Adam looked worried, he’d seen that glint in my eye (no, not THAT glint) the glint of an idea for an Adventure Sport NQ event. It was 2009 and a group of business owners from Tinaroo had approached one of our experienced adventure sport participants about running an event to bring people to the area in the tourist “off season”, you know, the wet. He in turn, approached Mike who in turn brought Adam and I in on things.

We considered moving one of the existing multisport events from the middle of the year to January/February and from Redlynch or Goldsborough to Tinaroo, but each of these events are special because of where and when they are held. It couldn’t just be a rogaine, the country isn’t really great for rogaining (so the experts tell me). Besides, at that time of year, most of our regular multisporters and rogainers are kind of in their off-season too – you know still trying to work off that Christmas pud. The metrogaines had developed quite a following, but a Metrogaine alone wouldn’t bring people to Tinaroo for an overnight stay.

So it evolved that we would run a “come’n’try” weekend with a little bit of everything. It’d be a chance for people to put their “get fit/lose weight” New Year’s resolutions into practice. It’d be a chance for those bitten by the metrogaining bug in the suburbs of Cairns to try their hand at rogaining in a fairly user friendly environment (a little peninsula that juts out into the lake so they know if their feet are getting wet, they’re probably off the map – or they’re doing the Dirty 30/Sweaty 60 course early!)

What about including an off-road triathlon to kick start the year’s training for the more experienced multisporters and triathletes?

And that’s the short version of how Adventures on a Summer’s Weekend (AoASW for short) came to be. But wow how you’ve all embraced it! Over 150 competitors fronted up to do the Dirty 30/Sweaty 60 runs, some having had a crack at orienteering and paddlegaining beforehand. Four years and by all accounts plenty of enthusiasm for a fifth in 2014. A good kind of “monster” to create.

Of course, we couldn’t be more pleased for you all. As volunteers, it can sometimes be hard for us after a long week at work to put on the Adventure Sport NQ “hat” and think course setting, logistics, registration, safety, timings, prize giving and after all of that . . . cleaning up before going home.

And then you all rock up. All smiles and nervous excitement. You help complete strangers find their way to the waiver table. You give crash courses on compass usage (Red in the Shed etc). You apologetically ask if we know anyone who can lend you a bike pump because you completely forgot yours – along with your fresh jocks for after the race. Several bike pumps appear out of nowhere. Understandably though, I’m yet to see strangers offering each other fresh jocks.

Then, in some cases, the race faces go on – or is it more “Oh golly, what have I got myself into here”? The din of squeals of excitement, thundering footsteps, splashes from canoe paddles or swimmers limbs powering (some flailing) through the water.

Back at HQ, there’s a peaceful silence that descends. We all sit back and look at each other and think “Phew, survived another rego”.

Then, you’re back from your rogaine, paddle, swim, run, ride. The race face (or fear) is gone and the smile is back. In fact it’s a grin from ear to ear. Despite the mud, the sweat and in some cases the blood. You thank each other for the help out on the course. The point in the right direction, the shared water because someone completely underestimated how hot it’d be, the encouragement by the race leaders of the tail enders.

You all understand what it’s about – it’s about getting a chance to come n try some Adventures on a Summer’s Weekend.

Thanks to Adam and Kim for this great post from a different perspective, great stuff!

The Start line was a high energy scene with the first wave of Sweaty 60’s and Men’s Dirty 30’s heading off, I stayed back for the start of the Women’s round a very weird feeling but my little 6 year old girl was super focused and loving the energy, she looked around and said “you are the only boy here daddy”. That’s it thanks for pointing that out to everyone I thought.

The countdown was rushed and a flurry of women took off out in front of us, Ayla clearly enjoying herself as she let out a “woohoo” as she jumped over each of the markers and nets across the first hundred metres of the course.

She ran straight out into the water and asked that I held her hand as the water started to get deeper, by this time she was actually middle of the pack, the water at the first buoy was pretty deep and though she insisted she wanted to swim on her own, I gave her a bit of a helping hand to negotiate the turn without copping a whack from the crowd of women  tearing up the water. As She existed the water, she was instantly entertained and in high spirits as she quickly pointed out “I’ve got mud in my shoes and its all squishy” with a smile ear to ear of course. The second buoy was a little easier for her to negotiate and then the crocodile crawl through tilapia tunnel was pretty easily cleared as she managed to grab a hold of my back as I crawled/swam through on my belly.

The hay bales certainly made for a bit of fun added a pretty decent height component when you scale back to a 6 year olds perspective.

