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Deemed the only true adventure race to be held in the Southern Hemisphere this year competitors are enjoying perfect race conditions as the course charges through the greater Nelson area. Local knowledge is proving to be a great advantage for Nelson's Star & Garter team who continue to lead into the second mountain run, which once again for them will be completed in the hours of darkness.
At one this afternoon Steve Gurney, Kathy Lynch, Nathan Faave and Aaron Prince pushed the gap between themselves and second placed Team Cromwell to nearly a two hour advantage.
On leaving the Rotoiti Lake transition area to head up towards the Angelus Hut in the Nelson Lakes National Park, the lead team were travelling strongly and appeared well focussed with their team dynamics. This leg is expected to take anywhere between 10 and 20 hours with Star & Garter possibly arriving at the abseil site near Hopeless Hut around 10 tonight.
Fairydown Long International, who have juggled second and third place with Team Cromwell since the start of the race, were slow to arrive at the Lake Rotoiti transition this afternoon. Finally arriving at 5pm, they made the difficult decision to not continue further. A huge disappointment for last year's winning team and their support crew. Third place is now being held by Kate Callaghan, Tim Pearson, Neil Gellatly and Julian Sykes of Team Running Hot.
Out on the mountain bike course where the main bunch are travelling, race director Geoff Hunt said morale appeared high among the cycling teams as they continued to stream towards Lake Rotoiti.
Tomorrows forecast is for increasing northerly winds with a possibility of rain which could be welcome relief for some rather hot competitors.
— Margo Berryman, Southern Traverse
*Southern Traverse Photographers Include: Derek Paterson, Brian, Jurgen Ruoff, Barbara Newton, Rob Lile, Tony Di Zinno, Gareth Eyres, Alan Nelson, and Beyond City Limits.
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