non-stop racing, the teams do have a final time limit of 52 hours to get back to the finish. The aim is for everyone to have the best chance to finish, and to allow elite and weekend warrior teams to both compete together and enjoy the entire course.

Unfortunately, some teams have been affected by the new Covid Lockdown in Victoria, and these include the winners of the past two races, Team ThoughSports.com.au.  So, the race will have new champions, and the favourites are now ‘Team Rogue’ and a new team made up from ‘Alpine Avengers’ and ‘Thunderbolt’.  Those two teams would have been expected to battle out the podium places against each other, but they too have lost members to the lockdown, so those who can travel have now combined into the new team.  

Dave Schloss commented, “The sport is still relatively small, so we all know each other and away from the race we are all great friends. So with our normal team mates unable to attend, it makes sense to combine the teams to make one that can make it to the start line. Although we have never raced with each other before, we have raced closely over the years and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

“We always look forward to Geoquest as it’s like getting the extended family back together each year.  The weather always adds to the racing at this time of year. Sometimes it’s floods, others it’s wind, this time it’s an intense cold snap sweeping the area, but whatever the weather we are really looking forward to grabbing the maps and getting out and exploring the northern NSW coastline.”

Many of the racers have been attending for years, and the race history goes back to the first Australian adventure race in 2002.  (This was put on by Craig Bycroft and Louise Foulkes who now run the Adventure Racing World Series).  The winners list is a who’s who of world class Australian adventure racers and many have since established their own events around Australia as the sport has grown.  

While it is a significant and historic race title for the elite teams, Geoquest is equally important to those whose aim is to finish the course with their team mates.  

Before her team sadly had to pull out due to the Lockdown restriction Deanna Blegg of ‘Team Happy Chickens’, said; “The race was the highlight on my calendar this year and I imagine we’d have finished mid-pack.  After years of racing hard I now embrace the ‘journey of the event’ rather than the ‘finish’, and Geoquest is the perfect event to do this. It highlights the beauty of the area and teams get to experience it first hand on foot, bike and at sea. It’s my ‘Happy Place’ mixed with some awesome people.”

The course area this year was last visited in 2014, when the race was won by the World #1 team, Seagate of New Zealand, and there is a lot for the competitors to look forward to.  The small beachside town of Crescent Head will warmly welcome the teams this time, and the event has the support of the Kempsey Shire Council.

The area has a series of wild, rugged headlands, from Grassy Head in the north to Point Plomer in the south, and Race Director Chris Dixon of Wild and Co. says the headlands create perfect, sheltered bays for the ocean kayaks to launch from.  He added, “The Macleay Valley Coast is an outdoor adventure playground and the coastline, stunning hinterland and pristine waterways are perfect for an adventure racing course.”

For those taking part it promises to be a memorable weekend of incomparable experiences with their team mates.  Friends and family will be able to follow their progress with live satellite tracking on the race website, and there are $3500 worth of Mountain Design’s gear prizes up for grabs.

Teams will also score points in the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania rankings, through which teams can qualify for the Regional and World Championships.

You can find out all about the race and see the link for the live tracking at: www.geoquest.com.au

The race is organised by Wild and Co. who run adventure sports competitions throughout the year (www.wldnco.com) and is part of the ARWS Oceania series (arworldseries.com/arws-oceania).

Photography and interview opportunities will be available following the event. To find out more contact Chris Dixon on hello@wldnco.com or +61 497 417 195

Mountain Designs Geoquest Headed To Crescent Head June 2021

Crescent Head, located on the Macleay Valley Coast, has been announced as the official start and finish location for the 2021 edition of the Mountain Designs GeoQuest 48hr Adventure Race. 

Over 500 competitors along with their support crews, family and friends from around the country will attend the Mountain Designs GeoQuest 48hr Adventure Race from 11 to 14th June 2021. 

The race is held annually on the weekend of the Queen’s Birthday in June. The location of the course is moved each year to a different area to pose exciting new challenges for competitors. 

This year’s location of choice, Crescent Head, is a 4.5hr drive from Sydney and located just 45 minutes north of Port Macquarie. 

Located just off the beaten path of the Pacific Highway, Crescent Head is a village characterised by the rich surfing culture that runs deep in its veins. The entire Macleay Valley Coast in which it sits features rugged coastlines, pristine waterways and a stunning hinterland, making it the perfect backdrop for a spectacular 48hr adventure. 

Kempsey Shire Council Mayor, Liz Campbell, said she is thrilled that Crescent Head has been selected as the start and finish location for this event. 

