Event News

Queensland Ocean Swimming Has Gone Viral!

Fri, 18 May 2012 01:17:00 GMT

Hello again, Weekend Warriors!

Well! The 2012 Queensland Ocean Swim Series is now over. With the series finale held on Sunday 29 April at Caloundra, we can sit back, contemplate our Speedo tan, and relish in the fact that it was a season well done.

I love the fact that ocean swimming in Queensland is just bursting with popularity. With each event that Weekend Warrior Events run, there are more and more competitors. And why not?! After all, we are the nation that prides itself on surf, sand, and sun. Ocean swimming is so pure, simple, and so ... Aussie! And it’s also open to anyone. It’s a sport of participation. At the start line of any event in this Series, you’ll see kids, parents, office workers, professional athletes, couch potatoes who want to be professional athletes, teenagers, retirees...the only thing that matters is not who you are but whether you can throw on a coloured cap and launch yourself into the waves and TRY! (Ahem, having said that, an ability to actually SWIM does help!)

There are no excuses in ocean swimming and that’s what John Guise and his team wanted to emphasise in the 2012 season: No lanes, no walls, no barriers!

If you ask anyone who hasn’t tried an ocean swim why they haven’t given it a go, they will tell you: “I’m scared of sharks, I can’t breathe properly in the ocean, I can’t swim that far, I don’t like all the people at the start, I can’t find the time to train.” Or, as one of my mates famously told me, “I don’t look good in a swimming cap”...!

If you ask any of the competitors in the Queensland Ocean Swim Series why they keep coming back each year, all their answers have one thing in common: They just love it.

What’s not to love? The freedom of the ocean and sense of personal achievement that comes from completing an ocean swim is an addictive feeling. Add to this the fact that these events are held in some of the best coastal locations in Australia - what more of an incentive do you need to get off your butt and into a pair of Speedos?!

So, here is a brief rundown of the three events in the 2012 Queensland Ocean Swim Series. And if it’s not enough to get your fingers tapping out an entry form for 2013, then I wash my hands of you!

Wrecked

The 2012 calendar kicked off with Wrecked — an event that is, in my mind, the perfect location race: a weekend away at Moreton Bay (escape the office, the iPhone, and Saturday morning kids’ sport) and an ocean swim around the famous shipwrecks.

On 11 March 2012 close to 400 individuals and teams lined the beaches of Moreton Bay to compete in the Wrecked 2.4km course, the Tangalooma 1000, and the 300m Kid’s Dash. The course for these three ocean swims gives you a tour of the historic wrecks of Moreton Bay and finishes in front of Tangalooma Resort — the perfect spot for post-race recovery…or a cocktail!

Colin Braund (31:22), Michael Sheil (31:55) and Bill Maish (33:04) took the top three places in the Wrecked men's event. Sarah Windsor (33:06), Tess Woodward (36:27) and Lesleigh Mayes (36:34) were the top three finishers overall in the women's event.

The Cooly Classic

The second event in the series was The Cooly Classic held at Coolangatta on Sunday 15 April. At the inaugural event in 2010, there were 250 competitors. This year there were close to 600 competitors. In the last three years, this has become the Gold Coasts' premier ocean swimming event.

The appeal for The Cooly Classic is not only in the options for competitors — the Cooly Classic 2.0 (a 2km, challenging ocean swim from Snapper Rocks to Kirra Beach) and two new events in the Gold Coast Bulletin Cooly 1000 (a 1km ocean swim from Coolangatta to Kirra Beach) and the 300m Kids Surf Dash — but also in its location. Coolangatta is one of the best surfing spots in Australia and the event gives competitors the chance to experience three of Australia's favourite surfing breaks: Snapper Rocks, Coolangatta and Kirra.

The conditions on race day were close to perfect and although there was the odd shower of rain around, the surf was up, much to the delight of several surf clubs who were itching to get in the water and protect their club name. A brilliant race for the competitors and those with their morning orange juice on the sideline!

The Cooly Classic 2.0 saw Codie Grimsey (24:46), Michael Sheil (24:53) and Ridge Grimsey (25:22) battle it out for the top three in the men's race, while 15 year old Jessica Bayliss (27:18), Sarah Windsor (28:20) and Moesha Johnson (28:47) were the top three placegetters in the women's event.

In the Gold Coast Bulletin Cooly 1000 short course (the perfect event for those embarking on their ocean swimming career!), Lara McCambridge (17:56), Shiloh Young (20:05) and Sophia Williams (20:07) were the top three women, with James Maguire (15:53), Charlie Quinn (17:13) and Harrison Barnes (17:46) the top three in the men's race.

The 300m Kids Surf Dash had Emily Schofield, Madeleine Condren, and Elizabeth Rudland as the top three female competitors, with Harrison Barnes, Jess Little, and Mackenzie Barnes as the top three male competitors.

