UP and DOWN- but not always upright
checkpoint atop Soft Landing- a dramatic descent into a pine gully followed by a steep climb back out. The next major obstacle,“ The Felling,” featured a long-abandoned track strewn with fallen thinning logs, demanding significant physical effort, particularly from early starters. Checkpoint two, aptly named“ Up / Down,” proved equally punishing. Riders often completed the descent before successfully conquering the climb and then having to give it another go. As conditions deteriorated, exposed roots made finding any traction increasingly difficult. One standout performance here came from Mark Horwell aboard his electric Stark Varg, demonstrating riding skill as well as the bike’ s impressive power and acceleration on one of the most difficult spots. He was pushing forward from a poor start. Also notable at this section was the presence of Hauraki District Mayor, Toby Adams, who, along with friends, assisted riders on this, the toughest section, an effort undoubtedly appreciated by many competitors who would have had no idea His Worship’ s hands were the ones helping them over the roots. By the three-hour mark, riders were given the option to bypass this section at the cost of a 30-minute penalty, rather than risk complete exhaustion. The course continued toward the fuel stop via established and newly cut trails, including Doc’ s Deviation, Pauly’ s Climb, and the technical Spy Loop. Attrition started to become evident, as only 37 riders reached the fuel checkpoint before it closed at the four hour mark. It was here that Trevor Power maintained oversight from a high vantage point, coordinating via radio and mobile communications.
34 KIWI RIDER