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

Terry’s Little Terror Treasure!

The colour of my washing machine water was true testament to the fun endured during Terry’s 24hr Point to Point Rogaine! BLACK! Just like the darkness of Saturday night! In stark contrast were everyone’s head torches – remember the recue helicopter flying overhead at about 8pm Sat night? -I can confirm after chatting to the crewies, that they did not see any of us running around in circles as they flew to Atherton!

Twelve teams signed on for the 24hr and as Terry mentioned while driving the bus to the start area, all the top NQ navigators were sitting behind him on the bus (it was noted that Brett and I were technically sitting to his side!!!) – not to worry, I had my GPS in the form of Chris White and Brett had his compass (Rod Grey) so we weren’t fazed!

On a technical note, the course format and fact that you received maps as you went, kept us guessing as to whether all the checkpoints were attainable. We wondered if Terry would whack in 20 odd CP’s on the final map just to make it funny for him and torture for our sleep-deprived minds! Kinda like saying ‘well done making it this far in good time, now eat this!!!’ As we found out however, the course was achievable and a perfect mix of varying terrain with the amazing Hash House Hot Meals sooooo very much appreciated – thank you thank you thank you Kim, Sandra & Mike!

It’s hard to know other teams tactics. For our part, we pushed pretty hard. We overshot one checkpoint and in that time 3 teams past us. This was awesome close racing. Four teams arrived into the first hash house together. We took off a minute after Team ‘Faufpo’ (Brett, Rod, Tony) and on a slightly different bearing. Racing the impending darkness we dropped a litre or two of sweat on the way up the ridge out of Emerald Ck (in fact it was at this time I realised I had burnt a lot more energy than expected and it took a couple of hours of concerted effort with drinking and eating to get back on par). As we ascended the ridge we passed Team Faufpo (please guys – an explanation for the name?) below us on another spur – this confirmed that for now we were in front.

The mid section was our strongest leg with Chris landing us on the top of every CP. Another hot meal – thank you thank you thank you – had us in and out of the second hash house within 10 minutes. Night nav is not easy for those who grew up with a compass in their cot, add fatigue and getting lost is too easy – messes with your mind don’t it!!! – Massive kudos to those who stepped up and had a go.

Leg three had us steady up and really focus on where we were at all times. When on the top of the mountain at 656m near CP 57 we glimpsed head lights behind us – we cursed whatever team it was for being so damn persistent and keeping the pressure on us! “We’re not stopping again” was agreed upon and off we went. With so many nav options we were honestly never sure of our race position. We did know we gave it our best crack – and that we didn’t wake up the guys camping on Vievers Track at the creek crossing!

Big shout out to Terry, Mike, all the volunteers and the Cedar Park Crew. To all competitors – be thankful Terry set this route as there were plenty of Lantana outcrops he could have sent us through – good thing he sets a course he’d want to do, and another reason they are so good.

Another one please

Stru

Oh and to Shane, glad you found the tick and have ‘just cause’ for piking out on Davies Ck after what would’ve dropped most men hours earlier!

Results here

In a first for Rogaining NQ our annual 24 hour Bush Rogaine will be a Point to Point style event.

This Point to Point Rogaine is a celebration of our sport which will see teams travel through the Clohesy, Davies,Emerald & TinarooValleys- the sites of over a dozen previous radial courses. The course has been designed by veteran setter Terry McClelland with the following three general competitor types in mind;

Serious; Competitors conditioned for the many endurance events on our NQ calendar – just have at least one serious navigator in your team. (each of the 3 events will stretch the elite)

Intermediate navigator; The less serious intermediate team in the  24/12 hr division will thread along natural corridors without the pressures of critical navigation needed to nail the high pointers. Rest at the two, on course hash houses will give confidence to first time 24hr teams.

Been there, tired local Rogainers: You will visit hidden pockets, travel classic spurs and skip across a myriad of pristine watercourses. But will you thread the needle to beat the setter? Historic – yes, fresh – yes.

WHEN:     Saturday 29^th and Sunday 30^th July 2011

 3 event choices – 24 Hour/ Split 12 Hour/ 6 Hour: All Start – 11 AM Saturday

Entrants will be notified of the exact location of the Finish (Where cars will be left as you are transported to the start by bus) and directions in the week of the event. Plan to finish within 60 minutes of  Kuranda.

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.

