Wenzhou Outdoor Challenge
Race Day! Team NZ Adventure are Ready to go for Race Day 1
Team NZ Adventure / 12.04.2014
Team NZ Adventure are among those gathering in Wenzhou and have posted this news ahead of the race which starts today.
Chinese stage races are a bit of a lottery and an ability to be flexible (both physically and mentally) is important as plans and courses can change literally in the middle of the race. New Zealand teams have historically done well with this with the Kiwi attitude of she'll be right and an ability to adapt to curve balls proving valuable.
The first curve ball has already occurred, China races are generally marked stage races (the whole course is marked) meaning compass is not necessary but speed is. The teams have just been told that the first stage will be entirely map and compass!! This often benefits the European teams who are primarily orienteer races who are handy at adventure racing.
The team will most likely focus on getting through today minimising any losses and then focus hard on the final three days which should have some super long runs and Mountain Bikes (TeamNZAdventures strength!!)
For one of the fastest developing countries in the world and the idea of these races being promotion of the areas they are held on, it is very difficult to get information about the course. We rely on updates from the Team, below is Jess's latest.
"So yes tomorrow should be interesting. we start with the famous rollerblade. pretty hilarious as there are some flaaaaash rollerblades around & you guessed it - Thule is using poles. However there are definitely a lot of folk like us too.
"The course is unmarked for day 1 and marked for the rest of the week I believe. So next will be a 3.5hr paddle in a canal with checkpoints that we have to get. it is a bit of a maze in the city - we will be counting bridges to try figure out where we are!
Hopefully the photo maps are recent :) then it is a 40 min 600m 11.5k mtb. Looking forward to some coke on this trip. Then it is a 1hr 20min downhill trail run to a flying fox, then another 30 min downhill trail run to the finish. Sorry my words are not that creative. I am about to go to bed. Anyways feeling like I can't wait for it to be underway. 2hr bus ride to the start tomorrow."
Finally check out the Kiwi teams new kit in the photo. Who wouldn't want their logo included on that kit, also the other kiwi team Red Bull. GO KWIS!
You can follow Team NZ Adventure at http://www.teamnzadventure.com/
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