“It’s just wonderful the Macleay Valley Coast has been recognised for the sporting playground it is. With the terrain in this area, the event is sure to be challenging but hopefully the beautiful views from the course will help time pass quickly,” said Cr Campbell. Gayleen Burley, the Manager of Commercial Business is also pleased with the location selected for this year’s event due to the potential boost for the local economy. 

“We love hosting events of this size during winter as they help to stimulate the local economy during what is normally a slower time for local businesses,” said Mrs Burley. 

Mountain Designs GeoQuest involves 48+hrs of non-stop endurance racing in the major sporting disciplines of trekking, mountain biking and kayaking. Mixed gender, 

Male and Female teams of four must navigate their way through an arduous 220+km course that is only revealed to them the evening before the race. 

The Geo-Half adventure race runs simultaneously with the Mountain Designs GeoQuest. The Geo-Half covers only half the distance but teams have the full 48hrs to complete it. The legs will be challenging but with the additional time available to complete the half course, teams have a greater chance to reach the finish line before time is up. 

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, race entries have been limited. The window for registration closes 6 June 2021. 

Accommodation can be booked through the Macleay Valley Coast website at macleayvalleycoast.com.au/places-to-stay

For the latest information on the race please visit www.geoquest.com.au

The event is made possible thanks to major sponsor, Mountain Designs and additional support this year by Kempsey Shire Council. 

More information or with media enquiries, please contact Chris Dixon on 0497 4417 195 or hello@wldnco.com 

Postponed: Shoal Bay in Port Stephens, NSW to host mountain designs GeoQuest in October 2020

SHOAL BAY IN PORT STEPHENS WILL BE THE START AND FINISH LOCATION FOR THE 2020 EDITION OF MOUNTAIN DESIGNS GEOQUEST.

Famous for its vast sand dunes, expansive bay area brimming with marine life and whale and dolphin watching, Shoal Bay and the Port Stephens area are the perfect backdrop for a long weekend of epic adventure. Add to this high quality wineries inland, famously fresh seafood, wonderfully scenic outlooks and you've got a spot that is just begging to be experienced before its popularity explodes.

Shoal Bay is located 2.5 hours drive north of Sydney. The closest major centre is Port Stephens.

Australia’s Adventure Racing community, including many new comers, support crew, family and friends from around the country will attend the Mountain Designs GeoQuest 48hr Adventure Race over the 23-26th October 2020.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: Event organiser Wild & Co is aware of the evolving situation related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) that has resulted in the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring a public health emergency. We are monitoring the situation very closely and continuing to work with the local authorities to follow and implement measures dictated by national and international health agencies and governments. This includes the advisory against non-essential organised gatherings of any sort over the next 6 months.

As we are faced with such uncertainty, we believe that the best course of action is to postpone Mountain Designs GeoQuest 2020 to a later date in October. As our competitor numbers are relatively low (usually between 180 and 250) and Adventure Racing is a non-contact sport conducted in remote outdoor areas we also believe that with a few minor, but important changes, that the the event can be conducted in a manner that minimises risks to a reasonable level for competitors. 

In particular this year we will:

• Cap the number of teams entering the event

• Extend race registration over a full day

• Conduct a ‘live stream’ broadcast of the welcome, race briefing and final presentation

• Ensure teams are spread out appropriately at the start line 

• Utilise electronic timing systems to save contact with CP punches and card

There are limited team entries available in 2020 and due to delays in announcing the race HQ due to the 2019/20 bushfires, and uncertainty over the current situation we have extended early bird tickets right through to August 31 with final entries closing on 17 October 20.

Race HQ will be the Shoal Bay Holiday Park https://www.beachsideholidays.com.au/our-holiday-parks/beachside-holidays/shoal-bay-holiday-park

Accommodation can be booked through the website above or the Visit NSW website at https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/north-coast/port-stephens-area

MOUNTAIN DESIGNS GEOQUEST INVOLVES 48+HRS OF NON-STOP ENDURANCE RACING IN THE MAJOR DISCIPLINES OF TREKKING, MOUNTAIN BIKING AND KAYAKING.

Mixed, Male or Female teams of four must navigate their way through an arduous 200+km course that is only revealed to them the evening before the race. The Mountain Designs GeoQuest is held annually on the Queens Birthday long weekend in June, for 2020 the event will be held in October. The race is moved each year to a different location with exciting new challenges for the teams.

