Dunedin’s first adventure race draws 100

Competitors KJ Davie (left) and Cat Shaw make their way from Mt Cargill to Doctors Point during...
Competitors KJ Davie (left) and Cat Shaw make their way from Mt Cargill to Doctors Point during the Dunedin Adventure Race on Saturday. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH
A thirst for a gruelling race involving orienteering, hiking, mountain biking, abseiling and kayaking in Dunedin, has finally been quenched.

The Dunedin Orienteering Club Adventure Race was held for the first time on Saturday and attracted more than 100 people.

Organiser Patrick Manning said the race started on Mt Cargill and involved teams of up to four people, navigating a course which required competitors to abseil and mountain bike down to Doctors Point, before rafting and walking around to Purakaunui where the race finished.

There were various trail options available , ranging from novice to the eight-hour elite course, he said.

"It’s the first time an event like this has been held in Dunedin. I’m quite surprised by the amount of interest in the competition."

He said the Dunedin Adventure Race was an "entry-level event", compared with the GODZone Adventure Race or similar multi-sport events, which were held over several days and attracted professional athletes from around New Zealand.

It was too early to say if the Dunedin event could be expanded to match the larger three-day events in other parts of the country.

"At this stage, I’m hoping it might become an annual event for people who are novices and who want to try their hand in it — maybe even use it as a stepping stone to one of the big competitions."

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