Orcas join competitors

A pod of orcas has attempted to join competitors as late entrants in the GODZone multisport event.

As the first stage kicked off from Akaroa to the Christchurch Adventure Park yesterday, athletes were joined by the pod in the first water section of the race.

‘‘It was amazing to see the whales come right in close to where the teams were scrambling around the rocks and jumping into the water,’’ GODZone safety officer Wayne Allen said.

‘‘We were following the teams in an IRB and the whales were all around the boat and the rocks. Akaroa is teeming with wildlife and the competitors certainly experienced that today.’’

The first stage of the event consisted of coasteering – where people navigate rocky coastline – mountainbiking, pack rafting, trekking and rogaining.

At 66 kilometres long, competitors will not have a shorter leg on the 600km, eightstage event until stage five.

Teams were in for a surprise, too, as they were to receive maps of the full course for the first time only after having completing the first stage yesterday evening.

‘‘[They will] discover that a restart will happen out at Mt White Station near Arthur’s Pass in the early hours of [this] morning,’’ said event director Warren Bates.

‘‘The teams will be coached out there and start the first large trek stage at the Mt White Station bridge at 5am [today].’’

DAVID WALKER/STUFF There was no rest after the 7km pack-rafting race from Diamond Harbour to Governors Bay, with teams heading for a 10km trek over the Port Hills. The first leg of the race was 66km long and included several types of sport.