Kings of the Coast

The final event on the calendar was Kings of the Coast, held at Caloundra on Sunday 29 April. Wild weather on Saturday 28 April forced the cancellation of some events. However, all was not lost and on Sunday 29 April it was on!

The 3.8km Ironman Challenge and the Sunshine Coast Daily Caloundra 1000 provided ocean swimmers with the perfect end to the open water swimming season.

The Weekend Warrior Events organisers decided to modify the 3.8km event (safety first, people!) so that the course was two laps of a 1.9km circuit with a short beach run in between each lap. In fact, the alterations to the course meant that competitors could sprint (or jog/shuffle/walk/crawl…you know these guys cater for everyone!) the beach run accompanied by the cheers and applause from the crowd. The hot favourite in the 3.8km Ironman Challenge was The Cooly Classic victor Codie Grimsey who lived up to expectations winning the men’s race (38:20), followed by Pierre Lopez (39:43) and Steve Pullen (40:12). Ella Brown won the women’s race (40:14), followed by Peggy Harris (45:11) and Sarah Windsor (45:53).

Entries in the Sunshine Coast Daily Caloundra 1000 were similarly impressive with over 100 swimmers lining up for the challenge. James Maguire was the winner of the men’s race (14:47), with Alex Winterbourne (15:14) in second place, and Daniel Resoort (15:36) in third place. Emily Poole was the winner of the women’s race (15:19), with Caitlin Schluter (15:22) in second place, and Deanne Johnson (17:53) in third place.

And so, that marks the end of the Queensland Ocean Swim Series for 2012 and with over 1400 swimmers taking part this year, you can expect to see some exciting developments (and quite possibly some new venues). Watch this space!

The ocean swimming season may have come to a close, but fear not, the fun isn’t over yet, Weekend Warriors! Mark your diaries for my personal favourite race — the fabulous Straddie Salute Multisport Festival on 15th and 16th September 2012 - 3 events, 2 days, 1 great weekend…

Find out more at: http://www.weekendwarriorevents.com.au/

See you there!

The Finale - Kings of the Coast 2012

Tue, 01 May 2012 23:17:00 GMT

Hello again, Weekend Warriors!

What a weekend to be an ocean swimmer and what a location to finish off the Queensland Ocean Swimming Series for 2012 – Caloundra, on the Sunshine Coast, for the Kings of the Coast Ocean Swim.

On Saturday 28th April, unfortunately, the Sunshine Coast didn’t live up to its name and treacherous conditions meant that events for day 1 were sadly cancelled.

However, all was far from lost on Sunday 29th April and it was all on – what a stunning day! Amazing weather, clear skies, and calm waters meant that competitors were itching to get in the ocean and thrash it out over the two events on offer: the Sunshine Coast Daily Caloundra 1000 and the 3.8km Ironman Challenge.

Weekend Warrior Events decided to modify the 3.8km event (safety first, people!) so that the course was two laps of a 1.9km circuit with a short beach run in between each lap. And so, over a challenging course, the race began and to everyone’s delight the entire field of competitors completed the course. In fact, the alterations to the course meant that competitors could sprint (or jog/shuffle/walk/crawl…you know these guys cater for everyone!) the beach run accompanied by the cheers and applause from the crowd. The 3.8km Ironman Challenge had over 200 brave souls in the field. Codie Grimsey convincingly won the men’s race (38:20), followed by Pierre Lopez (39:43) and Steve Pullen (40:12). Ella Brown was a surprise winner in the women’s race (40:14), followed by Peggy Harris (45:11) and 2011 winner Sarah Windsor (45:53) in third place.

Entries in the Sunshine Coast Daily Caloundra 1000 were similarly impressive with over 100 swimmers lining up for the challenge. James Maguire was the winner of the men’s race (14:47), with Alex Winterbourne (15:14) in second place, and Daniel Resoort (15:36) in third place. Emily Poole was the winner of the women’s race (15:19), with Caitlin Schluter (15:22) in second place, and Deanne Johnson (17:53) in third place.

What a day! And so, that marks the end of the Queensland Ocean Swim Series for 2012. But fear not, the fun isn’t over yet, Weekend Warriors! Mark your diaries for the fabulous Straddie Salute Multisport Festival on 15th and 16th September 2012. 3 events, 2 days, 1 great weekend. See you there!

For more information visit: www.weekendwarrioreventscom.au

2012 Cooly Classic - Weekend Warrior Events

Tue, 01 May 2012 23:17:00 GMT

Record field for third annual Cooly Classic

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 06:55:00 GMT

Close to 600 men, women and children of all ages took to the Coolangatta surf today for the third annual Cooly Classic Ocean Swim.

Hot favourite in the mens draw, Codie Grimsey, lived up to expectations and took the 2012 honours in the main event, the 2km ocean swim from Snapper Rocks to Kirra Beach, with Jessica Bayliss leading in the womens field.

