They were then to cycle 170km through the Nevis Valley to Lake Onslow last night.
Race director Warren Bates had earlier predicted the winners could be arriving today on the Brighton Beach finish line, near Dunedin.
But yesterday’s wet, southerly weather yesterday could be holding them up.
To get to the finish line today, the leaders would have to packraft the Taieri River, complete a substantial section of the Central Otago Rail Trail, ride over Mt Allan to Outram, complete another paddle on the Taieri River and then coasteer to Brighton.
The 710km race began on Friday at Jackson Bay, Haast but the first two days of racing through Fiordland were tough, and there was some attrition through injury and illness.
A 643km race also began on Friday at Milford Sound, with the courses converging at Glenorchy on Sunday night.
The lead chasers include Queenstown-based Tom Lucas’ Tiki Tour, which had turned its tracker off for 24 hours.
The support crew was surprised and delighted to see the team members when they turned up at Glenorchy on Sunday night.
"Tom’s wife, Marie, had stood on the Dart River bridge since 9am [on Sunday] waiting for the team to appear so I think there was a bit of relief when they pack rafted out just before sunset,” Godzone media presenter George Berry said.
A Nelson-New Plymouth team called No Idea also turned up in the chase bunch and was third late yesterday.
Wanaka athlete Simone Maire’s Team Topsport was also pushing a claim for a top spot in the chase bunch.
However, Avaya was keeping up the pace at the front and overtaking short-course teams which had got a jump on rest of the field, Berry said.
Updates will be on the Godzone website.
-- MARJORIE COOK
