A fast and furious ride to Black Mountain Reserve was broken up by the activity everyone was waiting for, the waterslides!! Each team had to have three goes before continuing and in the hot conditions it was a welcome relief. By the time they climbed off their bikes Egos like Hairdos had opened a gap of one and half minutes on The Bexton Experience and VO3MAX had moved into third. Bedraggled Berra Babes had already streaked the rest of the field and had opened up a 30-minute gap on their nearest female rivals whilst AG Outdoor were leading the mixed teams.
The Autobots had a scintillating run on the Black Mountain leg moving themselves up into 3rd position. VO3MAX weren’t as quick however and went the other way, dropping to 11th overall. The other main mover for the leg was the youngsters in Team Abs. Making up for some first leg shenanigans they used their orienteering background to come out of the bush in 4th. The two teams out in front maintained their positions. A tour of the Black Mountain fire trail system brought the teams down to the lake for the kayak/run/swim leg.
The water was again a welcome relief from the heat as the leading team headed out across the water from Black Mountain peninsula to the check points along Yarramundi Reach. The leg included a brief beaching of the kayak to climb the play equipment within Weston Park before reaching the kayak drop point back at Kurrajong Point. From here it was swim back to the bikes with some teams heading North to the bike path whilst some swam straight for the bikes. It was this leg that saw Egos like Hairdos stretch the gap to The Bexton Experience out to six minutes. The fastest time for the leg however went to Kirrawee Hunting Club pitting them in a battle for 4th with Team Abs. VO3MAX had moved back into 3rd after a quick ride on the previous leg. Bedraggled Berra Babes still lead the women’s category, Marshi and Shadows were the 2nd female on course but unbeknownst to them had missed 4 check points on the Black Mountain Leg which would drop them to 3rd behind 1 Kiwi Chuck & her Pom Pom’s.
Urban terrain was up next with a question-fuelled orienteering leg within the ANU followed by a ride along the lakefront. Teams Abs got themselves back into 3rd with another strong run leg and VO3MAX again slipped back during the run leg. They more than made up for it however on a storming last bike leg to take the 3rd step on the podium behind first time winners Egos like Hairdos and The Bexton Experience. Australian Geographic Outdoor were the top mixed team and 7th overall with The Giggitys showing consistency pays off to be the 2nd mixed team and R.C. Bar Studs were third. Bedraggled Berra Babes were the dominant force in the women’s category and took 9th overall, 1 Kiwi Chuck & her Pom Pom’s were 2nd and Marshi and Shadows overcome the missed CPs to still take 3rd. The number one corporate team ucniss.net are already talking up their chances to retain their title whilst the winning family team was the Wild’s team let’s try this again shall we?
Whilst the Classic Course ended with the ANU leg, the Novice Course started with it and Doug Ashy All Stars blitzed the field to open a four-minute lead after just one leg! The second team onto the bikes were LendLease Legends, the eventual winner of the Corporate Category. The Novice teams then crossed the Black Mountain saddle on their bikes before dropping down into the transition into part of the run leg that the Classic Course had also done. Doug Ashy All Stars had stretched their lead here while behind a tense tussle was eventuating with three teams, LendLease Legends, Lost in Transit and Greedy Skinks all within a minute of each other going into the run leg.
It was LendLease Legends who emerged first from the scrub ahead of Doug Ashy All Stars whose race had unfortunately begun to unravel as they collected an incorrect check point during the leg. Greedy Skinks – also the leading male team – were five minutes behind and Lost in Transit a further two minutes back. Crank Pants lead the women’s field. Jumping in the kayaks after another ride through Black Mountain, the gap between the top three had been whittled down so that only all three were only one and a half minutes apart: it was turning into a battle royale!
Greedy Skinks must have gotten their guns pumping as the all-male team emerged from the water with the lead after passing both teams during the paddle. LendLease Legends were 2nd, one minute down and Lost in Transit had dropped from 2nd to the 3rd. With only a fast bike section left it was going to be a hectic race to the finish line. Lost in Transit must have been foxing in the kayak or saving some energy as they caught and passed both teams to take overall line and mixed team honours only 15 seconds ahead LendLease Legends, the winning corporate team, while Greedy Skinks may have lost some time over the closing stages they still won the men’s category. Cranky Pants were never troubled in winning the female category whilst the quickest family team, The Storms also rounded out the top ten overall.
Organisers would like to thank the Series sponsors for their continued support: Paddy Pallin, Fitness First, icebreaker, World Expeditions, Salomon, Suunto, Sea to Summit, Skins, Ultra FIT Magazine, Australian Geographic Outdoor Magazine, GU, Red Bull and local partners The Bike Shed and the Crowne Plaza.
The 2010-11 Series continues with the next event in the new year on 12 February 2011 in the Canberra area and the Season Grand Finale on the Central Coast on 2 April 2011. Entries are currently open online and early-bird specials are available.
For complete results and photos and to enter the other events of the Series go to: www.arocsport.com.au