A range of course options were available at this year’s Cooly Classic and Weekend Warrior Events Director, John Guise, said Gold Coast residents really got behind the event “Family participation was fantastic and we are starting to see a lot more kids taking on their parents in the same events!” “It’s this broad appeal that is attracting so many newcomers to ocean swimming in Queensland”

This year’s QLD Ocean Swim Series is also raising funds and awareness for Obesity Prevention Australia and the aim is to get more Queenslanders off the couch and into an active lifestyle.

“Obesity Prevention Australia is an organisation born on the Gold Coast who shares our vision for a fitter, healthier state” said Weekend Warrior Events Director, John Guise. “We’re often reminded that Queensland is the fattest state and we all have a role to play in the fight against obesity”.

The Series began at Tangalooma (Moreton Island) on March 11 and following the Cooly Classic is a two-day festival at Caloundra on April 28 & 29.

For more information visit weekendwarriorevents.com.au

9th Saas-Fee Glacier Bike Downhill 2012

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:27:00 GMT

For the 9th time today the downhill glacier bike race took place in Saas-Fee. In perfect weather and snow conditions, the 142 riders had to manage 1700m of vertical, starting en mass at 3’500m and riding over glacier and snow to the village at 1’800m. This year’s winner was Charly Di Pasquale from Les Granges Narboz, France, with a record breaking time of 7.31 minutes.

The mass start began with the 139 male riders, and 3 female riders running to their bikes. While some entrants had already began riding, others were just reaching their bikes. At first there was a swarm of riders, but soon the better competitors left the others behind.

The Race on the Glacier
The first section of the race traverses the Fee Glacier down to the steep Panorama Slope. Here, the more daring riders jumped 8 to 9 metres from the top of Panorama Slope to the steep piste below. Some riders where uncertain how to approach that slope, with many taking the safety first option by going slowly, with some even dismounting and sliding down the slope.

Valley Run Morenia
Coming into the Morenia section of the course, five riders formed the lead pack. Here, one of the riders crashed going into a corner and the eventual winner, Charly, was able to manoeuver his way to the front. He then led for the rest of the race from a small group of riders who, not for the lack of trying, were unable to catch him.

The finish area
Charly Di Pasquale began the last section of the course with a six second lead over his nearest competitor, and crossed the line with a final time of 7 minutes 31 seconds. Second place was taken by last year’s winner, Bernhard Rösch with a time of 7 minutes 38.0 seconds. The awards ceremony followed the race with the prize money totalling 7000 CHF.

The ranking
The winner of the men’s category was Charly Di Pasquale from France. Second place was awarded to Bernhard Rösch, from Kirchberg, Switzerland, and awarded third place was Lukas Albert, from Sarnen, Switzerland with a time of 7 minutes 38.1 seconds. The winner of the women’s category was Ines Wyrsch, from Basel, Switzerland, with a time of 13.02. Second, with a time of 13 minutes 14 seconds, was Claudia von Känel, from Zweisimmen, Switzerland, and third was Maya Eichholzer from Lantsch, Switzerland, with a final time of 14 minutes 54 seconds.

Ranking list 2012
http://services.datasport.com/2012/winter/glacierbike/

2XU Stroke & Stride Race#8

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 04:01:00 GMT

Sometimes an event stands out from the others and will long be remembered by all that took part. Race #8 doubles as the 2012 New Zealand Swimrun Championships however being memorable can be due to a number of reasons and for the final event in this dubious summer’s 2XU Stroke & Stride it will be the water that sticks in the mind. And not those close to perfect conditions experienced for the 1000 metre swim, we will long remember the water that was everywhere else. The rain that fell steadily in Auckland all afternoon soaking everyone and everything. The puddles that turned the entire run course into a splashing good time and the water that had our transition area resembling more a swimming pool.

So Auckland was being worked over by the tropical low passing through town right on race time and Mission Bay certainly received all the heavy rain forecast. Fortunately the also forecast gale warning was a no show. It was mostly still conditions with never more than a slight breeze and only worth noting was the 180 degree change in direction occurring while the race was in progress.

That one kilometre swim was over a large triangular course and while the water was warm and the sea state excellent good it was the visibility that could have impaired some. All that heavy cloud and rain falling didn’t leave us with the brightest of days for sighting on distant swim buoys. Reigning New Zealand Swimrun Champion Cameron Todd was looking very comfortable as he swam alone at the head of the field clocking 12 minutes and 25 seconds when he hit the beach. This gave him a half minute lead over James Bowstead and Jared Bowden and importantly a 40 second advantage over the dangerous Nick Berry.

Leading the women’s field around the cans was Simone Ackermann also determinedly defending her New Zealand title and starting well with a 12 minute 54 second swim and close to a 60 second lead half way through the event.

