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History

Chapter 11 – Fiordland

Event Summary

Fiordland and the wider Southland District was the backdrop to one of the most successful Chapters of GODZONE ever. Great weather, great teams and great PURE and PURSUIT courses served up a technical and visual feast for competitors as they made their way from the start line in Te Anau, to a distant finish line in Riverton, nestled on the South Coast. Fiordland is one of those places where a race director can dial navigation and strategy challenges right up to the max, if desired. The opportunity for discreet and hard to find checkpoints is almost limitless. The hardest job in course planning is perhaps judging what to leave out. Comments from international competitors suggest that it is the off-track travel and decision making that what really sets GODZONE apart from other events.

Knowing that we had already explored Fiordland in 2018 at Chapter 7, we strived to spend a decent portion of the event in an entirely new area. Hence the decision to take teams east towards the spectacular Takitimu Mountains and southwards via the Oreti River. This gave the entire course a superb balance and good variety of terrain for teams to enjoy.

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The Teams

Another good sized field of 75 teams graced the start line of GODZONE Chapter 11, with a particularly strong showing from GZ Pursuit teams (a record number raced the event this time around). The hangover of Covid impacted a number of teams and then Cyclone Gabrielle came along in the last couple of weeks, prior to the event, to knock out a number more. This meant that a good number of teams were unable to make it to the start line in Te Anau. However, it was fantastic to see the return of international teams after the travel ban related to Covid 19. We hadn't seen an international team at the event since Chapter 8 in Canterbury...which, seems like an awfully long time ago now. Having international teams at GODZONE definitely adds to the vibe and creates a great atmosphere around the event. Well done and thank you to all internationals for making the effort to get to New Zealand and a particularly loud hurrah to 'Kolmarden Adventures' (who travelled all the way from Sweden) for winning the GZ PURSUIT Trophy in the process. Kudos.

