Hillary Challenge Adventure Race

By Andrew Willmott | Posted: Wednesday May 19, 2021

Despite a dire forecast, it was a fantastic day in Christchurch for the South Island Macpac Hillary Challenge Adventure Race.

Otago Boys’ High School had three mixed teams entered, two paired with Columba College and one with Otago Girls’ High School. This was a qualification race for the Adventure Racing National Championships, a 5-day stage race held at Hillary Outdoors Centre, in Tongariro, this October.

This qualifying event is a 1-day stage race that sees teams of eight senior students scored on their navigational skills, speed and endurance over 6-hours of running, mountain biking and problem solving activities. 

Over the last month or so, the teams have been involved in trainings organised by Daniel Hayman (OBHS) and Caitlin O’Brien (Columba), and Moira Young (OGHS). These training and instruction sessions only go some way towards preparing the students for what they encounter in the race though, and prior experience and course knowledge can be big advantages. This year’s event was held around the Bottle Lake Forest Park and while relatively flat incorporated a variety of terrain and surfaces.

Moteuka and Cashmere High Schools took line honours on the day (and collected all the available check point codes) but, we have since been advised that we have qualified for the National Championships!

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