Once that transition was navigated and apart from being as wet as when swimming and negotiating the puddles on the course the runners could now focus on putting down a good time. The 4 kilometre course was out to St Heliers Bay and back to Mission Bay. The Cameron Todd and Simone Ackermann double act continued as they both just made it look easy backing up splendid swims with solid run splits to take the New Zealand Swimrun titles home again. Cameron has now taken back-to-back titles while super Simone has scored herself a three-peat.

Nick Berry raced through his run to grab himself second place and the big improver this season Jared Bowden got himself on the podium this time with another best ever result. His best result of the season saw James Bowstead home in fourth holding off fast finishing Liam Scopes.

Elise Salt’s spectacular form continues scoring an outstanding second placing and banks those valuable points. Alana Lythe saved her best result of the season for the final running herself up into third position while Jessica Lawson capped her season with fourth just ahead of Belinda Harper.

The Grand Prix decides the Stroke & Stride Champions each season and has done so for decades. It has been a number of years since our Champions have been so convincing with their victories and we have never before awarded points to such a large number of athletes in a single season.

Back in 2010 he did his first Stroke & Stride race, last summer he finished in 8th place in the Series Grand Prix. Now just two years after his debut Nick Berry claims the title of Stroke & Stride Champion in ultra convincing style. Cameron Todd claims second place and Liam Scopes fills the podium heading home Cooper Rand and Jared Bowden in this competition.

There is nothing wrong with repetition when it comes to winning and the Stroke & Stride serial offender title goes to Simone Ackermann. Simone winning the championship this season recognises her as the best athlete of the summer. Simone’s victory four seasons in a row elevates her to being one of the best ever - never before has a female won the Stroke & Stride back to back to back to back.

Backing up her runner up position last season Elise Salt again show she is the most consistent of athletes claiming second once again. All those races and points over a entire summer should be enough to separate a couple of competitors but not so when it comes to Rebecca Clarke and Maddie Dillon as they finish tied on 73 points and share third place with Jessica Lawson nipping at their heals just two points adrift.

Full age group results and all the points are at www.swimrun.org

Wrecked Tangalooma Ocean Swim

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 03:03:00 GMT

Adventure Races Topple Previous Record in Motatapu

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 03:04:00 GMT

Leading adventure racers Baz Smith (Queenstown) and Jess Simson (Wanaka) were a force to be reckonedwith in the R& R Motatapu Adventure Run today shaving an incredible 45 minutes off the previous record on the gruelling alpine course.

Twenty teams entered the challenging 49km race which has a four peak traverse on exposed back countryterrain with a total descent of 2790m, before traversing a demanding route over the Motatapu track fromWanaka to Arrowtown via the Motatapu and Soho stations. Four major climbs total 2790 vertical metres with thehighest point being at Jack Hallʼs Saddle (1275m above sea level).

Smith and Simson, representing R&R Sport, clocked 6hr:40m:3s to win the title and clearly beat the record timeset in 2010 by Chris Dagg and Darren Blackhurst of Queenstown in 7hr:25m:06s.

The event started in the early hours of this morning in darkness and Smith said the pair had a strong game plan which they put in place and stuck to.

“That was the secret to our success. Jess is very organised and we have everything finely tuned so that we didnʼt stop during the entire race. We were able to eat and drink as we ran and when we got to the finish we stillfelt pretty good.”

Smith said it was a relief the conditions were cloudy because it made the climbs a lot easier.

The second fastest team of Phil Wood of Queenstown and Russ Rotheram of Christchurch, racing under the banner of Queenstown Ladies Pikelet Club, pushed the winners hard finishing in 7hrs: 05m:03s, also faster than the previous record.

“We were always conscious they were right there,” said Smith.

Wood, who entered the race last year found it a lot harder this year. “It certainly hurt more! But I love the fact therace starts in the dark, thatʼs a really cool feature.”

Third place team was Rationale Ltd were also well up with leaders crossing the finish in 7hrs:07m:27s.

The winners of the female section, Team Wilma and Betty, came home in 11hrs:21m:02s.

Motatapu Event Director Gemma Boyle said the adventure run is seen as “one of the most difficult but one of themost beautiful mountain runs in New Zealand. People who complete it can consider it a great accomplishmentand something they will remember for many years.”

The R&R Sport Adventure Race is one of five Motatapu events held on the same day. The other events are:, theSpeightʼs Summit 47km Mountain Bike race, the UDC Finance Motatapu Xterra Triathlon, the Arrowtown.com Minerʼs Trail and the Icebreaker Off-road Marathon.

Full race results available at www.motatapu.com

2XU Stroke & Stride Race#7

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 01:38:00 GMT

7 March 2012. Mission Bay - Auckland - New Zealand.

March’s Race #7 is the penultimate event in the Series and our less than average summer weather conditions finally caught up with the 2XU Stroke & Stride. Evening rain was what they had forecast for the beach at Mission Bay and that was exactly what we got for our day at the beach. What wasn’t forecast was that the dreary drizzle keeping us all damp just before the start would also provide the fastest racing conditions of the dubious summer.