Team Name Team Captain Team Member 2 Team Member 3 Team Member 4 Final Results
1. Astrolabe Christine Perry Mark wilson Anthony pohlner Clint Falla Unranked
2. Aussie avengers Jarad kohlar Louise mark Ian franzke Klayten smith Full Course
3. AVAYA Nathan Fa'avae Sophie Hart Stu Lynch Chris Forne Full Course
4. bewilder people Kath Copland Kevin Humphrey Jason Watson Hannah Gee Unranked
5. Blue September Jim Cotter Pieter brits Charlotte cotter Hamish cotter Full Course
6. CAJ APPLES ETTRICK Tiaan Mckinnel Flynn Goodger Jonty Mckinnel Jana Dodds Full Course
7. ESTONIAN ACE LASPORTIVA SILVER EENSAAR Timmo TAMMEMÄE ReeDA TUULA-FJODOROV RAIN EENSAAR Full Course
8. FEARyouth Dean Stewart Fynn mitchell Molly spark Josiah Murphy Full Course
9. Fenix multisport Pavel Paloncy Marketa marvanova REY Bruno MARGARITIS Cyril Unranked
10. Freedom Fitness and Coaching Richard Dove Karen Muller Tony Watson Rachel Schmack Unranked
11. Further Faster Vertigoats Nigel Robertson Harvey Brouard Sarah Jenkins Warwick Tuffnell Unranked
12. HAGS Thomas Slee Kate DAY Edwin Laver Gus Hewitt Full Course
13. International tIGERs Narelle Crozier Marijn edelenbosch Aaron Lowe Julie Sager Unranked
14. iomerino BMX Bandits Ben Cirulis Shelley Bambrook Myall Quint Hugh Stodart Full Course
15. MAGICSHINE/ Tiger ar Craig keeling Shaun jackson Kylie Alderson David Carmody Unranked
16. Matai Fiordland Glen mitchell Sky lovill Crystal Brindle jOSH pEARSON Full Course
17. MATES in Construction Ian Walsh Josh Gordon Tessa Aukje Dekker Luke Carroll Full Course
18. Meridian Brett HorWell RYan Kuggeleijn Tina Frew Hamish Laing Full Course
19. Merrell NZ Alistair Bird HenRy Spark EddIe Fardell Jake vargo Unranked
20. Moose on the loose Tom andersen Nikki Kear Nick Thompson Joe kelly Unranked
21. Nelson VETS anthony oswald Brendan hickman Tina Moore Cam algie Full Course
22. No idea will hand Will adlam amy mannering shaun palmer Full Course
23. nutrient rescue Dave Keen Cheryl Young darron jones dave quested Full Course
24. NZ Trundlers Craig Cox Alex Martin Mark Treadgold Noel O leary Short Course
25. Out for the view Rob Lei Aaron Mallett Ashley graham Ben Robson Full Course
26. Pau Te Hau Jesse Offner ADAM Lumsden Levi Offner Jessica RUSSELL Unranked
27. Prescipice powered by ASICS Frankie McKeefry matt smalberger Millie Morgan thomas paul Short Course
28. RAB Wāhine Georgia Whitla Arron Prince Emma McCosh Emily Wilson Full Course
29. Seequent - Sardine racing Peter Joynt Sam Grummitt Fergus Frame Josie Norris Full Course
30. Stable chopsticks jeremy webber Mark Smith NATALIE north Tom downey Full Course
31. Tararua Mountain scorpions Nicole ranger Glen Warner Mike sherwin Stuart Meiklejohn Unranked
32. Te Anau HELICOPTERS Jade lilo Kaleisha Jones Neville ThOrne Xavier Briel Full Course
33. TEAM ARGO NANTES AVENTURES Pierre FRANCOIS REMI CRETE CHRISTINE Cornez Raphael raymond Full Course
34. Team Devold Jamie Mountier THOMAS HUGHES ALIESHA PILE Alan Steel Full Course
35. team eastwind YOKI TANAKA AKIRA YONEmoto Sachiko tokoro MASATO TANAKA Full Course
36. Team Gearshop Dean Velenski Martin Peat Rachel Baker Sakkie Meyer Full Course
37. TEAM KUMHO MILAN BRODINA RUTH CORNELIUS james faulkner alex lark Full Course
38. The Brork Life Brock Hawke Mitch Nissen David Hawke Hilary Bell Full Course
39. Thought Sports Rob Preston Kathryn Preston Tim boote robbie hunt Full Course
40. Tiger Adventure Trevor Mullens Sara Barrett Etienne Gautier Mark Murray Full Course
41. Tiger Adventure NZ kelly Wood Tim Farrant Ollie Thompson Tane Cambridge Full Course
42. TIKI TOUR tom Lucas George Lucas Eryn Cutler Ali Wilson Full Course
43. Turiwhate Katie smith LiZ mcdougall Iain Mciver Marta Zanetti Unranked
44. Wera Whakawi Cameron rogers trishn Nand aARON lYNCH aMANDA rOWE Unranked
45. Whats the gig Andrew Robinson Ian Evans Simon Bloomberg Natalie Gallant Full Course
46. Whitcombe Warriors Karati Metcalfe Kevin O'Donnell Deborah lynch DANIEL Penney Full Course
Team Name Team Captain Team Member 2 Team Member 3 Team Member 4 Final Results
1. Able Abels Dan Abel Jason Magness Ashley Abel Lauren Abel Short Course
2. Allan Scott Family Winemakers Sara Stocker Josh Scott Nir Har-Paz Paul Bougious Unranked
3. Backcountry Studio Nico Dubois Ira Sizova Chris Greenan Lottie armstrong Full Course
4. BRAZEN BROTHERHOOD greg barwick Brenda Carlson-Brown Ben Clarke sam lutze Unranked
5. Chaffing the dream Dan MACDONALD Matt Carter Lisa Payne Vaughn Woods Unranked
6. Doubt-we're Sound Allen Mills Kyle Brennan Alister holmes Olivia McLeod Full Course
7. Fully Rad Tiger Ellie marks Silas Sutherland Jamie Vogele Stewart Adams Unranked
8. Ginger Ninjas Rachel Simons Oren Alazraki Nicola Mitchell John Verney Unranked
9. Gizzy Gully Runners Pete Blake Chris Cave George Williams Caroline MaClaurin Full Course
10. Harrisonbloy Plumbing and Bathroom callum harrison Fiona Stechman Rob rush Taye Pugh Unranked
11. heavy packs all just snacks Kirsten McCashin Rachel Fulton Tanja de wilde Tina GROVE Full Course
12. Kolmarden Adventures Christer Casselsjo MATS RoJGaRD Magnus blomgren bridget dick Full Course
13. NZArmy AR Dave O’Carroll Sarah Rutene Alexandre Barreto de paiva Michael pettersson Unranked
14. patchwork Tigers Chrissy Hohe Yvonne Grosch Timothy Burrell nicola kirkham Unranked
15. Perfect Strangers Kirk Mcdonald CRAIG GINDERS ANITA COPPLESTONE DAN HARRIS Full Course
16. Rewild Turbo Moxie Tigers Laura newton scott poad glen Harris Josh roy Short Course
17. Rum drinking mongrel tigers Grant Watson Shane Mackley nigel crockett Jason beddow Unranked
18. Shadowlands Adrian Braaksma Nikolai lazarev Ivana kolaric luke nolan Unranked
19. Slippery Slope Fiona Shanhun Michele Frey Guy Thompson Kim Hendrie Short Course
20. Stay Frosty Adventure Racing Bob Hunn Helen Waterworth Chris Newson Kyle Samson Unranked
21. Team LOGS Will Payne Kristie Simpson Grant Stewart Steven Ledington Unranked
22. Trek N Travel jared Drummond Kelsi Parker Mitchell Kinghorn Mitchell Thomas Full Course
23. We're really doing it.... alex durran Amber Blodgett mark COCKROFT mark watson Full Course
24. where are the bears Michael John Lieshout Greg Lieshout Gerard lieshout Kathryn Lydiard Full Course

