 | Like a typical Kiwi kid I grew up with team sports like cricket, rugby and soccer which I continued to play until age 21, at which point I switched to cycling a bit and re-engaging in running after a number of years out of that nasty business. In 2003 I fulfilled a lifelong dream of racing the Coast to Coast, and did so alongside Mum (well, in the same year anyway, couldn’t let her beat me) who pretty much funded the whole thing as well. I was hooked and didn’t look back. |
Later I found AR which to some degree allows the best of both worlds - multisport but with that team camaraderie as well.
I’m stoked to be involved with the Orion Adventure team, there’s a real culture of winning but also with a huge dose of fun and respect for the sport thrown in, and it’s great to get out in the back country with good buggers.
Interview
Where did you grow up?Suburban Auckland, with most holidays at Stanmore Bay on the Whangaparoa Peninsula learning to sail or on my grandparents farm just out of Taneatua in the Bay of Plenty learning to de-horn calves and pull ragwort from the ground.
What was your first Adventure race?
Auckland Arrow 24hr, I raced in a 2 bloke team using a massive plastic kayak. We managed to navigate our way to the bottom of an abseil instead of the top, and did a 60km trek with a transistor listening to the All Blacks play, we hadn’t quite been converted properly into Adventure Racers by that stage!
Little known / unlikely fact about yourself?
I can finish a yard glass of booze in less than a minute thirty.
What you will do when your knees finally give out?
Get new ones and take up trampolining. Quite fancy getting into some extreme white water kayaking at some stage so maybe that’s a better idea.
Occupation?
Commercial Finance guy.
Worst Adventure racing experience?
Southern Traverse kayak leg in Lake Mahinerangi, it started raining so I threw my head back and yelled “is that all you’ve got”, whereupon it instantly started hailing golf balls. My team mate couldn’t paddle she was laughing so hard.
Biggest "blow"?
120km road cycling training session where I was so spent I had to use a phone box to ring my brother for a pick-up. I was only 2.5km from home and couldn’t make it!
Favourite Adventure Racing food?
Red Bull, Coke and bread rolls with ham, cheese and tomato relish.
Best support crew moment?
A crew man I had once smoked so much dope during the race he was useless, and had eaten all my food at each transition! He was good for a laugh though.
Favourite Race?
Any with lots of tangled vines on steep uphills and plenty of stinging nettle. In truth - Coast to Coast is pretty cool…
Results
2010
1st ARC 24hr with Orion Adventure
3rd Kururau Krusher
8th Coast to Coast
2009
1st Waiuku Multisport Race
2nd Motu Challenge
1st Coromandel Classic
1st Tekapo Mountain Run
7th Coast to Coast
2nd Methven Multisport Race
1st Whakatane 24 hr with Orion Adventure