After the Cargo net and onto the first incline and there was a nice line of people all walking up the hill she had plenty of energy so we ran past a whole bunch of them, catching people one at a time one area where she felt challenged was on the downhill after the abseil rock, she likes to take her time on these normally but I was stating to get worried as the people were starting to banck up and the first of the runners had started to appear, so after moving aside I got her off the single track where she could pace herself again with less pressure from runners behind.

Once again she was running with joy and she appeared confident as the top men started to run past, at one point I said, try to catch that guy..and what happened?

She held his pace for a couple hundred metres, I must say that came as a surprise, but she didn’t really realize the cost of that acceleration…after her brief surge she said” wow my legs are tired now” and I told her to just walk and told her how amazing she had done.

The last part of the Dirty thirty Course was a refreshing section with a splash of river water and a slide to the finish, a great mix of fun obstacles that were easy to negotiate lead to a little girl having the most fun she has had and the support of the adults on course helped her to see how friendly the AdventureSport community can be.

A stand out moment to me was when she said “ I  don’t care where I come, Im just happy to be having a go”

I am sure many parents would be happy to hear their own sentiments echoed by their own child!

Honestly this is probably the most fun I have had but not because of my own sweat and pain, purely because I got to see my daughter enjoy the same thrills that I experience when I get out and take part in adventurous activity!

Get out there and have a go!

Well written by Joel Savage

Adventurethon Australia

0447496489

“Showcasing Paddling,Mountain Biking & Trail Running in Adrenaline charged &  inclusive Events”

“Helping Participants Break free from concrete society and Enjoy the great outdoors”

Strong winds and a choppy ocean made for an exciting OnaMission MultiSport Adventure at Mission Beach on Sunday.

Dubbed an “Adventure in Paradise”, the endurance event includes 12km of paddling, 25km of mountain biking and 19km of running on beaches, rainforest tracks and up and down Dunk Island’s Mt Kootaloo.

Townsville’s Sam Stedman won the long course, taking the lead from Connor O’Sullivan on the Dunk Island run leg and never losing it over four more island and mainland legs to finish in three hours 42 minutes. Cairns adventure racer Jimmy Hilton came in second in 3:56.

Mission Beach’s Julie Lightfoot won the women’s long course (4:35), finishing ahead of Townsville’s Tegan Maguire (5:05).

In the shorter course, Shane Fitz Gerald’s return to his old hometown saw him come up trumps in 3:16, followed closely by Mark Bartsch in 3:20, while Cairns’s Laura Garner won the women’s event in 3:37 from Lisa Still second in 3:48.

Relay Team events were won by Team Nuttters in the long course (4:14) and team SBD in the Short Course in 3:05.

Results are on the website and can be sorted by any column so that competitors can view split times for each of the 5 legs.

The long course can be viewed in Everytrail format on OnaMission home page.

OnaMission competitors were the first to use Dunk Island’s around-the-island walking trail, which has been closed since Cyclone Yasi.

The race, which caters for individuals and teams, is a fundraiser for the Mission Beach Surf Lifesaving Club. Club president Dan Gallagher said this year’s event was a big success with more than 80 competitors and with many local businesses also getting on board and making it a day to showcase the tourist town.

Many sponsors have already committed to the 2013 event to be conducted on Sunday September 15th.

]]> http://adventuresportnq.info/multisport/onamission-2012-news/feed 0 http://adventuresportnq.info/multisport/adventures-abounded?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=adventures-abounded http://adventuresportnq.info/multisport/adventures-abounded#comments Sun, 04 Mar 2012 02:51:37 +0000 emmsee http://adventuresportnq.info/?p=5524

The weekend of February 25/26 was a smashing success, if the Facebook comments, emails and phone calls were any indication. More comments than we’ve ever had from any event in the past.
Check our Facebook page for over 160 photos from the weekend – here

Swimmers Ahoy

Members had a choice of 10 events to enter and enjoy. By the looks of the photos the Adventure Runs – Dirty 30 (true to name) and Sweaty 60 were the most popular events over the weekend.

Paddlers away

We have already booked Camp Barrabadeen and ancillary areas for Adventures on a Summers Weekend on February 23/24 2013.
Huge thanks to all the volunteers who ensured the success of the weekend and to the enthusiasm of the competitors (and late night drinkers). The only downside was that 20 more people than booked turned up Saturday night for the BBQ and the Camp Kitchen ran out of everything, including Lennies Sunday lunch chicken. Looks as though only the organisers went hungry though!

164 pre-event entries, combined with 49 on the day/s entries, ensured that Adventures on a Summers Weekend is here to stay.

All the weekend results are now up on the website – click here

If you’ve got any ideas for next years event or comments about this years please post your comment below.