The Geo-Half adventure race is run at the same time as the Mountain Designs GeoQuest. It covers only half the distance but teams have the full 48hrs to complete it. The legs will be challenging, but with the additional time available to complete the half course, teams have a greater chance to reach the finish line.

The event receives enormous support from its major sponsor Mountain Designs, and this year from the Port Stephens Council.

The website has been updated with the latest information www.geoquest.com.au

More information contact Chris Dixon on 0497 4417 195 or hello@wldnco.com

Yamba to host the GeoQuest 2019 48hr Adventure Race!

Famous for prawns and surfing, Yamba is a popular destination for a beach holiday and recreational fishing. Surfers chase the perfect wave at the world-famous Angourie Point, one of Australia’s iconic National Suring Reserves. A wonderful multi-day hike in the Yuraygir National Park begins here, too.

Yamba is located 6.5 hours drive north of Sydney. The closest major centre is Grafton.

Over 500 competitors, support crew, family and friends from around the country will attend the Mountain Designs GeoQuest 48hr Adventure Race over the 7-10th June 2019.

There are limited team entries in 2019 so teams should take advantage of the traditional early bird two week opening special closing 28 Feb 2019, with final entries closing on 26 May 19.
Accommodation can be booked through the Visit NSW website at www.visitnsw.com/destinations/north-coast/clarence-valley/yamba.

Mountain Designs GeoQuest involves 48+hrs of non-stop endurance racing in the major disciplines of trekking, mountain biking and kayaking. Mixed, Male or Female teams of four must navigate their way through an arduous 200+km course that is only revealed to them the evening before the race. The Mountain Designs GeoQuest is held annually on the Queens Birthday long weekend in June. The race is moved each year to a different location with exciting new challenges for the teams.

The Geo-Half adventure race is run at the same time as the Mountain Designs GeoQuest. It covers only half the distance but teams have the full 48hrs to complete it. The legs will be challenging, but with the additional time available to complete the half course, teams have a greater chance to reach the finish line.

The event receives enormous support from its major sponsor Mountain Designs, and this year from the Clarence Valley Council.

The website has been updated with the latest information www.geoquest.com.au

More information contact Chris Dixon on 0497 4417 195 or hello@wldnco.com


Mountain Designs GeoQuest is back for 2019

We’re excited to announce that GeoQuest will be back for 2019 and the original race format will be maintained, well almost. Following the transition of the event from GeoCentric to Wild & Co and the success of the 2018 Special Edition event we’re looking forward to a big 2019 event. And while we want to keep the race as close to the established format as possible, there are a few key areas we that we have updated for the 2019 event.

WHAT WILL STAY THE SAME

• Half Course and Full Course Options

• 120km, 240km approximate course distances

• Kayak, Mountain Bike, Trail Run with mystery adventure activities (abseil, rock climbing, caving)

• Teams of 4

• Kayaks supplied for Half Course

• Event Program (Friday Registration, Saturday Race Start, Monday Presentation)

• Full Course teams racing a ‘supported’ race to supply own kayaks

• Course based on the NSW north coast

WHAT WILL CHANGE

• Geo-Half and Full Course teams now have the option of racing ‘un-supported’, with a small additional cost

• A1 Full Course teams required to be ‘un-supported’

• All A1 and ‘un-supported’ teams required to hire Spirit Double Kayaks in order to ensure ease of logistics

• Bike Boxes will be required for all ‘un-supported’ teams

We believe that these changes, particularly to the possibility of competing in GeoQuest without bringing a support crew, will mean that more teams can compete, and that we will guarantee a level playing field for A1 teams in terms of support crews and quality of kayaks.

It’s important to note that these format changes do raise the possibility of a GeoQuest winner in 2019 that races the full course with a support crew and a fast kayak. We’re ok with this.

These changes haven’t been made lightly, we love the history and the rite of passage that the GeoQuest 48hr is for the Adventure Racing community in Australia, and we want to honour that. At the same time, we also want to make it as easy as possible for more teams to compete each year without the pressure of finding double kayaks for hire if they are flying in or finding a support crew. We hope that we have found a good balance.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ONE OF THE ICONIC FEATURES OF MOUNTAIN DESIGNS GEOQUEST IS THE SUPPORT TEAM, IF WE RACE UN-SUPPORTED WILL WE LOSE THIS COMMUNITY ATMOSPHERE?

While the race itself offers an un-supported option, many teams will continue to choose the supported option, we are also happy for un-supported teams and A1 teams to bring along a ‘cheer’ squad. These supporters can be part of the support team briefing and will be allowed at transition areas to offer moral support, as long as they don’t help with any transition activity or team logistics.

