Sprint Series Anglesea exceeded all expectations
“Loved the variety, this is the best Sprint Series race so far” -was the most frequent phrase heard at the finish line a of inaugural Anglesea Sprint Series Adventure Race which was on this Sunday on Surf Coast Victoria Australia.
Adventure racing lovers from around Victoria converged on picturesque Anglesea on Sunday to compete in the Anglesea Adventure Sprint race and were treated to near perfect conditions as they ran, rode mountain bikes and paddled kayaks around the scenic coastal area.
Melbourne team “Triple R Thursdays” Deanna Blegg and Gavin Allen were the winners of the Classic course, with Deanna’s previous experience as a racer helping her team-mate Gavin over the line as he enjoyed his first ever adventure race. Deanna and Gavin said they enjoyed the variety of the course, from rock-hopping along the stunning coastline to navigating the single tracks for mountain bike, as well as the river paddle.
The second team over the line were “ATEO.com.au”, Scott Gavens and Beck Shaw, who said while they found the course “fantastic”, the advanced mountain bike leg was “tough”.
Third placed were the “Bass Coast Barracudas”, Rick Whitehouse and Wayne Davey.
The Classic event is now in its 6th year, which has allowed the race organisers to refine the event over the years. This year’s course was cleverly designed to highlight the most attractive features of the area, with checkpoints located in unusual and scenic vantage points often overlooked by less knowledgeable visitors.
The Novice course is relatively new to the event and attracts a lot of first-time comers and family teams. The overall winners were team Adventurobics Adam Brown and his daughter Jess.
One competitor said: “Adventure racing offers a lot of variety and I loved that the course kept you on your toes. The short run was followed by the mountain bike leg, then one more run and then the kayak paddle. Just running on its own can be tough on your body, so mixing it up like this makes it a really enjoyable experience.”
Another racer appreciated the mental challenges of the race: “The navigation aspects add a different dynamic to the event. You have to constantly think about where you’re going, not just push yourself physically.”
Race organisers Maria and Serge from Adrenalin Junkie, themselves experienced adventure racers who have competed in and won races around the world, said they were very pleased at the success of the event:
“Anglesea is the ideal location for an event like the Sprint Series Adventure Race, with great mountain bike trails, a beautiful coastline, safe waterways and a great map. We’re thrilled at how today went and are hoping to have an opportunity to deliver an even better race next year”, said Maria.
