Stingers battle the elements to come out on top at the Paddy Pallin Adventure Race Series season opener! by AROC Sport
The Paddy Pallin Adventure Race Series opened the season in blustery conditions in Shellharbour over the weekend. From the tubing down Minnamurra River to the coasteering and singletrack mountain biking in Blackbutt Reserve the course had it all!

WATSON, AUSTRALIA, October 21, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Paddy Pallin Adventure Race Series opened the 2010/11 season in blustery conditions in Shellharbour over the weekend. It was the first time the Series had visited the South Coast and competitors were treated to an array of differing terrains and views. From the tubing down Minnamurra River to the coasteering along Bass Point and singletrack mountain biking in Blackbutt Reserve the course had it all!
A windy morning greeted the competitors standing on the start line on Minnamurra River with their tubes in hand. After a quick trip down to the mouth of the river it was a dash up Mystics Beach to the bikes at the first Transition Area (TA). Two teams, the Cockie Stinging Arrows and the Stingers opened up the beginnings of a huge margin on the rest of the field here. It was then onto the bikes and through the picturesque Killalea State Park towards Bass Point Reserve and the renowned Bushrangers Bay.
Using memory from a 'NearMap' image at each Check Point (CP) the teams navigated their way around the point. The cold conditions (and the fact it was found to be a shark habitat!) prevented the full swim from happening but the teams still got wet. Cockie Stinging Arrows managed to open a lead of 4mins by the end of this leg. The rest of the field was still fighting hard behind the two leading teams with B3N, Sleepmonsters, Just Trippin' and Freddi Furlongs amongst those tussling for third. The Stingers Chics were beginning to be as equally dominating as the men and were up by 14mins to The Happy Ladies and Daisy Dazzlers.
An urban ride to Blackbutt Reserve to discover what a dog's nuisance is and to tackle the orienteering section. Unfortunately the locals had decided that the race was not exciting enough and decided to rearrange the Check Points. Realising this the leaders returned to TA5 and headed out on the singletrack route but again the locals had decided they knew a better route to mark and soon both the top teams were led astray. Some quick relocation and they were off towards the finish via the paddling leg which had been moved to within the channel as the surf conditions were too rough for the ocean paddle.
The Cockie Stinging Arrows edged out the Stingers by just under 4mins to take the first win of the season. The battle for third was a cracker with B3N and Sleepmonsters never more than one minute apart after TA4. It was B3N who was next across the line only 41 seconds ahead. Stingers Chics romped home ahead of The Happy Ladies in their first ever adventure race and Daisy Dazzlers completing the podium for females. Maximum Adventure won the mixed category with What Are We Thinking and Middo's + 1 filling the podium.
The Novice Course teams jumped into the kayaks first for a quick paddle. It was an initiation of sorts for the many teams making their AR debut as the wind gave them a real challenge to steer the yellow sit-on-top kayaks! No Compromise were first back to the bikes with a 3-minute lead and headed off for the quick ride and wade to Barrack Point. The teams got a taste of some coasteering around the point before heading back to TA3 and their bikes. It was here that No Compromise lost their leg to Racing Rieses and the male team The Brothers Grimm.
The Novice teams were off to Blackbutt Reserve next to get stuck into the same 'redesigned' orienteering leg as the Classic teams. Las Tres Chicas, all orienteers, showed their navigating skills to record the fastest time by 3 minutes on this leg. The singletrack was next to come and by then the Racing Rieses had opened a 4-minute lead on The Brothers Grimm and No Compromise who were separated by only 11 seconds. The ride was to determine the podium and The Brothers Grimm powered home to win by two minutes from No Compromise. The Racing Rieses were next across the line but unfortunately missed a CP which allowed HotSox to take third overall. Las Tres Chicas managed to open a healthy enough lead that held the fast finishing Not too sure at bay in the female category.
Organisers would like to thank all who made this event possible: Shellharbour City Council and Tourism Shellharbour, all volunteers (Garth, Ella, Erica, Karen, Anne, Chuong, Yanna, Kyla, Neal) and Surf Life Saving Clubs (Warilla-Barrack Point, Windang and Kiama Downs), and finally the Series sponsors: Paddy Pallin, Fitness First, icebreaker, World Expeditions, Salomon, Suunto, Sea to Summit, Skins, Ultra FIT Magazine, Australian Geographic Outdoor Magazine, GU and Red Bull.
The 2010-11 Series continues with the next event in Canberra on 27 November 2010, and then going in to the new year, 12 February 2011 in the Canberra area and the Season Grand Finale on the Central Coast on 12 March 2011. Entries are currently open online and early-bird specials are available.

For complete results and photos and to enter the other events of the Series go to: www.arocsport.com.au

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