I’M RACING IN THE A1 SERIES, CAN I BRING MY OWN KAYAK?

No, all A1 teams must use the Spirit Double CTR kayaks available for teams to hire on the day.

I’M NOT RACING IN THE A1 SERIES, BUT WANT TO RACE UN-SUPPORTED, CAN I BRING MY OWN KAYAK?

No, all teams racing un-supported must use the Spirit Double CTR kayaks available for teams to hire.

HOW DO I HIRE THE SPIRIT DOUBLE CTR KAYAKS?

These will be available for hire on race day for $110 per kayak, more information about this will follow closer to the event. The GeoQuest team will book in these boats directly with the kayak supplier so you don’t need to do anything. 

I WANT TO RACE UN-SUPPORTED, DO I NEED A BIKE BOX?

Yes, all un-supported teams will be required to use bike boxes, this will make logistics easier and keep the bikes safer.

Will there be an ocean paddle?

It’s an adventure race, teams should come prepared for anything. It’s important to note, in the case of an ocean paddle, we will carefully assess conditions in light of the weather, swell size and types of water craft competitors are using – water safety will be our highest priority.

WHAT SORT OF WATER CRAFT ARE SUITABLE?

Competitors bringing their own kayaks should choose water craft that match their paddling experience. There are amazing paddle options in the Clarence Valley region including the ocean, lakes and rivers. Every effort will be made to ensure there are safe paddle options for competitors using kayaks with under body rudders. Racing is always a risky activity, if you are concerned about the safety of expensive kayaks, consider alternative options.

WHO WILL MOVE KAYAKS FOR THE UN-SUPPORTED FULL COURSE TEAMS?

All up-supported teams will be required to use the Spirit Double CTR Kayaks available for hire. GeoQuest will have a dedicated logistics team that will move these kayaks around the course as necessary.

GeoQuest is Back On for 2018!

GeoQuest, Australia’s Premier Adventure Race, is back on from 8-11 June 2018, with Chris Dixon from Wild & Co organising the event in conjunction with Fully Rad Adventures ‘Wildside Special Edition’ event as part of the A1 Adventure Racing series.

Just two weeks ago Geocentric Outdoors, the event organisers, announced they were putting plans for the 2018 GeoQuest event on hold. This iconic event has been held on the June long weekend annually over the last 16 years, and has introduced thousands of athletes to adventure racing.

Chris Dixon said “I saw how disappointed the athletes around the country were that this incredible event was being postponed, and having been a competitor myself in this magnificent race, I know how important GeoQuest is to our AR community. So I reached out to Geocentric to see if there was anything I could do to keep the event going this year and beyond.”

Craig Bycroft said “There were many factors leading to our decision to postpone, including our increasing commitments to the AR World Series, and with the opportunity now for Chris to take over, we decided it was the right time to step away from running this race. We are super excited that Chris is going to continue the tradition of GeoQuest.”

The race is famous for it’s consistently high quality courses, which are well balanced for both experienced athletes and teams new to adventure racing. Louise Foulkes said “We had already developed a draft course outline for the 2018 event and will be passing this over to Chris to continue planning.”

Fully Rad Adventures have already planned a ‘Wildside Special Edition’ race for the weekend, so for 2018 GeoQuest will be run in conjunction with the Fully Rad Adventures event to bring together a truly historic race. Entries will open on the 4th March and include a special early bird period. The HQ location is approximately 4 hours drive North of Sydney and will also be announced on this date.

The GeoQuest event has been held annually since 2002 and hundreds of teams from around Australia and overseas have been part of this annual pilgrimage of adventure racing. Teams of four athletes race non-stop in the disciplines of mountain biking, trekking and kayaking for up to 52 hours. They choose to enter either the full course or the half course and their team composition can be Premier Mixed, All Female or All Male.

Wild & Co is also the event organiser of the Hells Bells 24hr Adventure Race in Queensland. “Like in a race itself, great team members are critical to successfully organising a race. To ensure GeoQuest maintains its top reputation we are putting together a capable and experienced team to organise the event into the future. David Schloss will continue to work with the team bringing a wealth of competitor and race director experience in the areas of course design, competition management and logistics. Running the 2018 event in conjunction with Richard Old and Fully Rad Adventures and as part of the A1 Adventure Racing Series will be an exciting opportunity to bring together the AR community and ensure that the GeoQuest legacy is maintained.”