Waikato Get-2-Go team places fourth in New Zealand for the second year running

The team arrived on Great Barrier Island with eleven other regional champions via ferry on Sunday, 9 December. After dropping their packs at their cabins, they had their first event, where they had to complete a hilly 7km run, then build a raft and paddle it two kilometres. Monday and Tuesday saw six one-hour challenges ranging from high ropes, stand up paddle boarding, swimming, and team problem-solving. Add this to more kayak and rafting challenges, as well as balance competitions and blindfold relay events and the team was certainly given variety. At the end of Tuesday, the team was placed fourth. Wednesday and Thursday were expedition days, with the teams having to load up their gear in their packs, build another raft and paddle it about six kilometres around the island to the next bay. They were then given a map with checkpoints they had to get to, which included running up over 1100 steps to summit Mount Hobson - the highest peak on the island; running around 17 kilometres to an estuary, where they again built a vessel to paddle four kilometres to the finish. The team did an amazing job and finished third this day. 

Day four is the major running day, with the team completing a Rogaine event with four water challenges worth points at different parts of the island. This event tests their navigation skills, as well as their fitness and teamwork. They ran over 27km on this day and were fourth best on the day. Day five involved another circuit challenge with different skills from rock-climbing, running up big hills with tyres, flexibility challenges, swimming, balance and high-ropes.

The team had an amazing week. There is no sport that tests determination, grit and teamwork like five-days of adventure racing. The students worked supremely hard to get themselves to the fitness level required to have the energy to compete each day. They were rewarded with finishing fourth overall in New Zealand (representing the Waikato Region). 

Our thanks go to Mr Keegan Stewart for training and managing the team on behalf of St Paul’s Collegiate School. The team consisted of:

Oliver Larcombe, Dean Stewart, Sam Peoples and Levi Davidson (St Paul’s); and Laura Littlejohn, Bree Scott, Hannah Hull and Samantha Glenn (Waikato Diocesan)

Get2Go sponsor, Torpedo7, have produced a highlight video of the week. You can view it here.