Ariki's trail-blazing third place in the recent Portland Challenge relay in the United States has left the team with a chance of going back next year with some heavyweight backing.
The Dunedin-based harrier and athletic club was not only a focus of interest with Portland locals and among the 12,000 other participants, management crews and supporters, but has attracted corporate interest from a New Zealand company with North American business interests.
Dunedin businessman Russell Lund, who was instrumental in putting together the 12-man Ariki relay team for the 317km event, was thrilled with the vast amount of interest being shown in the team, particularly in its result.
"We basically used good old-fashioned New Zealand No 8 wire know-how just to get to the start line," Lund said.
"To now have corporate interest changes the focus a little in terms of team structure."
Lund would not name the company yet but said it had a strong North American presence with its head office in Oregon, and was one of the few such businesses not linked to any team in what was a highly publicised event in the area.
Lund hoped to have a deal tied up by the end of the month.
"We targeted a top-50 result with the possibility of finishing in the top 10.
"Coming third was exceptional. Should we take up the offer to compete next year, we'll be targeting second.
"We feel second place is a real possibility given what we have learnt from this year's event."
The winning time this year of 17hr 25min was achieved with a mile rate of 5min 10sec.
The second-placed team finished in 18hr 27min with Ariki third in 19hr 7min.
Of the 1000 teams starting, Ariki was one of just 25 from outside North America, and the only team in the first 10 that did not have corporate backing.
Each of the 1000 teams was handicapped on estimated time, starting in waves 15min apart with the first teams away at 11am.
Ariki was estimated to complete the course in 18hr 30min, so was among the last teams away, at 6.45pm, meaning the first 20 legs of the 36-leg event had to be run in darkness in tough terrain.
"I can only liken it to a 24-hour adventure race," team captain Brent Halley said.
"You're on your own when you're out on the course.
"It's very dark in the first half of the race, and you're reliant on instinct.
"If someone got injured and had to pull out you're stuffed really."
Under race rules, competitors had to navigate roads or highways, using marked crossings.
"One of our guys had to wait two and-half minutes at a crossing over a four-lane freeway for the lights to change.
"Imagine 1000 other people doing that."
With each team member expected to run three times, there was no time for warm-ups, warm-downs, or any rest.
Distance was also a factor at the transition points, with the closest parking anything up to a mile away, making for a mad dash for the next runner to get down to the transition point for the changeover.
By the time the team finished, the runners had been awake for more than 30 hours.
Lund has until October 9 to finalise an entry into next year's event, but Ariki has preferential entry.
Entry is limited to 1000 teams with almost another 1000 teams culled from entering by ballot.
Ariki has attracted past club champions interested in competing in 2011 and Lund said the qualifying time for 10km will be closer to sub 33 minutes for next year.
