Shoalhaven Madness

Saturday 24th September saw the second MAX24hour of 2005 being held in Bungonia State Conservation Area. A misty morning greeted competitors at 4:30am as they left their bikes at the designated drop off. This was the first of many tests the competitors would face over the next 24hours.

The race briefing took place in the warm comfort of Tallong hall. This was in sharp contrast to the conditions the competitors would meet out on the course. After a short safety video on what to do incase of falling out of your boat while paddling one of the many rapids, competitors were told that the race would not be starting from the hall as expected by many. It would in fact start from Bungonia SCA and there were two buses waiting outside to take them there. Until now the competitors could only speculate where the course would go. They now had to plot the course in the back of the bus while it negotiated the windy roads. There were more than a few who nearly saw their breakfast for a second time that day.

On arrival competitors lined up under the start banner before heading off on a 7km trek to the first kayak portage Transition Area (TA). At the TA competitors had to inflate their kayaks (Sevylor K79's) before carrying them 500m down a 2km walking track. The lead bunch already had an hours lead on the more leisurely teams. Teams then launched there boats into the Shoalhaven River.

Water levels were low which meant that teams had to choose there route down the river carefully so as to avoid any shallow sections. A lot of fun was still to be had over the rapids with more than one competitor having an early bath.

5km and one hour later Knott Shore (Stu Adams & Chad Singleton) paddled into TA2 where they left their boats to trek up Bungonia Gorge. At the top end of the gorge their access to slot canyon was blocked by huge boulders which formed a 3D maze. Many a team was over taken on this leg as following teams found a faster route through the boulder field. Having collected the checkpoint in Slot Canyon teams had to negotiate the boulder field for a second time. It was a lot faster and easier coming down than going up.

A huge 400m ascent over 1.5km delivered competitors to the third TA and their kit boxes, where they could replenish there now dwindling energy levels.

A 3km trek took them back to their boats and the next paddle leg. Team Atlas (Adrian Keough & Glenn Richardson) and Le Tronk (Christie Sym, Richard Mountstephens, Simon Manson & Jarad Kohlar) were now hot on the heels of Knott Shore.

10km and many a rapid later, they reached the final kayak portage. For some this would be the toughest part of the course.

Teams were now required to carry themselves and all of their gear 500m up a 1.5km track. After over eight hours of racing the 13kg boats seem like 50kg. To make matters worse, they needed to be carried inflated!

Friendly volunteers greeted them at the top to relieve them of their burden and hand them details of the next part of the course.

The last stage was a 50km cyclegaine in Wingello State Forest. Competitors had to collect six checkpoints before completing the abseil and ascend (using a caving ladder or ascenders). Only a brave few chose the ascenders. Teams then needed to collect a further three checkpoints before racing for the finish.

First across the line was Le Tronk in 12 hours 11 minutes (Mixed team), closely followed by Team Atlas (Male pair) only four minutes behind.

"Just wanted to thank you for putting on such a great race. It was an amazing experience and our whole team had an awesome time. It totally pushed us all to our limits, and that's what we wanted." Grant Emans, Team Macca's

"Thanks for putting on an outstanding event this past weekend. You and your team did a really great job! It is a huge job to organize an event like that.
Jeff and I had a great time. Your volunteers were all fantastic -- very friendly and helpful.
Congratulations on a job well done!" Kathy and Jeff Hays, Terazoom

"Thankyou for setting another magnificent 24hr race! I really really enjoyed the gorge walk and the boulder scrambling (course highlight), the absail was very pretty, the ladder climb so taxing at 1am in the morning! Much as I remember hating the 3km kayak portage at the time, I can tell that it'll be up there with the crazy, insane, so-silly-it's-comical, things that I've done that I will remember forever!" Tsalina, Just Trippin'

A big thank you to our sponsors: Kathmandu, who provided over $2,500 of prizes; Gu, our energy sponsors; and Triathlon and Multisport Magazine for all their support.

This event would not have been possible without all of the volunteers on the day. Thanks to Amanda and Sally for looking after competitor safety in Bungonia Gorge, Barry & Barbara for manning the abseil into the wee hours of the morning, Lisa, Todd, Shardae and Neil for manning TA2 & 4 and carrying out the damaged boats, Carl, Kerry, Annalisa, Alicia, Jamie and Anne for managing TA6, Catrina and Jay for manning TA5 and Steve and Ben for looking after river safety.

Gary Farebrother
Race Director