Press Release
1st October
Hot competition in the TrustPower Adventure Quest
The fourth TrustPower Adventure Quest enjoyed beautiful hot sunny conditions on Sat 30th for the event set in the
Arrowtown suburbs and surrounding hills
Competitors from around the lower South Island including Christchurch, Dunedin and Southland were joined by visitors
from Te Puke, Wellington and Blenheim, to solve the clues and find the tags.
A record field of 80 teams of two experienced great sunny racing conditions with the rain forecast holding off until the
last teams were home.
Competitors returned to the HQ in Buckingham Green with smiles on their faces and exciting tales to tell. A few teams
were baffled by where the exact location of a few cryptic clues, and the occasional clue that had 'gone missing' or
faded out.
The TrustPower Adventure Quest tasked teams to head out in to the hills of Arrowtown in search of orienteering adventure
clues on foot and mountain bike. Teams were allowed 6 hours to complete the course and collect as many clues as
possible.
On foot, the course covered Bush Creek, Big Hill Area and Sawpit Gully. By bike competitors travelled around the town of
Arrowtown and around the Arrow River Gorge including a climb up Tobins Track onto the Crown Terrace.
Final results were dependent on teams arriving back in to HQ before the 6 hour deadline when points were deducted for
late arrival. Many returned with just seconds to spare.
Team 'The Dips', Chris Stewart and Andy Taylor from Dipton (74 points) had a clear win from Team Sky City, Neil
Wakefield and Tom Lucas from Queenstown (68 points) in the open adventure field.
When asked what was the secret to the win Stewart would not elaborate except to say that their experience from last year
assisted in some of the routefinding decisions during the day. Both the these teams were sent on the biking section and
completed the trekking stage second.
First Adventure female team for the second year in a row went to Two Wise Chicks, Sarah Lei and Jackie Hamilton from
Cromwell collecting one morepoint than last years effort (50 points). Dunedin team Anderson Lloyd Caudwell, Eva Deans
and Annabel Ritchie collected 39 clues in the allotted time to take second place in this division.
In the Adventure mixed section team Looking for Paul, Mary Jowett andPeter Bennetts from Queenstown collected 64 points
to take first place and 4th overall. Two points behind them in second place was Team Kapa Design Gallery, Malcolm McLeod
and Melanie Smith from Alexandra and Arrowtown.
For the Social categories the Tony Lepper and Alex Christie team, (Alexandra and Wanaka) came first in the open division
collecting 49 points, Team Battered Ibugu, Tim McBride and John Wikstrom came a very close second with 48 points
collected. Remarkable Physios (Queenstown) also collected 49 points in winning first place in the social mixed category
but were beaten on time from winning overall. Team Hot OT's, Sarah Spence and Fiona Taylor, took first for the social
female section with 43 points collected.
Competitor and local Queenstown lawyer Tom Pryde, was heard to comment 'Up on the top of German Hill (above Arrowtown)
we could see teams moving between checkpoints, all going in different directions spread all over the hill sides. It was
amazing fun.'
Race director Geoff Hunt was pleased with the turn out of competitors; "It is encouraging to see competitors with
varying levels of fitness andexperience compete. By far the majority of the teams entered the social division.
People are keen to get out there, have some fun whilst enjoying the beautiful scenery and doing some physical exercise."
Competitors in the more serious side of the sport can now look forward to some of the same experience as one stage of
the 24hours of the Southern Traverse, to be held on the 4th of November, is a orienteering stage.
--
Results TrustPower Adventure Quest, Arrowtown
Sat 30th September
Social Division
Open
1st Tony Lepper and Alex Christie 49 points Alex and
Wanaka
2nd Team Battered Ibugu 48 points -
Tim McBride and John Wikstrom
Mixed
1st Remarkable Physios 49 points Queenstown
Melissa Davidson and Simon Smith
2nd Sparkling Duet 45 points Dunedin
Robin Spittle and Martha na Nagara
Female
1st Team Hot OT's, 43 points Dunedin
Sarah Spence and Fiona Taylor
2nd Go Go Girl 39 points -
Melanie Lawrence and Elaine Stuart
Adventure Division
Open
1st The Dips 74 points Dipton
Chris Stewart and Andy Taylor
2nd Sky City 68 points Queenstown
Neil Wakefield and Tom Lucas from
Mixed
1st Looking for Paul 64 points Queenstown
Mary Jowatt and Peter Bennett
2nd Team Kapa Design Gallery 62 points Alex and Arrowtown
Malcolm McLeod and Melanie Smith
Female
1st 2 wise Chicks 50 points Cromwell
Sarah Lei & Jackie Hamilton
2nd Team Anderson Lloyd Caudwell 39 points Dunedin
Eva Deans and Annabel Ritchie
ENDS