Military athletes compete on peaks

Private Delia Stammers (left) and Sergeant Piripi Matthews  are ready for the annual Twin Peaks...
Private Delia Stammers (left) and Sergeant Piripi Matthews are ready for the annual Twin Peaks Battle Tab race tomorrow. Photo by Gregor Richardson.

New Zealand Defence Force Units are descending on Dunedin to battle for "bragging rights'' by winning a 26km military endurance race tomorrow.

Staff Sergeant Gareth Manson, of 2/4 Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, said units between Auckland and Invercargill were in Dunedin to compete in the annual Twin Peaks Battle Tab race.

At Booth Rd from 7.45am tomorrow, 21 teams and 50 individuals will line up to race over two of the highest peaks surrounding Dunedin, wearing full battle gear and carrying Steyr rifles.

SSgt Manson said the hardest part of the race was the final uphill leg.

"It separates the boys from the men.''

For the first time since the inaugural race in 2002, the Navy and Air Force were invited to compete.

About 250 defence force personnel would compete, he said.

If Royal New Zealand Navy or Royal New Zealand Air Force teams could beat the army in the ground race, they would win "bragging rights'' at a prizegiving and social function at The Kensington Army Hall tomorrow night.

International defence force units would be invited to race next year, he said.

Private Delia Stammers, of Milton, a member of Bravo Company 2/4 Bn, said she finished the race for the first time last year.

"It was a really tough day.''

This year, she was the only woman in her team, which was "only as fast as its slowest member''.

"But you can work it so the gear is shared around the team, if someone is struggling.''

Fellow team and company member, Sergeant Piripi Matthews, of Dunedin, said he competed in the inaugural race in 2002.

"I had to train this year, usually I just go for it, and there has been a couple of years I haven't finished because I haven't trained, but this year I've trained.''

The team planned to run most of the way and were targeting a finishing time of three hours and 50 minutes, he said.

 


The route

Leg 1: Booth Rd water treatment station to Flagstaff trig.

Leg 2: Flagstaff trig to Swampy Summit.

Leg 3: Swampy Summit to Leith Valley Rd.

Leg 4: Leith Valley Rd to Morrison Burn Track.

Leg 5: Morrison Burn Track to Swampy Ridge/Pineapple Track.

Leg 6: Pineapple Track to Start/Finish line.


 

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