Adventure Sport: Urban adventure sure to bring out the most amazing racers

Photo / Otago Daily Times

Fancy yourself as a contender for the television show The Amazing Race?

Well the Rollo's six hour urban adventure race around Nelson City and surrounding areas that involves hiking, biking and kayaking but most of all strategy, is your chance to prove your ability.

"It is like the Amazing Race," explained Chris James the creator and event organiser.

"You know when the competitors are in an obscure village in China and they have to find the Chinaman who is chopping up the chook - we have a checkpoint like that in the Nelson markets.

"They have to find a certain person to get a clue off them ... it is pretty chaotic as there will be hundreds of runners on market day.

"It is quirky things like that we introduce to keep people guessing which make this event different and that is why people keep coming back."

And they are coming back in droves.

Seventy six teams make up around 170 athletes line up for the seventh year of the race set in the stunning scenery of the Nelson region has endless appeal.

There is a duathlon option as only three checkpoints are attainable by kayak.

The team to complete the most checkpoints wins.

Athletes are given 45 minutes before the race begins to plot their route to obtain as many checkpoints as possible and James looks forward to the gun going off.

"It is like dropping a bag of marbles, they all go in completely different directions," said the 49-year-old of varying strategies.

"It is not necessarily the quickest or the fittest that wins this event but more like the smartest," he said.

Strategy is all important as athletes need to plan a route that doesn't double back and that plays to their strongest disciplines.

"A checkpoint might be at the top of a steep hill and you are on bike but if you know the terrain you'll know when to run and when to get on the bike," said James.

"You have to be thinking all the time."

Andrew Martin normally teams up with his wife Jane, she has pulled out with a stomach bug, teams up with Daniel Busch in Team AMK.

The 48-year-old knows with defending champions Nathan Fa'vae and Marcel Hagner missing they are regarded as one of the favourites.

"The key to this race is going in with an open mind," said Martin who manufactures Kayaks for the Coast to Coast and multisport events.

"You'll have a strategy and it is all about keeping your wits together when you cock it up because that is going to happen.

"You can't train specifically for this event as you don't know what disciplines will be used the most you only know you need to be fit."

Nelson local Kelly Barber of the Barberians is a three time participant and is hoping to upset Team AMK.

"One of the best things about this adventure race is you don't know where you are going so that is exciting and it's a real leveler," said Barber.

Kelly, 46, is one of five brothers in the Barber family and has convinced his younger brother Josh, 36, to join him in a two man team this year.

Rollo Six Hour
* 76 teams make up around 170 athletes for the seventh year of the adventure race

* Teams can consist of two, three of four members to partake in the disciplines of hiking, biking and kayaking to find a number of checkpoints throughout Nelson City and the fringe area in a six hour time limit.

* The event has attracted well known endurance athletes like Richard Ussher and his wife Elina and Nathan Fa'avae and his wife Jane.