Goldpine
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13:51 12/03/2022
DAY TEN: BRIGHTON BEACH
What a race! The GOFENCE® Team made it to Brighton Beach finish line at 11:15 am this morning with smiles on their faces. It was a beautiful location to end what was a gruelling but epic experience for the team of four. The team placed 15th overall.
We caught up with the team at the end of the race to hear their thoughts and feelings about GODZone Chapter 10 and all that it involved. Keep your eyes peeled for the post-race video and write up. A massive congratulations to Kieran, James, Sarah and Jeremy!
09:28 12/03/2022
DAY TEN: NEARLY AT THE FINISH LINE
The GOFENCE® Team have made it through the kayak stage after camping up at the bridge overnight. This obviously gave them the strength they needed to pull through to the last round. They are a quarter of the way through Stage 10 – a short trek across Brighton Beach to the finish line.
The team will most likely reach the end within the next few hours.
21:00 11/03/2022
DAY NINE: SKIPPING STAGE 8
The GOFENCE® Team completed Stage 8 in five and a half hours getting into TA 7 for a compulsory three hour break before their support crew drove them to the start of Stage 9 – a kayak down Taieri River. The team have skipped Stage 8, which consisted of a 100km mountain bike, to make it in time for the finish line on Saturday.
Not long to go for them now!
09:16 11/03/2022
DAY NINE: SHORT COURSE
When the GOFENCE® Team got to TA 6, they made the collective decision to short course the next stage. Belinda said that the team are wrecked. She doesn’t know how they stopped for so long during the night as they only have two extremely lightweight sleeping bags, no sleeping mats and no puffer jackets. We hope that they’re doing okay!
If all goes well, we’re hoping to see them around 1 pm on Saturday at the finish line. We’ll keep you posted.
15:59 10/03/2022
DAY EIGHT: TEAMWORK AT ITS BEST
The GOFENCE® Team reached TA 6 at 3:30 pm – just one hour before the long course cut-off time. We’re so proud of what they’ve achieved so far and cannot imagine how tough it would be for them out there.
We hope the team are getting treated to some warm food and a little kip at this transition point before moving onto the next stage of the race, which we think will be the hardest of the last few stages. Stage 7 is a 45km packraft/trek through the Central Otago terrain/wetlands, starting at Lake Onslow and finishing in Paerau.
Other teams have been completing this stage with the fastest time being 14 hours and the slowest time being 19 hours. What time will the GOFENCE® Team achieve it in?
19:41 09/03/2022
DAY SEVEN: THEY MADE THE CUT
We were all wondering whether the GOFENCE® Team would make it to TA 5 in time before the cut off, and they have already made it. This means that the team will be able to continue on the full course. Even after the long trek, they came through smiling and even managed a quick 60-minute sleep.
The next stage is mountain biking, where they will start at Dead Dog Flat and finish at Lake Onslow – a total distance of 170km. The team usually do well in the mountain bike stages, so we’re pretty confident that they will nail Stage 6. They will need to be at TA 6 by 4:30 pm tomorrow to stay on the full course.
We must also mention that it’s Kieran’s birthday today. Happy Birthday, Kieran! It is probably his most gruelling one yet.
08:00 09/03/2022
DAY SEVEN: IN THE MOUNTAINS
The GOFENCE® Team are deep in Stage 5 of “Eyre Mountains”. Belinda has said that the team are taking another radical route choice in this stage. With 3700m worth of vertical ascent, this will surely challenge the team who need to make it to TA 5 by 11 pm tonight if they want to continue on the long course.
08:35 08/03/2022
DAY SIX: A LITTLE SLEEP CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
The GOFENCE® Team reached TA 3 at 1:30am this morning in pretty good spirits. Jeremy had a crook stomach the first couple of days. Kieran and James were very close to losing toe nails, but they’re all well considering. They managed a hot meal and five hours sleep which will hopefully help them toward achieving the full course.
After Stage 4, their 90-kilometre mountain bike route from Glenorchy to Pretty Hill (which took approximately seven and a half hours), they made it to TA 4 where they slept a further four hours.
The team are currently in Stage 5 of the race which consists of a trek from Pretty Hill to Dead Dog Flat. This is also considered to be a very tough stage with the duration lasting anywhere between 22-45 hours.
16:31 07/03/2022
DAY FIVE: CLOSING IN ON TA 3
We’ve had our eyes peeled to the live tracking, regularly checking how the GOFENCE® Team are progressing. We can see they’ve passed checkpoint 7 and are closing in on TA 3 in Glenorchy which means we’ll hear an update from their support crew as soon as they arrive. A new short course has been instigated for teams arriving at TA 3 after 8 pm due to the length of time it’s taken teams to complete this stage, but it looks like the GOFENCE® Team will make it in time.
Then onto Stage 4: a 90-kilometre mountain bike. Perhaps a chance to recover from the previous stage with reports of funky feet from the wet feet action.
16:35 06/03/2022
DAY FOUR: SCENIC RIVERS
The GOFENCE® Team are currently sitting at number 22 on the leaderboard as they push through Stage 3: Packraft/Trek. They've enjoyed beautiful scenery the whole way along the Pyke River and have just made the tricky ascent up Hidden Falls. They will now be descending down to the Dart River. An ETA into Glenorchy is hard to say with this stage estimated to take anywhere between 33 and 50 hours.
17:26 05/03/2022
DAY THREE: CHOOSING THE COASTAL ROUTE
The GOFENCE® Team are still in Stage 3 of the race, with Belinda (wife of James McCone) saying that the team lost a lot of sleep figuring out what route they would take in the first part of the third stage. They went to bed deciding that they would take the coastal route as the navigation was safe, and the travel would be a lot faster.
When they spent another hour looking at the map on race day morning, they switched to the Cascade River route. The support crew are predicting to see the team at TA 3 in Glenorchy around midday on Sunday!
21:30 04/03/2022
DAY TWO: IN THE NICK OF TIME
The team and support crew had a manic morning as they got held up at Hasst Pass for a 20-minute bridge inspection while driving to the start point. James was sitting in the back of the car blowing up their packrafts, getting them ready for when they arrived. The team got ushered to the start line with just six minutes to spare.
The GOFENCE® team have already made it through the first and second stage of the race. The team completed the first stretch in five hours and moved onto the second stage, which they completed in one hour. Stage 2 led them on an 18km mountain bike ride alongside the Jackson River, finishing at Martyr Homestead.
They spent 20 minutes at Transition Two (TA 2) with Jeremy suffering from a cramp. The team are currently in sixth place and are now in Stage 3, consisting of more packrafting and trekking. This leg of the journey looks like a challenging one as the teams are faced with tough decisions early on, whether to go coastal or head up the cascade; the choice is theirs! Afterwards, they will follow the stunning scenery along the Pyke River before ascending up Hidden Falls heading towards Park Pass (a total ascent of 2000m). They will then descent down to the Dart River, finishing in Glenorchy. This stage is estimated to take teams anywhere from 30-55 hours.
