Intense contest continues at front of GODZONE field

The battle for supremacy continues on the One NZ GODZONE course with adventure racing champions Team Rab - Chris Forne, Sophie Hart, Simone Maier with Sam Clark - moving ahead of youthful rivals Fear Youth after the young team made a critical route choice that cost them the lead overnight.

In the early hours, while trekking the Stage 6 Wairau-Pelorus pack raft trek in Marlborough’s Richmond Ranges, Team Fear Youth followed a ridgeline to the left for several km, only to backtrack less than an hour later.

When GODZONE media caught up with the Fear Youth team on the Pelorus River, team captain Josh Pearson said the error had cost them critical time.

‘"Finn, our navigator, was just cruising along the ridge track, counting clearings with the weather clagged in, so it was hard to see. We popped off the ridge and realised it wasn’t the right one, so spun around to check, then decided to give it a crack anyway. That cost us around 40 minutes before no surprises, it didn’t work out.”

Josh says the team has plenty of fight and are determined to push Team Rab to the very end.

“We think there is still plenty of racing to come with the last packraft leg through the Sounds pretty meaty. So, we have to set ourselves up for that, get some sleep at some point and then send it.”

Team Rab’s captain Chris Forne expressed interest on hearing Team Fear Youth were behind them at the take out on the Pelorus River.

“We hadn’t seen anyone for a while, and I always get a little excited when there is no one about, but that’s a bit of a surprise,” said Chris.

One NZ GODZONE Race Director, Adam Fairmaid, says Rab and Fear Youth have stayed remarkably close, relentlessly trading positions and matching each other’s pace.

“Neither team has managed to break away up until now, so it’s been a captivating display of endurance and strategy. Everyone is glued to the GPS tracker watching this battle at the front with a significant packraft and trek stage coming up to the finish in the Marlborough Sounds.”

First teams are expected across the finish line late Tuesday or early Wednesday morning.