Entries to the may 7th & 8th Barron River Challenge open April 1st.
In a first for North Queensland, the Tinaroo Canoe Club will host a 12 km junior event and a 50km senior down river canoe race.
The Junior race commences in Mareeba and concludes at Biboohra.
the Senior event also starts in Mareeba and concludes in Kuranda.
Both singles or teams of 2 can enter the events.
Peruse the website and submit your online entry today.

I’ve always been a casual road runner, just running in my own time wherever and whenever I can and I’ve been doing this for 10 years. Living in Sydney led me to casual runs through the botanical gardens, along ocean pathways and around my local area. Moving to the Sunny Coast has seen me do much the same. Running to work 3 days a week and the occasional weekend/night run have really been my routine. I completed a mini triathlon last year and the Bridge to Brisbane and enjoyed both events as they were a bit of fun and gave me something to train for. I guess you could describe me as a casual runner who runs to stay fit and healthy and to clear my head, but nothing serious.

When I decided to visit Cairns for the weekend, a friend of mine suggested I enter the Dirty 30 and Sweaty 60 and he described it as “a bit of fun”. I checked out the website and registered online without a second thought. I was hesitant at my friend’s idea of ‘fun’ as I know he is a sucker for punishment. I knew it would be muddy and fun or muddy and punishing but was happy for it to be all three.

I first got a glance at the track on Saturday morning and was shown the 40m creek dash. Did I seriously have to run up the creek, scramble under cargo nets through the mud and climb up a rope ladder? And what was the black snake all about? These were certainly not part of my running regime at home. I was excited by what I saw but also very nervous knowing my inexperience of trail running. I knew I wanted a challenge, I wanted to get dirty and I wanted to have fun, but I didn’t want an injury and I certainly didn’t want to make a fool out of myself, especially in full view of others. To the more experienced trail runners, you probably didn’t think twice about the event, what’s to think about? Just run. But for me, on my first trail run, I was nervous.

Arriving at the event and seeing very experienced runners ready for the Sweaty 60 made me wonder if I had too much confidence and should have stuck to the Dirty 30. I thought “what the heck” and decided to go for it. The very helpful Sean had offered me some hints and tips and I felt ready to start. My plan of attack was to stick to the same running pace the whole time. I am much more about distance than speed. I would briskly walk up the really steep parts, pick up the pace on the flat parts and step up the mark a bit on the downhill. The first lap nearly killed me and I was wondering why the hell my friend called this ‘fun’. I was sore, my legs were burning and my heart was pumping out of my chest. The creek was fun, the mud was even better but the black snake surely had bite. My second lap found me in a bit of a rhythm and feeling good. When I finished my second lap, I was told that I had 15 minutes left. I knew I wouldn’t finish the third lap in time, but I had the energy to keep going and I did. I was the last to finish, but didn’t care. I kept the same slow pace the whole time and finished without an injury.

I’m now hooked on the idea of trail running and would like to bid farewell to concrete and bitumen as being my only running surface. I now need to find an equivalent club on the Sunny Coast that is just as organised and as fun as Adventure Sport NQ.

Thanks Chris for the idea. Thanks Shane, for being there with your oxygen mask in case I needed it. Thanks Sean for your hints and tips and thanks Muzza for making me laugh on the last lap.

If you have always thought how much fun it would be trek Walshs Pyramid near Gordonvale. Now is the time to start practicing for the 52nd (I think?) Great Pyramid Race on 20 August this year. Short ‘n’ sweat posts are great!

Make sure you register.. places are going fast!

Saturday and Sunday March 12/13th saw the hamlet of Tinaroo hosting Adventure Sport NQ members and friends for the second Adventures on a Summers Weekend. 169 people registered for the weekend and the 6 events on offer were well supported.
The enthusiasm with which competitors completed events revealed the fun being enjoyed.
The BBQ dinner at Camp Barabadeen was well attended and was a top night – particularly the chat by World Ultraman Champion Mike Leroux. The questions asked following Mike’s talk were many and varied.
Lunch, a swim, a drink or 2 and the presentations at Tinaroo Lakes Resort following Sundays 4 events were well attended and the Random Draw prizes went over well. Over $3,500 in prizes and Random Draws were handed out over the weekend.

Results for all events over the weekend are on the website here

This is an event that should grab our Trail Runners and Multisporters attention.
21.1 km of some of the north’s best trails will feature in the June 25th Man v Machine foot race against a Steam Train from Freshwater to Kuranda.

Steam Train Race photo