10:00 04/03/2022
DAY TWO: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS
We are cheering the team on from the office today. Starting at 12:30 pm from Jackson Point, the GOFENCE® team will begin Stage 1 “Lake Ellery/Milford” which consists of a packraft and trek. They will follow the coast in their packrafts until they reach the exit of Smoothwater River. From there, they will trek through rainforests (with a 250m ascent/descent) before they paddle Lake Ellery to the next checkpoint. The distance of this leg of the race is 18km and is estimated to take around three to six hours, finishing up at Island Flat.
12:00 03/03/2022
DAY ONE: REGISTRATION DAY
It’s been a sunny day in Wanaka for the GOFENCE® team as they registered for their place in GODZone Chapter 10 – Southern Traverse, starting tomorrow.
We spoke with Kieran and Jeremy briefly this morning; Kieran was just about to do a workout whilst Jeremy said the most he’ll be doing today is stretching and eating lots of food.
They received their maps for the full course of the race at 2:30 pm today which will help Kieran and James pick the best route for the team to take. This will also help give them an estimated time of when they expect to finish the race if all goes well. Their overall goal is to complete the full course and the weather is expected to be mostly fine throughout the race.
The team are excited to get the race underway. Their gear is all packed up and ready to go for the race tomorrow. They'll drive north to the start line in Jackson Bay.
23:30 11/03/2021
DAY 7: THE FINISH LINE
The team were in high spirits as they passed the finish line on their bikes just after 11pm tonight, completing the full course of GODZone Chapter 9 in Rotorua. They should be massively proud of themselves for smashing their goal, with all four of them making it to the finish. What an accomplishment, team!
19:30 11/03/2021
DAY 7: ONE MORE STAGE
The support crew are waiting at transition 11 right now as the team has around half an hour left on the water. The last stage will see them biking to the finish line, from Ohakuri Reserve to Waipa Hub, Redwoods. This last leg of the race is going to take the team around 2-4 hours to complete, as they spend 38km cycling through the Redwoods.
I bet they are looking forward to that pie and beer and the overall accomplishment when we see them at the finish line later tonight.
17:30 11/03/2021
DAY 7: THE FINAL STAGES
It was 1:30 pm when the team finished kayaking before continuing onto the bike stage. According to the tracker, they had the fastest kayak split time. At the rate the team is going, they are smashing it out of the park and are just moments away from getting off their bikes and making it safely to transition 10. Jeremy even took some time out to have a chat with the GODZone media team at this transition.
The second to last stage will have them packrafting along Lake Ohakuri for 13km. This stage requires a good deal of navigation as there are lots of hidden checkpoints that can be challenging at night. This section is estimated to take around 3-5 hours.
They’re getting that much closer to the finish line!
09:00 11/03/2021
DAY 7: LAKE TAUPO
The team arrived at transition 7 just before 11 pm last night, just a couple of hours after their estimated arrival time. The weather reports from the top of the ranges indicated a lot of wind, rain and cold temperatures. The team came in looking very wet and tired. They had a couple of hours of sleep at this transition before heading off on their bikes at 4:30 am. This biking stage was a short 1-2 hour stint, mainly to give the support crew time to get to the next transition at Waiotaka Reserve.
They had a quick change and some food at transition 8 before heading off in their kayaks at 7 am, following the western shoreline of Lake Taupo. The estimated time for this stage of the race is 7-10 hours. The GOFENCE® Marlborough team is already a quarter of the way through and we hope to see them reach transition 9 by 2-3 pm today, if all goes smoothly.
16:00 10/03/2021
DAY 6: NOT LONG NOW
The support team is on their way to Turangi now as they get ready to wait for the team at the next transition. Kieran’s brother and his team, Victory Vets, should be at transition 7 by now. It is estimated that the GOFENCE® Marlborough team is only 4-5 hours behind them. They are hoping to see the team reach transition 7 around 8 pm-9 pm tonight. The next stage is a short bike ride along the Tongariro River Trail before they reach the next transition and the next stage, which will be kayaking across New Zealand’s lake: Lake Taupo.
10:00 10/03/2021
DAY 6: STAY STRONG
The team are still on track as they continue through the seventh stage of the race. They managed to stop last night and get a couple hours of sleep, which was obviously just what they needed to stay strong progress through this tough trek. Once they reach transition 7, it is said that their elevation gains would equate to climbing Mt Taranaki twice.
16:30 09/03/2021
DAY 5: THE WAITING GAME
As the waiting game continues, we are constantly keeping an eye on the tracker in anticipation to see whether there are any movements from the team. Meanwhile, the support crew is on bike cleaning duties, in preparation for the team’s 27km bike ride in the next round. It’s still a fair way off though, but we will continue to update you when we have any more news. We have no doubt it’s a tough journey for the team right now, but we know that they have what it takes to make it through this tough stage of the race.
08:30 09/03/2021
DAY 5: GODZONE’S ICONIC STAGE
The GOFENCE® Marlborough team made it to transition 6 last night, where the GODZone officials would have greeted them and provided them with fuel for their bodies. They would have dropped their packrafts off at this site and made a plan of attack to combat the 88km gruelling hike ahead of them. Stage 7 consists of around 6000m of vertical ascent, where they will be battling thick terrain while also seeing some beautiful views of the North Island – weather permitting. This is GODZone’s iconic stage, and if the team makes it through this round – they should be exceptionally proud of themselves.
The team is tracking well through this stage and it is expected to be around two days before the support crew will see them again at transition 7, with sore feet and tired bodies.
This is a shot of the GODZone tracker and the GOFENCE® Marlborough team is number 14
18:00 08/03/2021
DAY 4: INTO THE KAWEKAS
Late into day four and while we can’t track the morale of our team, we can see the progress they are making towards transition 6. The team set off into the depths of the Kaweka forest this morning in the attempt to get to the river and into their pack rafts as soon as possible in order to make the transition before dark. With a compulsory dark zone approaching, meaning the team would be forced to stay off the water, they must work hard to get through to the transition before 20:00. The potential gain would mean they could get a jump on the teams still on the water.
As for our support team, it’s possible they have had a more eventful day than the competitors. After operating through the night to get the GOFENCE® team away to the best start, our support team pointed the car north, tracking back to Taupo. Somewhere along the road, a faint smell of burnt rubber made its way through the car, to be accompanied by the sight of smoke from the wheel on the trailer. After a couple hours marooned on the side of the road, Tim and Danielle found themselves at the local Taupo mechanic with a wheel missing on the trailer. After reassurance that the trailer could be fixed by the next required transition, Tim and Danielle headed for the hotel to catch some well-earned rest.
The team will be assisted by the GODZone officials at transition 6, before they head west, through the Kaimanawas on foot for over 80km. These two stages are said to be the ‘make or break’ stages in the race and a good performance could put them well on their way to achieving their goal of completing full course. Apart from Glenn, who looks “bruised and battered after a couple clumsy falls” (Danielle’s words!), the team is in high spirits and tackling the challenge head on.