Earlier in the afternoon when the sun was shining the waters were chopped up by the cross-shore breeze, once the breeze was swapped for some rain the water surface was ironed out and conditions were custom made for fast swim times. Best of all that drizzle dried up before the race started so there were no problems with visibility. Out on the run there was also no wind to slow anyone down and temperatures were perfect to set us up for a slew of quick 5 kilometre run splits.

The women’s field were off first on their journey out and around the cans for the 750 metre swim and fastest swim of the day goes to Victoria Clark clocking a scorching 10 minutes and 11 seconds. This time entitled her to an 11 second lead over Danielle Parkinson and then another 8 seconds back to Emily Pearce. Jessica Lawson was in the mix recording 10 minutes 49 seconds heading through into the transition area.

We then turned our attention to the men and it was Nick Berry leading the way touching the sand in a time of 9 minutes and 16 seconds good enough for a healthy 20 second lead over the chasers lead in by Jared Bowden. Trailing by 50 seconds was a bunch of half a dozen towed in by Naoki Toyomura and containing the likes of Liam Scopes and Armando Galarraga.

The out and back run course follows the coast line as far as St Heliers Bay and with the twist and turns and cover of the pohutukawa trees it can be difficult to track your opposition. It was a big surprise for Jessica Lawson to reach the turn cone and discover that she had run herself into the lead on the outbound leg. It was a delighted Jessica Lawson consolidating her lead on the way home and crossing the line for her first ever Stroke & Stride victory. Another having a fabulous run was Amelia Watkinson moving up into second at the finish. Emily Pearce backed up an excellent swim with an equally good run leg to lock in that third position ahead of Ashleigh Williams and the flying Rachel Penney.

Domination with a capital D best describes Nick Berry’s race as the closest the rest of the guys got to him all day was when they were standing on the start line. Soon after that he had broken clear going on to lead out of the water and then held that lead over the entire run to come home the winner and his second victory of the season. Running really fast elevated Liam Scopes into the silver medal position while running even faster got Patrick Tarpy up for the bronze backing up his eleven and a half minute swim time. Jared Bowden didn’t let his awesome swim go to waste backing up with an equally flash run split to come home in fourth place and his best ever Stroke & Stride result. Consistent Todd Rowan backed up his 5th place at Race #6 with another 5th place today rounding out the top five men.

The final race in a fortnight will decide the Series Grand Prix and best placed going into this event has to be Nick Berry on 91 points and an apparently unassailable lead over the entire men’s field. In his considerable wake come Cameron Todd, Liam Scopes, Cooper Rand, Brent Foster, Sam Franklin and Jared Bowden as they duel for the remaining podium positions.

Likewise Simone Ackermann appears secure with her 94 point total as she closes in on her amazing 4th title as Stroke & Stride champion. Rebecca Clarke and Maddie Dillon have left it until the final to decide the remaining podium placings unless Elise Salt and Jessica Lawson rain on their parade.

The final round of the 2XU Stroke & Stride Series is on Wednesday, March 21 when Race #8 is held. This event is also the 2012 New Zealand Swimrun Championship.

Full age group results and points available at swimrun.org - the penultimate round of the 2XU Stroke & Stride Series is on Wednesday, March 7 when Race #7 is held.

Motatapu Events Attract Record Running Fields

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 20:59:00 GMT

A record number of athletes will be running over in the Motatapu course this year, says Motatapu Event Director, Gemma Boyle.

“We will have a record 1264 athletes involved in a running discipline this weekend, which includes the 42.2km marathon, the Arrowtown.com 15km Miners Trail Mountain Run, the R&R Sport 49km Adventure Run and the UDC Finance Xterra off-road triathlon” Gemma Boyle says. “Together they will run over 37,000kms.”

Overall numbers are very close to the record number of entrants the event attracted in 2010 and are 10% up on last year’s earthquake-affected Motatapu.

“While in 2010 we had a record number of bikers, this year we will have a record number of runners,” Gemma Boyle says.

This is not to say the popularity of mountain biking has diminished, she says, pointing out the Mountain Bike sold out as usual this year.

“In 2011 we decided to cut the mountain bike field by 300 people to create space on the course, and to make way for the UDC Finance Motatapu Xterra Triathlon”.

“We think we have a better balance across the events now, 2104 competitors across the five events”, she says.

Gemma Boyle says the UDC Finance Motatapu Xterra Triathlon is a direct qualifier for the World Xterra Championships held in Hawaii in October. “Individual spots for the UDC Finance Motatapu Xterra Triathlon sold out this year and we are expecting close and exciting racing,” she says.

“There has also been strong growth in the shorter but still very challenging Arrowtown.com Miners Trail Mountain Run”, Gemma Boyle says.

