Orienteers Podium in Australia's Best Adventure Race

Wednesday, 16 April 2008

The SILVA Stingers team of Rob Preston (OA High Performance Manager, NCN) and Richard Mountstephens (BFN) have finished 3rd in the 2008 KEEN Alps to Ocean Adventure Race. Starting the race in great fashion, they won the Prologue around Falls Creek in 2hrs48mins.

The 2nd stage took competitors from Falls Creek, over Mt Bogong (Victoria’s highest peak) and down to Mount Beauty by mountain bike. The SILVA Stingers were 3rd on this stage in 9hrs28mins, finishing behind Adventuresportnz, and OrionHealth Mixed.

This set the standard for the rest  of the race with the ultralong 3rd stage also being won by AdventuresportNZ, OrionHealth Mixed 2nd, and SILVA Stingers 3rd. This 28hr stage from Falls Creek to Omeo included a crux paddle down the very rocky Mitta Mitta river, and a 10-15hr trek with extremely tough navigation.

The final stage saw competitors start with Orienteering around Buchan caves with a bit of interesting caving thrown in. Then a 50km mtb ride followed by a 20km kayak to finish at Lakes Entrance. Though the race was promoted as being downhill all the way (Alps to Ocean) it was certainly a tough course with few team finishing the whole race.

The overall were:

1st- AdventuresportNZ which consisted of NZ Orienteer and World AR and Rogaining Champion Chris Forne, and Gordon Walker
2nd- OrionHealth.com Mixed- Stu Lynch (NZ MTBO representative) and Anna Berthleson
3rd- SILVA Stingers

Other Australian Orienteers competing were:

10th place John Toomey and Jen Graham-Taylor (John and Jen) from WA
12th place Danielle Winslow (4TC/elsidee.com)
15th place Cath Copeland and Thor Egerton (Sut Map)

Full results can be found here.
News summary
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