08:30 08/03/2021
DAY 4: ON FOOT
The team are tracking really well and have broken the back of the mammoth distance they have set out to conquer. Setting a challenging task for their support team, the GOFENCE® Marlborough team made their way on bikes to transition 5 where no service was available. After pulling into the transition area at around 1am, the support team had a hot meal prepped and our competitors were able to grab a few hours sleep before kicking back into gear at 5am.
They will now embark on a considerable session on foot into the heart of the Kaweka Forest to transition 6 and the southernmost point of the course. From here they will make their way, again by foot, to the western edge of the Kaimanawa Forest where they will meet transition 7 and their bikes to track back towards Turangi and Lake Taupo.
15:30 07/03/2021
DAY 3: ROGAINE
The GOFENCE® Marlborough team is making an excellent comeback in the rogaine round, currently placing 17th overall. They are over halfway through their 21km trek to Waituheomana Stream, which is where their next transition will be. Again, the support crew are unable to access this point but are looking forward to seeing them after the next round of mountain biking.
Photo credit: GODZone
08:30 07/03/2021
DAY 3: FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
After pedalling overnight, the team has now made it to the third transition, one of the areas that the support crew is unable to attend. After missing a turn off in the last section, the team have bounced back and are ready for the next stage, which will take them through Whirinaki State Forest. This is where they will do a trek and rogaine course – a first for GODZone. Teams have 11 controls to collect from different checkpoints; 2 of them are compulsory and out of the other 9, there are 7 to collect and 2 that they are able to miss. This is ultimately the team’s decision which ones they will collect – depending on the route they wish to take. This stage is anyone’s game and good navigational experience will be of great importance during this rogaine course. The team has a few high climbs ahead of them, but we’re rooting for them – especially in this leg of the race.
Photo credit: GODZone
16:30 06/03/2021
DAY 2: 134 KM OF PEDALLING
After four hours of sleep and some good food, the team was ready to go again at 8 am. Seeing as they were in the first wave, they had to wait a full six hours at that transition area. At 10:10 am, they were able to commence again on bike. Keeping a good pace, the team headed roadside towards the Moerangi Track and into the Whirinaki Forest. Currently coming in 11th place, this bike track looks like a good one, with 134 km of pedalling. The support crew is unable to meet the team until the fifth transition due to safety precautions. It is estimated that it’ll be 21-36 hours before they’ll see them again. Until then, the GODZone crew will be looking after all of the teams at the next two transitions.
Photo credit: GODZone
09:30 06/03/2021
DAY 2: NO REST FOR THE WICKED
While we were tucked up in our beds last night, the GOFENCE® Marlborough team were paddling and hiking their way through the second leg of the race. The team is currently in 10th place and is waiting at transition two. The support crew set up their tents last night and waited for the team to get in, which was around 4 am this morning. They showed up in good spirits and several beestings. After taking some antihistamines and applying powder to their feet, they got in a four-hour sleep. After getting some real food in their bellies, they are ready for the third stage: mountain biking.
14:30 05/03/2021
DAY 1: AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
The team is doing incredible, after completing their first transition – biking. Way ahead of schedule, the team waited for around 20 minutes for their support crew before they were able to move onto the next leg of the race. They are currently packrafting across the lakes before storing their packrafts away in their backpacks to travel on foot. This second stage is estimated to last around 18-22 hours. The support crew will then meet them tomorrow morning, where they will have a mandatory six hour rest period before continuing.
Photo credit: GODZone
10:30 05/03/2021
DAY 1: THE RACE HAS BEGUN
After the team got their 23 maps last night, they stayed up late planning their route, saying that this is the biggest GODZone event they have seen. The whole course is around 700km if you follow the whole trail correctly, but it’ll probably end up taking longer in some parts. The nerves were high this morning as they were dropped off at the start line. The teams were put in the first wave, at random, and are currently on their bikes going through the park. They will spend 3.5-4 hours biking before their next transition, which will be packrafting and trekking.
12:00 04/03/2021
WELCOME & COMPETITOR BRIEFINGS
It’s an overcast day in Rotorua as the team is currently preparing their bikes, packrafts and extra gear for the big race tomorrow. Adventure racing is usually a social sport, but due to COVID-19, restrictions will be put in place for the teams, volunteers and support crew. Teams had an online race briefing along with gear checks this morning, and are set to get their maps at 2:30 pm. This afternoon, they can start planning their route, maintaining a 2m safe distance from other teams. During the race, teams are advised to stay within 20m of their teammates for navigational purposes so they don’t get lost. There are no surprises yet, but we know the team’s nerves will be picking up for the big day tomorrow.
Goldpine
Team
13:51 12/03/2022
DAY TEN: BRIGHTON BEACH
What a race! The GOFENCE® Team made it to Brighton Beach finish line at 11:15 am this morning with smiles on their faces. It was a beautiful location to end what was a gruelling but epic experience for the team of four. The team placed 15th overall.
We caught up with the team at the end of the race to hear their thoughts and feelings about GODZone Chapter 10 and all that it involved. Keep your eyes peeled for the post-race video and write up. A massive congratulations to Kieran, James, Sarah and Jeremy!
09:28 12/03/2022
DAY TEN: NEARLY AT THE FINISH LINE
The GOFENCE® Team have made it through the kayak stage after camping up at the bridge overnight. This obviously gave them the strength they needed to pull through to the last round. They are a quarter of the way through Stage 10 – a short trek across Brighton Beach to the finish line.
The team will most likely reach the end within the next few hours.
21:00 11/03/2022
DAY NINE: SKIPPING STAGE 8
The GOFENCE® Team completed Stage 8 in five and a half hours getting into TA 7 for a compulsory three hour break before their support crew drove them to the start of Stage 9 – a kayak down Taieri River. The team have skipped Stage 8, which consisted of a 100km mountain bike, to make it in time for the finish line on Saturday.
Not long to go for them now!
09:16 11/03/2022
DAY NINE: SHORT COURSE
When the GOFENCE® Team got to TA 6, they made the collective decision to short course the next stage. Belinda said that the team are wrecked. She doesn’t know how they stopped for so long during the night as they only have two extremely lightweight sleeping bags, no sleeping mats and no puffer jackets. We hope that they’re doing okay!
If all goes well, we’re hoping to see them around 1 pm on Saturday at the finish line. We’ll keep you posted.
15:59 10/03/2022
DAY EIGHT: TEAMWORK AT ITS BEST
The GOFENCE® Team reached TA 6 at 3:30 pm – just one hour before the long course cut-off time. We’re so proud of what they’ve achieved so far and cannot imagine how tough it would be for them out there.
We hope the team are getting treated to some warm food and a little kip at this transition point before moving onto the next stage of the race, which we think will be the hardest of the last few stages. Stage 7 is a 45km packraft/trek through the Central Otago terrain/wetlands, starting at Lake Onslow and finishing in Paerau.