“All in all, it is shaping up to be another great Motatapu on Saturday. The recent cooler weather and a bit of rain will be a welcome relief for competitors after this year’s fantastically hot dry summer.”

9th Glacier Bike Downhill Race in Saas-Fee

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 21:04:00 GMT

On March 24th, 2012 the 9th annual Glacier Downhill Bike Race will be held in Saas-Fee. This is no usual ride over hill and dale. Rather this race goes over ice and snow down to the glacier village. The riders will start en mass at 3’500m. During the first half of the race, enthralling fights are guaranteed to ensue for the lead position. It’s a race without spikes and of high velocity, with riders reaching speeds of 144 km/h. This year, the prize pool has a total value of 5‘000 Swiss Francs.

The mass start is on the Mittelallalin station at an altitude of 3’500m and goes down over the snowy and icy slopes to the glacier village at 1’800m. The riders have to manage 1’700 metres of altitude difference and 7 km of distance. First they ride on a narrow trail along the Fee glacier, which leads them to the panorama hill. For less experienced racers this is a real challenge. The hill is steep and has to be crossed at high speed. On this part of the trail, riders have been measured, per GPS, travelling at speeds of about 144 km/h.

Valley run Morenia

Further down, the ride leads past the restaurant Morenia before entering the Valley run. This is going to be a very exciting part of the race with extremely steep passages, flat transits and narrow curves, and it is a real assessment of the rider and his material. The last part of the ride, a very flat passage, needs strength to be managed. The outcome of the race is often decided during this section of the course.

The Finish Area

Shortly before the finish, the route becomes a little steeper. After reaching the desired end of the race, the award ceremony will take place and in the evening the riders party will be held at the Metropol Nightlife.

For more information visit: www.saas-fee.ch/glacierbike

2XU Stroke & Stride Race#6

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:31:00 GMT

21 February 2012. Mission - Auckland - New Zealand.

It can be a cruel twist when the shortest swim of the season also turns out to be the hilliest and this is exactly what confronted competitors at the sixth event in the 2XU Stroke & Stride Series. For some swimrun athletes swimming is not their forte or not their preferred sport and therefore the little half a kilometre swim distance is looked forward to. It can give them the chance to get out on the run very close to their competition rather than having to chase them from a distance. It may have been the middle of our best month however summer would not be the first word to come to mind when describing the conditions at Mission Bay on this afternoon. A stiff but not the worst of breezes was blowing; then again it was unrelenting and it was coming from the north. This onshore wind decorated the Waitemata Harbour with white caps and chopped up our little swim course considerably.

And while some were frustrated by this messy sea state others revelled in it like our leading male swimmers who made short work of the first leg head-on into the chop and then surfed the waves all the way back to the beach. Best form and fastest swim time of the day went to Cameron Todd recording a smoking 6 minutes 25 seconds which was good enough for a 15 second lead over Nick Berry. There was then another 10 second gap back to the rest of the field who were soon streaming up the beach and into transition in quick succession.

The women’s field were watching all this and could ponder their own aquatic tactic as they awaited their start. As has been the case in recent events it was the experienced Simone Ackermann who read the conditions best and matched this with the necessary speed to lead the way out and around the cans and back into the beach clocking 7 minutes 21 seconds. This was good enough for a 10 second break on her pursuers and was probably the biggest gap we’d see as Jo Lawn, Maddie Dillon and Elise Salt emerged virtually side by side and the rest of the field wasn’t far behind.

In contrast to the swim the run was a long and scenic 5 kilometres hugging the coast all the way out and back to St Heliers plus there isn’t a hill in sight. Like the swim there was plenty of exposure to that wind. Some of it was a nagging crosswind, some an obstinate headwind and therefore there was some tailwind out there as well though this can be hiding when you are pushing the limits and want any assistance offered.

Looking relaxed all day was swim leader Cameron Todd who happily transformed to run leader and ultimately race winner without being threatened and taking a comfortable victory. Nick Berry was unable to make a dent in his deficit after the swim but certainly was well clear of all the chasers in second at the finish line. And by far the best of these chasers and taking the final podium spot was Cooper Rand with his best ever Stroke & Stride result. Likewise Patrick Tarpy from the USA was having his best result in fourth seconds ahead of Todd Rowan.

Whether the three times Stroke & Stride champion Simone Ackermann was following her own recipe for success or was copying today’s men’s winner it worked just fine. Exert the pressure during the short swim leg, open up a small gap exiting the water and through transition to start the run in front. Then run comfortably holding good form and do your own time trial over the 5 kilometres leaving the chasers to battle with each other in your wake. So Simone Ackermann wins again giving her a remarkable three from three in 2012. Conditions must have also been to the liking of Elise Salt as she ran away from her swim companions to take a fine second place and her best result of the season. Jo Lawn returns to Stroke & Stride without forgetting a trick and scores herself a fabulous third place ahead of Maddie Dillon. Jessica Lawson backs up her 8 minute 20 second swim with one of the day’s fastest run splits and is rewarded with fifth place and her own best ever result.

