The Waiting Game

Rob Howard / 28.02.2015

There is not much news coming out of Godzone right now because the teams are very inaccessible and where they are on the course there is no communication – just be thankful you have the YB Trackers to look at and imagine if you didn’t!

I am currently waiting at the exit of the Matukituki River where it exits into Lake Wanaka, and have spent all morning in ‘hurry up and wait’ status. This pretty much always happens when there is long, high, rough, overnight trekking stage – it takes teams longer to cover the ground than expected and you just have to wait for them to come out.

Following a 5am alarm call, then a change of departure to 8am, then an abortive stop at a helicopter station for a planned lift to Albert Burn Saddle, which was delayed as the teams were too far back, we waited on the river bank to see Seagate pass. They did pass by but we didn’t see them, hidden in a channel on the far side of the river.  It was time to return to the helicopter station for a long chat with assembled and frustrated media where a Japanese meltdown was in process.

With no comms in the Matukituki Valley we didn’t know where the teams were and couldn’t contact anyone to ask so our car decided to come and see Seagate at the transition between the paddle and coasteering, which they should reach in a hour or so we think.

It’s a beautiful spot at the river exit and when they arrive the leaders will start the 7km coastering and swim section around and across Paddock Bay on Lake Wanaka. There are worse places to wait then sitting in the on the shore of Lake Wanaka, taking in the views of the surrounding hills.

You can follow the race live at http://godzoneadventure.com/ and right here on SleepMonsters.

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