Other teams have been completing this stage with the fastest time being 14 hours and the slowest time being 19 hours. What time will the GOFENCE® Team achieve it in?
19:41 09/03/2022
DAY SEVEN: THEY MADE THE CUT
We were all wondering whether the GOFENCE® Team would make it to TA 5 in time before the cut off, and they have already made it. This means that the team will be able to continue on the full course. Even after the long trek, they came through smiling and even managed a quick 60-minute sleep.
The next stage is mountain biking, where they will start at Dead Dog Flat and finish at Lake Onslow – a total distance of 170km. The team usually do well in the mountain bike stages, so we’re pretty confident that they will nail Stage 6. They will need to be at TA 6 by 4:30 pm tomorrow to stay on the full course.
We must also mention that it’s Kieran’s birthday today. Happy Birthday, Kieran! It is probably his most gruelling one yet.
08:00 09/03/2022
DAY SEVEN: IN THE MOUNTAINS
The GOFENCE® Team are deep in Stage 5 of “Eyre Mountains”. Belinda has said that the team are taking another radical route choice in this stage. With 3700m worth of vertical ascent, this will surely challenge the team who need to make it to TA 5 by 11 pm tonight if they want to continue on the long course.
08:35 08/03/2022
DAY SIX: A LITTLE SLEEP CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
The GOFENCE® Team reached TA 3 at 1:30am this morning in pretty good spirits. Jeremy had a crook stomach the first couple of days. Kieran and James were very close to losing toe nails, but they’re all well considering. They managed a hot meal and five hours sleep which will hopefully help them toward achieving the full course.
After Stage 4, their 90-kilometre mountain bike route from Glenorchy to Pretty Hill (which took approximately seven and a half hours), they made it to TA 4 where they slept a further four hours.
The team are currently in Stage 5 of the race which consists of a trek from Pretty Hill to Dead Dog Flat. This is also considered to be a very tough stage with the duration lasting anywhere between 22-45 hours.
16:31 07/03/2022
DAY FIVE: CLOSING IN ON TA 3
We’ve had our eyes peeled to the live tracking, regularly checking how the GOFENCE® Team are progressing. We can see they’ve passed checkpoint 7 and are closing in on TA 3 in Glenorchy which means we’ll hear an update from their support crew as soon as they arrive. A new short course has been instigated for teams arriving at TA 3 after 8 pm due to the length of time it’s taken teams to complete this stage, but it looks like the GOFENCE® Team will make it in time.
Then onto Stage 4: a 90-kilometre mountain bike. Perhaps a chance to recover from the previous stage with reports of funky feet from the wet feet action.
16:35 06/03/2022
DAY FOUR: SCENIC RIVERS
The GOFENCE® Team are currently sitting at number 22 on the leaderboard as they push through Stage 3: Packraft/Trek. They've enjoyed beautiful scenery the whole way along the Pyke River and have just made the tricky ascent up Hidden Falls. They will now be descending down to the Dart River. An ETA into Glenorchy is hard to say with this stage estimated to take anywhere between 33 and 50 hours.
17:26 05/03/2022
DAY THREE: CHOOSING THE COASTAL ROUTE
The GOFENCE® Team are still in Stage 3 of the race, with Belinda (wife of James McCone) saying that the team lost a lot of sleep figuring out what route they would take in the first part of the third stage. They went to bed deciding that they would take the coastal route as the navigation was safe, and the travel would be a lot faster.
When they spent another hour looking at the map on race day morning, they switched to the Cascade River route. The support crew are predicting to see the team at TA 3 in Glenorchy around midday on Sunday!
21:30 04/03/2022
DAY TWO: IN THE NICK OF TIME
The team and support crew had a manic morning as they got held up at Hasst Pass for a 20-minute bridge inspection while driving to the start point. James was sitting in the back of the car blowing up their packrafts, getting them ready for when they arrived. The team got ushered to the start line with just six minutes to spare.
The GOFENCE® team have already made it through the first and second stage of the race. The team completed the first stretch in five hours and moved onto the second stage, which they completed in one hour. Stage 2 led them on an 18km mountain bike ride alongside the Jackson River, finishing at Martyr Homestead.
They spent 20 minutes at Transition Two (TA 2) with Jeremy suffering from a cramp. The team are currently in sixth place and are now in Stage 3, consisting of more packrafting and trekking. This leg of the journey looks like a challenging one as the teams are faced with tough decisions early on, whether to go coastal or head up the cascade; the choice is theirs! Afterwards, they will follow the stunning scenery along the Pyke River before ascending up Hidden Falls heading towards Park Pass (a total ascent of 2000m). They will then descent down to the Dart River, finishing in Glenorchy. This stage is estimated to take teams anywhere from 30-55 hours.
10:00 04/03/2022
DAY TWO: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS
We are cheering the team on from the office today. Starting at 12:30 pm from Jackson Point, the GOFENCE® team will begin Stage 1 “Lake Ellery/Milford” which consists of a packraft and trek. They will follow the coast in their packrafts until they reach the exit of Smoothwater River. From there, they will trek through rainforests (with a 250m ascent/descent) before they paddle Lake Ellery to the next checkpoint. The distance of this leg of the race is 18km and is estimated to take around three to six hours, finishing up at Island Flat.
12:00 03/03/2022
DAY ONE: REGISTRATION DAY
It’s been a sunny day in Wanaka for the GOFENCE® team as they registered for their place in GODZone Chapter 10 – Southern Traverse, starting tomorrow.
We spoke with Kieran and Jeremy briefly this morning; Kieran was just about to do a workout whilst Jeremy said the most he’ll be doing today is stretching and eating lots of food.
They received their maps for the full course of the race at 2:30 pm today which will help Kieran and James pick the best route for the team to take. This will also help give them an estimated time of when they expect to finish the race if all goes well. Their overall goal is to complete the full course and the weather is expected to be mostly fine throughout the race.
The team are excited to get the race underway. Their gear is all packed up and ready to go for the race tomorrow. They'll drive north to the start line in Jackson Bay.
23:30 11/03/2021
DAY 7: THE FINISH LINE
The team were in high spirits as they passed the finish line on their bikes just after 11pm tonight, completing the full course of GODZone Chapter 9 in Rotorua. They should be massively proud of themselves for smashing their goal, with all four of them making it to the finish. What an accomplishment, team!
19:30 11/03/2021
DAY 7: ONE MORE STAGE
The support crew are waiting at transition 11 right now as the team has around half an hour left on the water. The last stage will see them biking to the finish line, from Ohakuri Reserve to Waipa Hub, Redwoods. This last leg of the race is going to take the team around 2-4 hours to complete, as they spend 38km cycling through the Redwoods.
I bet they are looking forward to that pie and beer and the overall accomplishment when we see them at the finish line later tonight.
17:30 11/03/2021
DAY 7: THE FINAL STAGES
It was 1:30 pm when the team finished kayaking before continuing onto the bike stage. According to the tracker, they had the fastest kayak split time. At the rate the team is going, they are smashing it out of the park and are just moments away from getting off their bikes and making it safely to transition 10. Jeremy even took some time out to have a chat with the GODZone media team at this transition.