Our current Series Champion is on another winning streak so our current Grand Prix points table must show Simone Ackermann leading with a solid but not insurmountable 21 points over Rebecca Clarke and Maddie Dillon currently locked in second equal. All alone in fourth place is Elise Salt on 66 points ahead of Jessica Lawson and Alana Lythe tied in fifth.

Nick Berry comfortably leads the men’s Grand Prix on 80 points though he hasn’t had it all his own way with just the one victory while building his total. Cameron Todd holds second with two wins to his name while consistency rewards Cooper Rand with third position. Fighting to gain a foothold on the podium are Brent Foster, Liam Scopes and Sam Franklin with only a point or two between them.

Full age group results and points available at swimrun.org - the penultimate round of the 2XU Stroke & Stride Series is on Wednesday, March 7 when Race #7 is held.

2XU Stroke & Stride Race#5

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:05:00 GMT

7 February 2012. St Heliers Bay - Auckland - New Zealand.

The 2XU Stroke & Stride launched into the second half of the season with Race #5. The series was using St Heliers Bay as the venue for the final time this summer and the grand old bay bowed out in style laying on a superb blue sky day with warm temperatures both out in the water and back on dry land - just like our summers used to be.

The 750 metre swim involved a 350 metre drag straight out to the first buoy, a quick 50 metres across the back before another long leg back to the shore. Hot and calm afternoons in Auckland generate sea breezes and a light onshore wind had kicked up a small chop or wave pattern to add interest for the swimmers as they negotiated the course.

This time it was the turn of the women’s field to start proceedings and the leaders were sighting well and holding straight lines as they covered the distance. This was not surprising with the vastly experienced Rebecca Clarke leading them in recording 9 minutes 39 seconds for her swim and 5 seconds ahead of the perhaps even more experienced Simone Ackermann. Trailing out of the water just a few seconds behind came Penny Hayes and Maddie Dillon with these four the only female swimmers dipping inside ten minutes as Elise Slat recorded 10 minutes 1 second with Alana Lythe hot on her heels.

We don’t know if the men’s field enjoy the pace being set in the swim by legendary Brent Foster however no one made a move to challenge him as he lead them out and around the cans once again. When he hits the beach in a smoking time of 8 minutes 26 seconds his lack of company at the head of the field is explained. The closest was our current series leader Sam Franklin recording 8 minutes 38 seconds with newcomer Harrison Dean looking dangerous and handily placed in 8 minutes 51 seconds. Nick Berry clocked 9 minutes 4 seconds, James Elvery 9 minutes 11 seconds and Cooper Rand 9 minutes 21 seconds before the incoming traffic intensified though we did spot the 10 minute and 8 second swim of Liam Scopes.

It has been a while, actually near on three months since the Stroke & Stride has had a run of more than 3 kilometres. Therefore the later stages of today’s 4 kilometre course may test the reserves of some athletes. It proved no problem for our leading women as they needed to run the distance in under 15 minutes to hold their placing after the swim. How much inside 15 minutes they could go would decide the ultimate finish order. Out on the footpath three time series Champion Simone Ackermann once again displays the ability to perform the swimrun combo better than the rest as she runs away with it to extend her perfect start to 2012 with her second victory. Meanwhile Maddie Dillon continues to excel this season running herself into second place ten seconds ahead of swim leader Rebecca Clarke. Seasoned competitor Elise Salt secures more valuable points with her fourth place while rookie Penny Hayes scores a fine top five finish at her first ever race.

The leading men were looking at something around 12 or 13 minutes for their 4 kilometres if they wanted to back up a quick swim split to finish in the money. South Islander Harrison Dean wasn’t accustomed to the Auckland run course that hugged the coastline of the Waitemata Harbour but this didn’t stop him going out as hard as possible, which soon rewarded him with the lead. He then held this advantage all way back to the finish at St Heliers Bay to record a fabulous win in his debut Stroke & Stride. Nick Berry was also running extremely well and got up himself up into second. After applying all the pressure during the swim Brent Foster held on for third out on the run and secured the final podium spot. James Elvery’s long awaited return to Stroke & Stride saw him finish in fourth while Liam Scopes claimed the fifth place. And as an example of the rarefied air at the sharp end of this event; the four athletes that Harrison Dean beat home today are all previous Stroke & Stride event winners.

With her victory at Race #5 defending champ Simone Ackermann has now moved into her accustomed and preferred position at the top of the Grand Prix points table. However her lead is not exactly comfortable; miniscule would be the more accurate description of the one point margin back to Rebecca Clarke. Another one point is the difference between Maddie Dillon and Elise Salt as they battle for the remaining podium position and there’s no difference at all between Alan Lythe and Elizabeth May locked together in fifth place.