This weekend, February 25/26, Adventure Sport NQ hosts a weekend of fun in the outdoors, in the cool surrounds of Tinaroo.
On Saturday we’ll run 4 x 1 hour events:

• A Metrogaine (urban treasure hunt)
• An Orienteering event
• A bush Rogaine.
• a 30 minute or 60 minute Adventure Trail run,
• all followed by a BBQ dinner and a few cold drinks.

Sunday we have on offer 2 x Multisport (paddle, ride, run) events and 2 x off road Triathlons (swim, ride, run)  followed by a sumptuous lunch & swim at Tinaroo Lake Resort,

For all the gen and online registration click here

What a weekend, beautiful skies not too hot and a nice cool sea breeze.. OnaMission Rocked!

Have a quick gander below then head over to Adventure Sport NQ’s Facebook for the rest.

Ride in the rainforest, paddle the ocean, run on Dunk Island…

Cyclone Yasi will not stop the On a Mission Adventure Race at Mission Beach.

The popular North Queensland event – which features rainforest and beach running and mountain biking, ocean paddling and trail-running up Dunk Island’s Mt Kootaloo – will be held on September 11.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife rangers have been busy clearing trails for On a Mission.

“The route won’t be exactly the same as in previous years but we can still promise competitors plenty of picturesque beach, forest and island views as motivation,’’ race coordinator Dan Gallagher said.

OnaMission’s long course includes about 12km of paddling, 17km of running and 28km of mountain biking. The short course covers about 8km paddling, 11km running and 23km mountain biking.

“It’s a great event for people at all levels – from the multi-sports adventure racer who takes on the whole course or paddling, riding or running specialists who form a team; to beginners who want to give it a go and have some fun as individuals or in teams,’’ Gallagher said.

Last year’s long course winner, Cairns adventure racer Struan Lamont, ran home in just over four hours, ahead of Townsville’s Sam Stedman while Cairns’s Julie Sager won the women’s long course event.

Gallagher said the event, now in its fourth year, is fast becoming a flagship one for the Mission Beach community.

“There was never any question about whether OnaMission would be held this year – it was more how we would run it,’’ he said.

“We have worked around Yasi and unfortunately lost major sponsors including Dunk Island Resort due to the impact on the community of the cyclone.

“OnaMission is part of our community’s cyclone recovery.’’

For the first time, the event is also part of the Police Games.

OnaMission is a fundraiser for the Mission Beach Surf Lifesaving Club and the Innisfail PCYC.

To register for On a Mission as a team or an individual in the long course or short course,
or to find out more here.

Media contact: Julie Lightfoot 0427 039 117

BBQ chef – we’ll have the food prepared – just need an assistant to flip burgers on the BBQ for an hour or so on Sunday lunch

Water safety – couple of extra hands at key rapids – check any of your white water mates and see if they can give a hand for a couple of hours

Road crossing Marshal – an hour role keeping an eye on canoes crossing the road at Fisheries Bridge

Join us for a scenic Multisport  event next Sunday in the Goldsborough Valley.

Any queries and offers of assistance please call Adam on 0428 170 007.

The seventh running of the James Grant Memorial Multisport Race is a great opportunity for a wild ride on the Mulgrave River, and with the recent early July rainfall, the river is in excellent condition with those that have practiced it so far thoroughly enjoying the cool clear moving water.
Individuals are able to compete and will need to satisfy the Race Director that their skills for paddling/canoeing in swiftwater are adequate and may be subject to an assessment.
If you can assist with marshalling, water safety, or handle a pair of tongs for the BBQ, or offer any other assistance please email jgmmsr@adventuresportnq.info

Go to the updated website and check all the information about the event and course maps that you can download and print to enable familiarization and training on the course. No maps handed out on event day.

Don’t forget to arrange a paddle craft, check the website for details of possible hire options – you may be best to beg and borrow from friends, family or workmates

If you’d like to do the event but lack a team mate, reply to this email and we’ll see if we can assist in matching you up with a compatible other for the event.

If you can assist with marshalling, water safety, or handle a pair of tongs for the BBQ, or offer any other assistance please email jgmmsr@adventuresportnq.info

Social Practice Paddle and Car Shuffle – Sunday Morning 10^th July – meet at Noon at Pete’s Bridge with your canoe [check blog 10pm Friday for confirmation]

An opportunity for you to paddle the river before the event – aim to do Arnolds-Pete’s Bridges over approx 4hrs, river level and experience dependent.

RSVP or any queries please call Adam on 0428170007 before Wednesday night for a prompt response, as he’ll be away from town for work on Thurs-Fri, please leave a message to which he can respond in the evenings.