The Route

Teams start Chapter 11 One NZ GODZONE in Te Anau, gateway to Fiordland and finish on the south coast, at the beach town of Riverton. The PURE course is a substantial 578km, with teams navigating, packrafting, trekking, mountain biking and kayaking across the spectacular scenery of the South Island in a broadly southerly direction. The PURSUIT course broadly mirrors the PURE route. There are some small amendments to stages and checkpoint locations which, reduces the overall length of the PURSUIT course to 558km.

Results

GODZONE Chapter 11 - Fiordland, was once again won by team Avaya. The team comprised Nathan Fa'avae, Sophie Hart, Stu Lynch and Chris Forne (his 10th victory in the event). Second place was taken by last year's runners up, No Idea, (who clearly still have a pretty good idea of what they are doing). There is a lot of calm experience in those young bodies. Tiki Tour returned to the podium after last year's setback with a couple of new faces on board. A solid performance from one of our most experienced teams. Special mention to Rab Wahine for being the first team to make the top 4 with three females in the team. Very impressive. The next best was our International Trophy winner, ThoughtSports.

The finish percentage in this race was a relatively respectable 48%. The great weather and well prepared teams probably played a big part in this decent number. Fiordland has the potential to be pretty rugged weather wise but the sun had it's hat on most days without ever being ridiculously hot.

Another measured and well executed performance by legendary team, Avaya. The winners completed the challenging course in fine style, trotting up the beach into Riverton on Tuesday evening to the sound of clapping and cheers. It was an emotional moment for the team as Nathan and Sophie announced that it would be their last outing at the event and probably at any expedition race. It is hard to overemphasise the impact they have had on the sport. Their achievements will probably never be bettered and they will call time on their careers still very firmly at the top. Analysing the data gives some insight into their strategy for winning. Stages 1 and 2 they lurked at or near the front. Then for the next 4 or 5 stages they put their foot down and were the fastest team on every stage. With the gap widening out to several hours, they then spend the last few stages at a more measured pace, sleeping when required, ensuring that no mistakes were made. It's been a deadly combination of strategy, skill and strength. On the upside, the pitch is now empty and there is an opportunity for another team to claim the spoils.

Team Name Team Captain Team Member 2 Team Member 3 Team Member 4 Final Results
1. Avaya Chris Forne Nathan Fava'ae Sophie Hart Stu Lynch 04d 08h 25m
2. No Idea Will Hand Amy Mannering Shaun Palmer Will Adlam 04d 22h 48m
3. Tiki Tour Tom Lucas Ali Wilson George Lucas Eryn Cutler 05d 00h 45m
4. Rab Wahine Emily Wilson Emma McCosh Georgia Whitla Aaron Prince 05d 01h 30m
5. ThoughtSports Rob Preston Kathryn Preston Tim Boote Robbie Hunt 05d 01h 50m

This year's GZ Pursuit course was remarkably similar to the GZ Pure course. Just a few tweaks here and there. A record number (25) teams was a great testament to how popular this class of racing has become and it made for some super competitive racing. Perhaps the fact that the event was in Fiordland had encouraged some teams to pick Pursuit rather than Pure, knowing that the navigation could be extremely challenging? In the end it was Kolmarden Adventures from Sweden who took out top spot. A fine effort for a first time visit to racing in New Zealand.

Team Name Team Captain Team Member 2 Team Member 3 Team Member 4 Final Results
1. Kolmarden Adventures Christer Casselsjö Mats Röjgård Magnus Blomgren Bridget Dick 06d 03h 30m
2. Trek N Travel Jared Drummond Kelsi Parker Mitchell Kinghorn Mitchell Thomas 06d 10h 30m
3. Backcountry Studio Nico Dubois Ira Sizova Chris Greenan Lottie Armstrong 06d 15h 30m
4. Heavy Packs All Just Snacks Kirsten Mccashin Rachel Fulton Tanja De Wilde Tina Grove 06d 22h 30m
5. We're Really Doing It Alex Durran Amber Blodgett Mark Cockroft Mark Watson 07d 00h 30m