The second to last stage will have them packrafting along Lake Ohakuri for 13km. This stage requires a good deal of navigation as there are lots of hidden checkpoints that can be challenging at night. This section is estimated to take around 3-5 hours.
They’re getting that much closer to the finish line!
09:00 11/03/2021
DAY 7: LAKE TAUPO
The team arrived at transition 7 just before 11 pm last night, just a couple of hours after their estimated arrival time. The weather reports from the top of the ranges indicated a lot of wind, rain and cold temperatures. The team came in looking very wet and tired. They had a couple of hours of sleep at this transition before heading off on their bikes at 4:30 am. This biking stage was a short 1-2 hour stint, mainly to give the support crew time to get to the next transition at Waiotaka Reserve.
They had a quick change and some food at transition 8 before heading off in their kayaks at 7 am, following the western shoreline of Lake Taupo. The estimated time for this stage of the race is 7-10 hours. The GOFENCE® Marlborough team is already a quarter of the way through and we hope to see them reach transition 9 by 2-3 pm today, if all goes smoothly.
16:00 10/03/2021
DAY 6: NOT LONG NOW
The support team is on their way to Turangi now as they get ready to wait for the team at the next transition. Kieran’s brother and his team, Victory Vets, should be at transition 7 by now. It is estimated that the GOFENCE® Marlborough team is only 4-5 hours behind them. They are hoping to see the team reach transition 7 around 8 pm-9 pm tonight. The next stage is a short bike ride along the Tongariro River Trail before they reach the next transition and the next stage, which will be kayaking across New Zealand’s lake: Lake Taupo.
10:00 10/03/2021
DAY 6: STAY STRONG
The team are still on track as they continue through the seventh stage of the race. They managed to stop last night and get a couple hours of sleep, which was obviously just what they needed to stay strong progress through this tough trek. Once they reach transition 7, it is said that their elevation gains would equate to climbing Mt Taranaki twice.
16:30 09/03/2021
DAY 5: THE WAITING GAME
As the waiting game continues, we are constantly keeping an eye on the tracker in anticipation to see whether there are any movements from the team. Meanwhile, the support crew is on bike cleaning duties, in preparation for the team’s 27km bike ride in the next round. It’s still a fair way off though, but we will continue to update you when we have any more news. We have no doubt it’s a tough journey for the team right now, but we know that they have what it takes to make it through this tough stage of the race.
08:30 09/03/2021
DAY 5: GODZONE’S ICONIC STAGE
The GOFENCE® Marlborough team made it to transition 6 last night, where the GODZone officials would have greeted them and provided them with fuel for their bodies. They would have dropped their packrafts off at this site and made a plan of attack to combat the 88km gruelling hike ahead of them. Stage 7 consists of around 6000m of vertical ascent, where they will be battling thick terrain while also seeing some beautiful views of the North Island – weather permitting. This is GODZone’s iconic stage, and if the team makes it through this round – they should be exceptionally proud of themselves.
The team is tracking well through this stage and it is expected to be around two days before the support crew will see them again at transition 7, with sore feet and tired bodies.
This is a shot of the GODZone tracker and the GOFENCE® Marlborough team is number 14
18:00 08/03/2021
DAY 4: INTO THE KAWEKAS
Late into day four and while we can’t track the morale of our team, we can see the progress they are making towards transition 6. The team set off into the depths of the Kaweka forest this morning in the attempt to get to the river and into their pack rafts as soon as possible in order to make the transition before dark. With a compulsory dark zone approaching, meaning the team would be forced to stay off the water, they must work hard to get through to the transition before 20:00. The potential gain would mean they could get a jump on the teams still on the water.
As for our support team, it’s possible they have had a more eventful day than the competitors. After operating through the night to get the GOFENCE® team away to the best start, our support team pointed the car north, tracking back to Taupo. Somewhere along the road, a faint smell of burnt rubber made its way through the car, to be accompanied by the sight of smoke from the wheel on the trailer. After a couple hours marooned on the side of the road, Tim and Danielle found themselves at the local Taupo mechanic with a wheel missing on the trailer. After reassurance that the trailer could be fixed by the next required transition, Tim and Danielle headed for the hotel to catch some well-earned rest.
The team will be assisted by the GODZone officials at transition 6, before they head west, through the Kaimanawas on foot for over 80km. These two stages are said to be the ‘make or break’ stages in the race and a good performance could put them well on their way to achieving their goal of completing full course. Apart from Glenn, who looks “bruised and battered after a couple clumsy falls” (Danielle’s words!), the team is in high spirits and tackling the challenge head on.
08:30 08/03/2021
DAY 4: ON FOOT
The team are tracking really well and have broken the back of the mammoth distance they have set out to conquer. Setting a challenging task for their support team, the GOFENCE® Marlborough team made their way on bikes to transition 5 where no service was available. After pulling into the transition area at around 1am, the support team had a hot meal prepped and our competitors were able to grab a few hours sleep before kicking back into gear at 5am.
They will now embark on a considerable session on foot into the heart of the Kaweka Forest to transition 6 and the southernmost point of the course. From here they will make their way, again by foot, to the western edge of the Kaimanawa Forest where they will meet transition 7 and their bikes to track back towards Turangi and Lake Taupo.
15:30 07/03/2021
DAY 3: ROGAINE
The GOFENCE® Marlborough team is making an excellent comeback in the rogaine round, currently placing 17th overall. They are over halfway through their 21km trek to Waituheomana Stream, which is where their next transition will be. Again, the support crew are unable to access this point but are looking forward to seeing them after the next round of mountain biking.
Photo credit: GODZone
08:30 07/03/2021
DAY 3: FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
After pedalling overnight, the team has now made it to the third transition, one of the areas that the support crew is unable to attend. After missing a turn off in the last section, the team have bounced back and are ready for the next stage, which will take them through Whirinaki State Forest. This is where they will do a trek and rogaine course – a first for GODZone. Teams have 11 controls to collect from different checkpoints; 2 of them are compulsory and out of the other 9, there are 7 to collect and 2 that they are able to miss. This is ultimately the team’s decision which ones they will collect – depending on the route they wish to take. This stage is anyone’s game and good navigational experience will be of great importance during this rogaine course. The team has a few high climbs ahead of them, but we’re rooting for them – especially in this leg of the race.
Photo credit: GODZone
16:30 06/03/2021
DAY 2: 134 KM OF PEDALLING
After four hours of sleep and some good food, the team was ready to go again at 8 am. Seeing as they were in the first wave, they had to wait a full six hours at that transition area. At 10:10 am, they were able to commence again on bike. Keeping a good pace, the team headed roadside towards the Moerangi Track and into the Whirinaki Forest. Currently coming in 11th place, this bike track looks like a good one, with 134 km of pedalling. The support crew is unable to meet the team until the fifth transition due to safety precautions. It is estimated that it’ll be 21-36 hours before they’ll see them again. Until then, the GODZone crew will be looking after all of the teams at the next two transitions.
