MEDIA RELEASE 06 November
Race results: Anaconda Adventure Race, Geographe Bay
New Zealander Richard Ussher took first place at the Anaconda Adventure Race,
Geographe Bay, which was held last Sunday, 4 November. Twenty-three-year-old
Sydneysider Christie Sym was also the first female to cross the finish line.
Wearing bib number 1, Richard Ussher beat NSW resident Ben Allen and winner of
the 2006 Lorne (Vic) race Jarad Kohlar with a time of 3 hours, 57 minutes and 3
seconds. Christie Sym completed the course in 4 hours, 57 minutes and 32 seconds
with an eight-minute lead in front of Kim Beckinsale.
While winning the individual male category, Ussher and his New Zealand elite
team were beaten by the green and gold team's best combined time in the race's
inaugural Trans-Tasman adventure racing challenge. The Australian team included
former Surf Ironman Guy Andrews, Jarad Kohlar and Christie Sym.
About 120 individuals and 300 teams lined up at 7 am for a tough start with
tricky swimming conditions in Geographe Bay's choppy waters.
Ussher, former World Multisport Champion and Olympic skier as well as winner of
multiple adventure races around the world, said he gave his best right up to the
end.
"With adventure racing, you never know how it's going to turn out so you need to
keep pushing all the way to the end. It was a good challenge for me as I'm not a
great swimmer," Ussher said.
"It's good to be able to come here and race well. The race organisers have done
a great job at putting the course together and Geographe Bay is beautiful," he
added.
It was a third win for NSW resident Christie Sym who also won in the female
category at the Anaconda Adventure Race on the Gold Coast in August and at
Forster NSW in September.
Ussher and Sym are now looking forward to the final round of the Anaconda
Adventure Race national series with the Lorne, Victoria, race on 9 December,
which is expected to attract around 900 participants.
About 1,200 competitors registered to the Anaconda Adventure Race Geographe Bay
which included ocean swimming (1.8 km), ocean kayaking (12.5 km), coastal and
trail running (14.2 km), mountain biking (22 km) and a final run (1.8 km).
Outdoor adventure retailer Anaconda is the principal sponsor of the Anaconda
Adventure Race National Series which is run by Rapid Ascent headed up by former
world champion kayaker John Jacoby. Anaconda recently opened its first Perth
store in Joondalup and will shortly open in Innaloo.
Adventure racing is a relatively new sport that attracts 'every day' people and
elite athletes from around the globe. Adventure racing, which has sometimes been
called off-road triathlon, has emerged as the big brother to marathons, road
races and triathlons and has seen a significant increase in popularity all
around the world in the past 10 years.
The Lorne race is the final leg of the Anaconda Adventure Race National Series
which includes races on the Gold Coast (QLD), in Forster (NSW) and Geographe Bay
(WA). The Lorne race is also the Australian Championships and will see those at
the front end of the field competing for the $30,000 pool of cash and prizes.
For full results and more information on the Anaconda Adventure Race series,
visit
www.anacondaadventurerace.com.
Anaconda can be contacted on 1300 669 137 or by visiting
www.anaconda.com.au.
Released for Anaconda by Dennis Rutzou Public Relations (www.drpr.com.au)
For further information please call Kim Larochelle or Nicola Rutzou on (02) 9413
4244.
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