Adventurous OE for racers
‘‘We’ve got some big training missions planned.’’
Brent Steinmetz,
Team Motueka captain
Perfect in Portugal, challenged in China – now Team Motueka is keen to master some home terrain ahead of next year’s gruelling GODZone race.
The Tasman-based adventure racing team has arrived home from the last of three overseas events, all the better for the experience as the team seeks to fine-tune its team dynamics ahead of March’s 530km rampage through the Canterbury wilderness.
Following a fifth placing at the high-altitude Huairasinchi event in Ecuador, Team Motueka endured the highs and lows of racing with a win in Europe and a fight for survival in China, in its first year competing overseas.
Team captain Brent Steinmetz said the opportunity for regular racing at international level had been ‘‘a massive opportunity’’, which had taught the team members as much about swift decision-making as it had about cohesion.
‘‘Because you’re in a different country where they’re speaking another language and things like that, it’s essential you don’t take anything for granted.
‘‘You can’t train for those situations that we encountered, so that’s been a huge benefit – learning how individuals react in different circumstances and how they perform.’’
Work and family commitments meant Team Motueka had nine different members in the three races.
Steinmetz, Meggie Bichard, Tane Cambridge and Quinn Hornblow competed in Ecuador, before Shannon Trimble, Scott McDonald, Theo Wordsworth and Steinmetz took the reins for the Portuguese leg. A calf injury to McDonald just three days out from the China event saw a further reshuffle, with Christchurch Sam Harvey joining Bichard, Steinmetz and Weston Hill as a last-minute replacement.
While all the events provided valuable experience, September’s victory at the Norcha adventure race in Braga, Portugal rated as the highlight for Steinmetz.
Having worked hard to put a three-hour lead on the field after 24 hours, Team Motueka maintained its advantage, crossing the line in 62 hours 10 minutes – more than eight hours ahead of secondplaced Ardclough AR from Ireland.
‘‘Everybody had a role to play, and they all executed it perfectly. The two boys out front worked well together on the maps, while Shan and I steadied the ship and made sure we are working hard but not doing anything too crazy.
‘‘The whole thing was unbelievable, to be honest – it was one of those races that went exactly to plan right from start to finish.’’
Recently Team Motueka finished 15th in the three-day China 100 Mountain Cross-Country, a run-heavy sprint event that tested the team to its mental and physical limits.
‘‘It is a multi-day staged sprint race – you’ve got elite athletes who are just built for this short, sharp stuff, and that’s how the racing went,’’ Steinmetz said.
With basket-carrying, caving, kayaking, and hours of time of their feet, the team overcame fatigue and mid-race illness to complete the course.
The fortitude shown by all the racers made narrowing the team to a final four for GODZone a difficult decision, with fellow team members Jake Stow and Claire Sykes likely to be involved in the local racing schedule.
With some solid overseas racing behind it, Steinmetz said the team was now channelling its energies on terrain closer to home.
‘‘We’ve got some big training missions planned in the next month. There’s a lot of racing in the New Zealand summer, so there’s probably no point in travel when you’ve got good racing on your doorstep.’’
Flying the Nelson flag overseas this week are Team Yealands’ Dan Busch and Pat Higgins, who are joining 2017 world champion Avaya’s Nathan Fa’avae at the Adventure Racing World Championships on Reunion Island, near Madagascar.