Photo credit: GODZone
09:30 06/03/2021
DAY 2: NO REST FOR THE WICKED
While we were tucked up in our beds last night, the GOFENCE® Marlborough team were paddling and hiking their way through the second leg of the race. The team is currently in 10th place and is waiting at transition two. The support crew set up their tents last night and waited for the team to get in, which was around 4 am this morning. They showed up in good spirits and several beestings. After taking some antihistamines and applying powder to their feet, they got in a four-hour sleep. After getting some real food in their bellies, they are ready for the third stage: mountain biking.
14:30 05/03/2021
DAY 1: AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
The team is doing incredible, after completing their first transition – biking. Way ahead of schedule, the team waited for around 20 minutes for their support crew before they were able to move onto the next leg of the race. They are currently packrafting across the lakes before storing their packrafts away in their backpacks to travel on foot. This second stage is estimated to last around 18-22 hours. The support crew will then meet them tomorrow morning, where they will have a mandatory six hour rest period before continuing.
Photo credit: GODZone
10:30 05/03/2021
DAY 1: THE RACE HAS BEGUN
After the team got their 23 maps last night, they stayed up late planning their route, saying that this is the biggest GODZone event they have seen. The whole course is around 700km if you follow the whole trail correctly, but it’ll probably end up taking longer in some parts. The nerves were high this morning as they were dropped off at the start line. The teams were put in the first wave, at random, and are currently on their bikes going through the park. They will spend 3.5-4 hours biking before their next transition, which will be packrafting and trekking.
12:00 04/03/2021
WELCOME & COMPETITOR BRIEFINGS
It’s an overcast day in Rotorua as the team is currently preparing their bikes, packrafts and extra gear for the big race tomorrow. Adventure racing is usually a social sport, but due to COVID-19, restrictions will be put in place for the teams, volunteers and support crew. Teams had an online race briefing along with gear checks this morning, and are set to get their maps at 2:30 pm. This afternoon, they can start planning their route, maintaining a 2m safe distance from other teams. During the race, teams are advised to stay within 20m of their teammates for navigational purposes so they don’t get lost. There are no surprises yet, but we know the team’s nerves will be picking up for the big day tomorrow.
Goldpine
GODZone Updates
13:51 12/03/2022
DAY TEN: BRIGHTON BEACH
What a race! The GOFENCE® Team made it to Brighton Beach finish line at 11:15 am this morning with smiles on their faces. It was a beautiful location to end what was a gruelling but epic experience for the team of four. The team placed 15th overall.
We caught up with the team at the end of the race to hear their thoughts and feelings about GODZone Chapter 10 and all that it involved. Keep your eyes peeled for the post-race video and write up. A massive congratulations to Kieran, James, Sarah and Jeremy!
09:28 12/03/2022
DAY TEN: NEARLY AT THE FINISH LINE
The GOFENCE® Team have made it through the kayak stage after camping up at the bridge overnight. This obviously gave them the strength they needed to pull through to the last round. They are a quarter of the way through Stage 10 – a short trek across Brighton Beach to the finish line.
The team will most likely reach the end within the next few hours.
21:00 11/03/2022
DAY NINE: SKIPPING STAGE 8
The GOFENCE® Team completed Stage 8 in five and a half hours getting into TA 7 for a compulsory three hour break before their support crew drove them to the start of Stage 9 – a kayak down Taieri River. The team have skipped Stage 8, which consisted of a 100km mountain bike, to make it in time for the finish line on Saturday.
Not long to go for them now!
09:16 11/03/2022
DAY NINE: SHORT COURSE
When the GOFENCE® Team got to TA 6, they made the collective decision to short course the next stage. Belinda said that the team are wrecked. She doesn’t know how they stopped for so long during the night as they only have two extremely lightweight sleeping bags, no sleeping mats and no puffer jackets. We hope that they’re doing okay!
If all goes well, we’re hoping to see them around 1 pm on Saturday at the finish line. We’ll keep you posted.
15:59 10/03/2022
DAY EIGHT: TEAMWORK AT ITS BEST
The GOFENCE® Team reached TA 6 at 3:30 pm – just one hour before the long course cut-off time. We’re so proud of what they’ve achieved so far and cannot imagine how tough it would be for them out there.
We hope the team are getting treated to some warm food and a little kip at this transition point before moving onto the next stage of the race, which we think will be the hardest of the last few stages. Stage 7 is a 45km packraft/trek through the Central Otago terrain/wetlands, starting at Lake Onslow and finishing in Paerau.
Other teams have been completing this stage with the fastest time being 14 hours and the slowest time being 19 hours. What time will the GOFENCE® Team achieve it in?
19:41 09/03/2022
DAY SEVEN: THEY MADE THE CUT
We were all wondering whether the GOFENCE® Team would make it to TA 5 in time before the cut off, and they have already made it. This means that the team will be able to continue on the full course. Even after the long trek, they came through smiling and even managed a quick 60-minute sleep.
The next stage is mountain biking, where they will start at Dead Dog Flat and finish at Lake Onslow – a total distance of 170km. The team usually do well in the mountain bike stages, so we’re pretty confident that they will nail Stage 6. They will need to be at TA 6 by 4:30 pm tomorrow to stay on the full course.
We must also mention that it’s Kieran’s birthday today. Happy Birthday, Kieran! It is probably his most gruelling one yet.
08:00 09/03/2022
DAY SEVEN: IN THE MOUNTAINS
The GOFENCE® Team are deep in Stage 5 of “Eyre Mountains”. Belinda has said that the team are taking another radical route choice in this stage. With 3700m worth of vertical ascent, this will surely challenge the team who need to make it to TA 5 by 11 pm tonight if they want to continue on the long course.
08:35 08/03/2022
DAY SIX: A LITTLE SLEEP CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
The GOFENCE® Team reached TA 3 at 1:30am this morning in pretty good spirits. Jeremy had a crook stomach the first couple of days. Kieran and James were very close to losing toe nails, but they’re all well considering. They managed a hot meal and five hours sleep which will hopefully help them toward achieving the full course.
After Stage 4, their 90-kilometre mountain bike route from Glenorchy to Pretty Hill (which took approximately seven and a half hours), they made it to TA 4 where they slept a further four hours.
The team are currently in Stage 5 of the race which consists of a trek from Pretty Hill to Dead Dog Flat. This is also considered to be a very tough stage with the duration lasting anywhere between 22-45 hours.
16:31 07/03/2022
DAY FIVE: CLOSING IN ON TA 3
We’ve had our eyes peeled to the live tracking, regularly checking how the GOFENCE® Team are progressing. We can see they’ve passed checkpoint 7 and are closing in on TA 3 in Glenorchy which means we’ll hear an update from their support crew as soon as they arrive. A new short course has been instigated for teams arriving at TA 3 after 8 pm due to the length of time it’s taken teams to complete this stage, but it looks like the GOFENCE® Team will make it in time.
