The 2013 Rollo's Nelson Adventure Race – The Journey Home

I’ve been trying to write up a Rollo’s Nelson Adventure Race pre-race report for the media, the words aren’t flowing as they use to. So I’ve been thinking about the facts.

·         There have been 11 Rollo’s Nelson Adventure Races since 2001.

·         This year’s race will be the 12th and the final race under my control.

·         It is the longest running South Island 12 & 24 hour Adventure Race.

·         Created the Adventure Duathlon category.

·         Many of New Zealand’s best Multisporters and Adventure Racers have been to a Rollo’s Nelson Adventure Race.

·         Only the first race was won for a non-Nelson team. Mainly Tramping B from Wellington.

·         Only 2 people have started them all.

·         Nathan Faavae has never lost, but it has been close…once.

·         We have raced mainly out of Nelson, but have had racers at Nelson Lakes, Kaiteriteri/Abel Tasman and Collingwood- Golden Bay.

I welcome you all to join me on one of my last Adventure’s (the Sheriff’s Last Stand) starting from Anakiwa in the Marlborough Sounds and finishing in Nelson’s CBD. This full, 1/2 and 8 hour races will start on the 4th May and will have a Duathlon option. You will Bike, Kayak, Trek, Seek, & Portage your way back to Nelson, the long way, as they say ‘the road less travelled offers the greatest reward’

The Adventure Races 12 & 24 will start at Anakiwa while those doing the Adventure Duathlon’s will start further down the course. The Eight (8Hour) will start even further down the course.

All teams will do the same course, however (because the word BUT isn’t cool I’m told) the 24 will need to get all the checkpoints, the 12 will have a few less to obtain and the 8 will only get a taste of what will be a fantastic finale of an iconic event.

The flow is quite simple really, if you do the 24, you will have 24 hours to get what you can, the same applies with the 12 & 8 hour events as the last stage is a seek/rogaine. You will find out once you reach the last transition, as I’m going to keep you all on your toes.

The course will not over the top, quite mild really, go hard early you will suffer later, however it’s very do-able with the time you have. Teams will only see their crew twice for the 12&24 Adventure Race and once for both the 12&24 Adventure Duathlon & 8hour, so it’s very self-sufficient.

With that all said, this will be your last chance to add the Rollo’s Nelson Adventure Race to your bucket list, entries are open, so head to www.adventurenelson.co.nz and if you can find the race rules and entry form, then that may be the hardest bit of navigation that you will have….I hope.

So I look forward to seeing you at the 2013 start-lines (as there are 3 of them) on the 4th May.

Until then

Chris ‘the Sheriff’ James