Sam Franklin didn’t score any points at Race #5 and plummeted from the Series Grand Prix lead down into fifth place in the men’s division. Nick Berry now leads with a decisive looking 13 point lead over Brent Foster who in turn leads the duo of Cooper Rand and Liam Scopes by a pair of points.

The 2XU Stroke & Stride Series next returns to Mission Bay on Tuesday, February 21 when Race #6 is held. Full results and points are available at swimrun.org

Local hero predicted to take out Motatapu Mountain Bike Title

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:41:00 GMT

Motatapu Race Director, Gemma Boyle, is predicting a local to win the prestigious 2012 Motatapu Speight’s Summit Mountain Bike men’s title for the first time in the event’s history.

“Winning the Motatapu has proved an elusive title with only three men’s winners in the seven years the event has been run, and four winners in the women’s field”, Gemma Boyle says.

Gemma says local Queenstown legend, Mark Williams (Willy), has finished inside the top ten every year for the last five years.

“Mark has been training hard for the Cape Epic race in South Africa and recent races show he is peaking nicely for Motatapu coming up on March 10th. With his experience on the course we are picking him for a win, especially with the Oceania Mountain Bike championships clashing with the Motatapu this year.”

Mark Williams says while he’d like to race the Oceania Championships, he loves Motatapu and considers the race as the same level of competition as the Oceania race.

“With some of the boys being away at the Oceania, it leaves a few podium spots,” he says, “I should have a good shot at one of those podium positions.”

Mark sees Brent Miller from Christchurch as his main competition and reports that Brent has openly stated he wants a shot at the record. Brent was just over a minute faster than Mark at the 2011 event.

“With the track hard and fast this year with the dry weather we’ve been having, we should have a crack at the record time,” Mark says. “While it will be hard to beat Anton’s time (1:48:43), with a hard track and favourable winds we should be in with a shot,” he says.

Mark will also be riding his weapon of choice, a 29 inch mountain bike, which he says will be faster over the Motatapu course.

As an added incentive, Gemma Boyle reports there is a special prize for anyone who breaks the course record this year.

“The women’s race looks wide open as well,” Gemma says, with her pick being Kate Fluker from Dunedin. There are also a few women who could challenge Kate with former Coast to Coast Champion, Emily Miazga, lining up for her second Motatapu.

Other events held in conjunction with the Motatapu Speight’s Summit mountain bike on March 10th 2012 include; the R&R Sport Adventure Run, Icebreaker Off-Road Marathon, Arrowtown.com 15km Miners Trail and XTERRA UDC Finance Triathlon.

Queensland Ocean Swim Series Launched - JUST BRING GOGGLES

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:16:00 GMT

‘Just bring goggles’ is the tagline for this year’s Queensland Ocean Swim Series and, in a cheeky bid to entice more swimmers from the training pool to the sea, organisers say you are welcome to take them literally!

With ocean swimming becoming increasingly popular in the sunshine state the annual series, now in its third year, is aimed squarely at the weekend warrior with a range of courses to suit all abilities.

The series features events at Tangalooma, Coolangatta and Caloundra and to highlight how easy it is to get involved, organisers Weekend Warrior Events, are offering a new “Goggles Only” category which is sure to be a talking point. Event Director, John Guise, is quick to assure that anyone up for the “Goggles Only” challenge won’t be exposed to the rest of the field though with some well placed screening on event day.

“Just bring goggles, says it all “said Guise. You don’t need an expensive bike or running shoes and this year you don’t even need your swimmers!”

The series will be raising funds and awareness for Obesity Prevention Australia and the aim is to get Queenslanders off the couch and into an active lifestyle.

“Obesity Prevention Australia is an organisation born on the Gold Coast who shares our vision for a fitter, healthier state” said Guise. “We’re often reminded that Queensland is the fattest state and we all have a role to play in the fight against obesity”.

Former Australian Olympic medalist, Julie McDonald OAM, believes the series provides the perfect motivation for Queenslanders to kickstart an active New Year.

“To get fit you need to get motivated, so whether it is taking part with your kids, or beating one of your mates, each event provides an ideal goal to start training for” .

“For me it means getting back in the pool after 16 years!” said McDonald “The kids short courses also allow me to compete with my 10 year old son”.

Some of Queensland’s leading athletes are also expected to take to the start line throughout the Series, including Melissa Rollison, Ironman 70.3 World Champion.

“The Queensland Ocean Swim Series events are fantastic and extremely beneficial to my training program, but they're also really fun and anyone can participate - I even drag my fiancé along for a swim!” said Rollinson.

A range of course options are available throughout the Series from a free 300m kids dash through to 1km and 2km+ courses at each event.

The Series kicks off at Tangalooma on March 11 followed by Coolangatta on April 15 and a two-day festival at Caloundra on April 28 & 29.

For more information visit weekendwarriorevents.com.au