MEDIA RELEASE 09 December 2007
Race results: Anaconda Adventure Race, Lorne
NSW resident Ben Allen took first place at the Anaconda Adventure Race, Lorne,
which was held today, 9 December. Victorian Deanna Blegg was also the first
female to cross the finish line.
Wearing bib number 2, Ben Allen beat Queenslander Glenn Kirby and winner of the
2006 Lorne race Jarad Kohlar with a time of 4 hours, 2 minutes and 6 seconds.
McKinnon resident Deanna Blegg completed the course in 4 hours, 45 minutes with
an eight-minute lead in front of Kim Beckinsale.
A sunny morning gave athletes perfect swimming and paddling conditions for the
start of the race at 8:00 am, which went around the Otway Ranges and Great Ocean
Road. However, clouds and rain from 12:30 pm provided tougher conditions for
racers in the second half of the group.
Allen, 22-year-old elite Surf Ironman from North Wollongong, NSW, said he gave
his best right up to the end.
"Glenn and I started the bike leg together so I knew I had to work hard on my
bike. I looked behind after a few minutes and couldn't see him so I kept my head
down and gave everything I could," Allen said.
"I did the bike leg of the course yesterday so as to be ready for the race and
it paid off for me. I've also just come back from New Zealand where I did high
altitude training," he added.
It was a first win for mother of two Deanna Blegg who saw her kids jumping in
her arms at the finish line.
"I heard about the race two years ago and decided to give it a try last year
when I finished in the top 10. Winning this year is just like a dream," Blegg
said.
"I love the rocks running section and it's where I overtook Naantali Marshall
who was leading in the female category," she added.
About 1,082 athletes racing individually or as a team competed in the Anaconda
Adventure Race in Lorne which included ocean swimming (1.9 km), ocean kayaking
(13 km), coastal and trail running (11.2 km), mountain biking (23 km) and a
beach run (2.8 km).
The Lorne race was the conclusion of the 2007 Anaconda Adventure Race National
Series which also included races on the Gold Coast (QLD), in Forster (NSW) and
Geographe Bay (WA). The Lorne race was also the Australian championships and saw
those at the front end of the field competing for the $30,000 pool of cash and
prizes.
Organisers of the Anaconda Adventure Race National Series Rapid Ascent, headed
up by former world champion kayaker John Jacoby, has already started planning
the 2008 Series with a Gold Coast (QLD) race planned for early August, Forster
(NSW) for late August, Geographe Bay (WA) for mid-November and Lorne (Vic) for
late November.
The National Series is sponsored by outdoor adventure retailer Anaconda which
recently opened its second store in Victoria in Geelong, bringing more
competition to the outdoor retailing industry.
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.
For full results and more information on the Anaconda Adventure Race National
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.
Athlete interviews available on request.
High resolution photos available for the media at
www.anacondaadventurerace.com
under 'media' page. Password: m3d1a06 - please attribute images to 'Rapid
Ascent'
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