Then onto Stage 4: a 90-kilometre mountain bike. Perhaps a chance to recover from the previous stage with reports of funky feet from the wet feet action.
16:35 06/03/2022
DAY FOUR: SCENIC RIVERS
The GOFENCE® Team are currently sitting at number 22 on the leaderboard as they push through Stage 3: Packraft/Trek. They've enjoyed beautiful scenery the whole way along the Pyke River and have just made the tricky ascent up Hidden Falls. They will now be descending down to the Dart River. An ETA into Glenorchy is hard to say with this stage estimated to take anywhere between 33 and 50 hours.
17:26 05/03/2022
DAY THREE: CHOOSING THE COASTAL ROUTE
The GOFENCE® Team are still in Stage 3 of the race, with Belinda (wife of James McCone) saying that the team lost a lot of sleep figuring out what route they would take in the first part of the third stage. They went to bed deciding that they would take the coastal route as the navigation was safe, and the travel would be a lot faster.
When they spent another hour looking at the map on race day morning, they switched to the Cascade River route. The support crew are predicting to see the team at TA 3 in Glenorchy around midday on Sunday!
21:30 04/03/2022
DAY TWO: IN THE NICK OF TIME
The team and support crew had a manic morning as they got held up at Hasst Pass for a 20-minute bridge inspection while driving to the start point. James was sitting in the back of the car blowing up their packrafts, getting them ready for when they arrived. The team got ushered to the start line with just six minutes to spare.
The GOFENCE® team have already made it through the first and second stage of the race. The team completed the first stretch in five hours and moved onto the second stage, which they completed in one hour. Stage 2 led them on an 18km mountain bike ride alongside the Jackson River, finishing at Martyr Homestead.
They spent 20 minutes at Transition Two (TA 2) with Jeremy suffering from a cramp. The team are currently in sixth place and are now in Stage 3, consisting of more packrafting and trekking. This leg of the journey looks like a challenging one as the teams are faced with tough decisions early on, whether to go coastal or head up the cascade; the choice is theirs! Afterwards, they will follow the stunning scenery along the Pyke River before ascending up Hidden Falls heading towards Park Pass (a total ascent of 2000m). They will then descent down to the Dart River, finishing in Glenorchy. This stage is estimated to take teams anywhere from 30-55 hours.
10:00 04/03/2022
DAY TWO: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS
We are cheering the team on from the office today. Starting at 12:30 pm from Jackson Point, the GOFENCE® team will begin Stage 1 “Lake Ellery/Milford” which consists of a packraft and trek. They will follow the coast in their packrafts until they reach the exit of Smoothwater River. From there, they will trek through rainforests (with a 250m ascent/descent) before they paddle Lake Ellery to the next checkpoint. The distance of this leg of the race is 18km and is estimated to take around three to six hours, finishing up at Island Flat.
12:00 03/03/2022
DAY ONE: REGISTRATION DAY
It’s been a sunny day in Wanaka for the GOFENCE® team as they registered for their place in GODZone Chapter 10 – Southern Traverse, starting tomorrow.
We spoke with Kieran and Jeremy briefly this morning; Kieran was just about to do a workout whilst Jeremy said the most he’ll be doing today is stretching and eating lots of food.
They received their maps for the full course of the race at 2:30 pm today which will help Kieran and James pick the best route for the team to take. This will also help give them an estimated time of when they expect to finish the race if all goes well. Their overall goal is to complete the full course and the weather is expected to be mostly fine throughout the race.
The team are excited to get the race underway. Their gear is all packed up and ready to go for the race tomorrow. They'll drive north to the start line in Jackson Bay.
23:30 11/03/2021
DAY 7: THE FINISH LINE
The team were in high spirits as they passed the finish line on their bikes just after 11pm tonight, completing the full course of GODZone Chapter 9 in Rotorua. They should be massively proud of themselves for smashing their goal, with all four of them making it to the finish. What an accomplishment, team!
19:30 11/03/2021
DAY 7: ONE MORE STAGE
The support crew are waiting at transition 11 right now as the team has around half an hour left on the water. The last stage will see them biking to the finish line, from Ohakuri Reserve to Waipa Hub, Redwoods. This last leg of the race is going to take the team around 2-4 hours to complete, as they spend 38km cycling through the Redwoods.
I bet they are looking forward to that pie and beer and the overall accomplishment when we see them at the finish line later tonight.
17:30 11/03/2021
DAY 7: THE FINAL STAGES
It was 1:30 pm when the team finished kayaking before continuing onto the bike stage. According to the tracker, they had the fastest kayak split time. At the rate the team is going, they are smashing it out of the park and are just moments away from getting off their bikes and making it safely to transition 10. Jeremy even took some time out to have a chat with the GODZone media team at this transition.
The second to last stage will have them packrafting along Lake Ohakuri for 13km. This stage requires a good deal of navigation as there are lots of hidden checkpoints that can be challenging at night. This section is estimated to take around 3-5 hours.
They’re getting that much closer to the finish line!
09:00 11/03/2021
DAY 7: LAKE TAUPO
The team arrived at transition 7 just before 11 pm last night, just a couple of hours after their estimated arrival time. The weather reports from the top of the ranges indicated a lot of wind, rain and cold temperatures. The team came in looking very wet and tired. They had a couple of hours of sleep at this transition before heading off on their bikes at 4:30 am. This biking stage was a short 1-2 hour stint, mainly to give the support crew time to get to the next transition at Waiotaka Reserve.
They had a quick change and some food at transition 8 before heading off in their kayaks at 7 am, following the western shoreline of Lake Taupo. The estimated time for this stage of the race is 7-10 hours. The GOFENCE® Marlborough team is already a quarter of the way through and we hope to see them reach transition 9 by 2-3 pm today, if all goes smoothly.
16:00 10/03/2021
DAY 6: NOT LONG NOW
The support team is on their way to Turangi now as they get ready to wait for the team at the next transition. Kieran’s brother and his team, Victory Vets, should be at transition 7 by now. It is estimated that the GOFENCE® Marlborough team is only 4-5 hours behind them. They are hoping to see the team reach transition 7 around 8 pm-9 pm tonight. The next stage is a short bike ride along the Tongariro River Trail before they reach the next transition and the next stage, which will be kayaking across New Zealand’s lake: Lake Taupo.
10:00 10/03/2021
DAY 6: STAY STRONG
The team are still on track as they continue through the seventh stage of the race. They managed to stop last night and get a couple hours of sleep, which was obviously just what they needed to stay strong progress through this tough trek. Once they reach transition 7, it is said that their elevation gains would equate to climbing Mt Taranaki twice.
16:30 09/03/2021
DAY 5: THE WAITING GAME
As the waiting game continues, we are constantly keeping an eye on the tracker in anticipation to see whether there are any movements from the team. Meanwhile, the support crew is on bike cleaning duties, in preparation for the team’s 27km bike ride in the next round. It’s still a fair way off though, but we will continue to update you when we have any more news. We have no doubt it’s a tough journey for the team right now, but we know that they have what it takes to make it through this tough stage of the race.
