SUPPLIED/GODZone
Adventure racer Shaun Palmer, of New Plymouth, in the Godzone Pure event. Palmer s team, Ataraxia Macpac, finished fourth.
Overcoming sleep deprivation and being able to navigate in dense native bush in pitch black darkness proved crucial for Shaun Palmer’s Ataraxia Macpac team in the recent GODZone Pure adventure race through the central North Island. Palmer, from New Plymouth, and teammates Tom Reynolds, Matt Jeans and Hannah Lowe averaged three hours’ sleep a day for just under six days to cover more than 650 kilometres. They took fourth place in last week s event, coming in 17 hours behind Nathan Fa’ave s Avaya team, which crossed after four days and 23 hours, eight hours ahead of Richie McCaw’s second placed isport team.
All Blacks legend Richie McCaw celebrates GODZone second placing with beer and pie alongside isport teammates
11 Mar, 2021 12:00 AM
2 minutes to read
Richie McCaw enjoying a pie and beer after the GODzone race. Photo: Supplied / GODZone
NZ Herald
All Blacks legend Richie McCaw has enjoyed his second placing at the GODZone race with one of the most Kiwi combinations of food and drink.
The 148-test former New Zealand skipper and his team crossed the line almost nine hours after Nathan Fa ave, Sophie Hart, Chris Forne, and Stu Lynch of Avaya, who took victory.
But after indulging in the post-race pleasantries with wife Gemma and daughter Charlotte, a visibly wet and exhausted McCaw under gloomy clouds joined his teammates in two New Zealand classics – a cold beer and a warm meat pie.
Wednesday s victory for Avaya, consisting of Nathan Fa ave, Chris Forne, Sophie Hart, and Stu Lynch, was the fifth time the team have won the world’s largest expedition adventure race. Avaya crossed the line just before 8am. I have to say it s nice to get to the finish line – I was concerned during that last stage we would make a mistake in the forest on the bikes, so it s a relief to get it done finally, McCaw said. That last kayak section on Lake Taupo was great to get off the legs after that big trek in the Kaimanawas.”
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