08:30 09/03/2021
DAY 5: GODZONE’S ICONIC STAGE
The GOFENCE® Marlborough team made it to transition 6 last night, where the GODZone officials would have greeted them and provided them with fuel for their bodies. They would have dropped their packrafts off at this site and made a plan of attack to combat the 88km gruelling hike ahead of them. Stage 7 consists of around 6000m of vertical ascent, where they will be battling thick terrain while also seeing some beautiful views of the North Island – weather permitting. This is GODZone’s iconic stage, and if the team makes it through this round – they should be exceptionally proud of themselves.
The team is tracking well through this stage and it is expected to be around two days before the support crew will see them again at transition 7, with sore feet and tired bodies.
This is a shot of the GODZone tracker and the GOFENCE® Marlborough team is number 14
18:00 08/03/2021
DAY 4: INTO THE KAWEKAS
Late into day four and while we can’t track the morale of our team, we can see the progress they are making towards transition 6. The team set off into the depths of the Kaweka forest this morning in the attempt to get to the river and into their pack rafts as soon as possible in order to make the transition before dark. With a compulsory dark zone approaching, meaning the team would be forced to stay off the water, they must work hard to get through to the transition before 20:00. The potential gain would mean they could get a jump on the teams still on the water.
As for our support team, it’s possible they have had a more eventful day than the competitors. After operating through the night to get the GOFENCE® team away to the best start, our support team pointed the car north, tracking back to Taupo. Somewhere along the road, a faint smell of burnt rubber made its way through the car, to be accompanied by the sight of smoke from the wheel on the trailer. After a couple hours marooned on the side of the road, Tim and Danielle found themselves at the local Taupo mechanic with a wheel missing on the trailer. After reassurance that the trailer could be fixed by the next required transition, Tim and Danielle headed for the hotel to catch some well-earned rest.
The team will be assisted by the GODZone officials at transition 6, before they head west, through the Kaimanawas on foot for over 80km. These two stages are said to be the ‘make or break’ stages in the race and a good performance could put them well on their way to achieving their goal of completing full course. Apart from Glenn, who looks “bruised and battered after a couple clumsy falls” (Danielle’s words!), the team is in high spirits and tackling the challenge head on.
08:30 08/03/2021
DAY 4: ON FOOT
The team are tracking really well and have broken the back of the mammoth distance they have set out to conquer. Setting a challenging task for their support team, the GOFENCE® Marlborough team made their way on bikes to transition 5 where no service was available. After pulling into the transition area at around 1am, the support team had a hot meal prepped and our competitors were able to grab a few hours sleep before kicking back into gear at 5am.
They will now embark on a considerable session on foot into the heart of the Kaweka Forest to transition 6 and the southernmost point of the course. From here they will make their way, again by foot, to the western edge of the Kaimanawa Forest where they will meet transition 7 and their bikes to track back towards Turangi and Lake Taupo.
15:30 07/03/2021
DAY 3: ROGAINE
The GOFENCE® Marlborough team is making an excellent comeback in the rogaine round, currently placing 17th overall. They are over halfway through their 21km trek to Waituheomana Stream, which is where their next transition will be. Again, the support crew are unable to access this point but are looking forward to seeing them after the next round of mountain biking.
Photo credit: GODZone
08:30 07/03/2021
DAY 3: FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
After pedalling overnight, the team has now made it to the third transition, one of the areas that the support crew is unable to attend. After missing a turn off in the last section, the team have bounced back and are ready for the next stage, which will take them through Whirinaki State Forest. This is where they will do a trek and rogaine course – a first for GODZone. Teams have 11 controls to collect from different checkpoints; 2 of them are compulsory and out of the other 9, there are 7 to collect and 2 that they are able to miss. This is ultimately the team’s decision which ones they will collect – depending on the route they wish to take. This stage is anyone’s game and good navigational experience will be of great importance during this rogaine course. The team has a few high climbs ahead of them, but we’re rooting for them – especially in this leg of the race.
Photo credit: GODZone
16:30 06/03/2021
DAY 2: 134 KM OF PEDALLING
After four hours of sleep and some good food, the team was ready to go again at 8 am. Seeing as they were in the first wave, they had to wait a full six hours at that transition area. At 10:10 am, they were able to commence again on bike. Keeping a good pace, the team headed roadside towards the Moerangi Track and into the Whirinaki Forest. Currently coming in 11th place, this bike track looks like a good one, with 134 km of pedalling. The support crew is unable to meet the team until the fifth transition due to safety precautions. It is estimated that it’ll be 21-36 hours before they’ll see them again. Until then, the GODZone crew will be looking after all of the teams at the next two transitions.
Photo credit: GODZone
09:30 06/03/2021
DAY 2: NO REST FOR THE WICKED
While we were tucked up in our beds last night, the GOFENCE® Marlborough team were paddling and hiking their way through the second leg of the race. The team is currently in 10th place and is waiting at transition two. The support crew set up their tents last night and waited for the team to get in, which was around 4 am this morning. They showed up in good spirits and several beestings. After taking some antihistamines and applying powder to their feet, they got in a four-hour sleep. After getting some real food in their bellies, they are ready for the third stage: mountain biking.
14:30 05/03/2021
DAY 1: AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
The team is doing incredible, after completing their first transition – biking. Way ahead of schedule, the team waited for around 20 minutes for their support crew before they were able to move onto the next leg of the race. They are currently packrafting across the lakes before storing their packrafts away in their backpacks to travel on foot. This second stage is estimated to last around 18-22 hours. The support crew will then meet them tomorrow morning, where they will have a mandatory six hour rest period before continuing.
Photo credit: GODZone
10:30 05/03/2021
DAY 1: THE RACE HAS BEGUN
After the team got their 23 maps last night, they stayed up late planning their route, saying that this is the biggest GODZone event they have seen. The whole course is around 700km if you follow the whole trail correctly, but it’ll probably end up taking longer in some parts. The nerves were high this morning as they were dropped off at the start line. The teams were put in the first wave, at random, and are currently on their bikes going through the park. They will spend 3.5-4 hours biking before their next transition, which will be packrafting and trekking.
12:00 04/03/2021
WELCOME & COMPETITOR BRIEFINGS
It’s an overcast day in Rotorua as the team is currently preparing their bikes, packrafts and extra gear for the big race tomorrow. Adventure racing is usually a social sport, but due to COVID-19, restrictions will be put in place for the teams, volunteers and support crew. Teams had an online race briefing along with gear checks this morning, and are set to get their maps at 2:30 pm. This afternoon, they can start planning their route, maintaining a 2m safe distance from other teams. During the race, teams are advised to stay within 20m of their teammates for navigational purposes so they don’t get lost. There are no surprises yet, but we know the team’s nerves will be picking up for the big day tomorrow.
