It was thirsty work for a trio of semi-naked Waikato University students, who moments after crossing the finishing line at the top of Dunedin's Baldwin St yesterday showered themselves in the sponsor's product.
Teina Walters (18), Max Cumpstone (18) and Jules Craft (19) left Auckland on Friday armed only with Red Bull to trade for transport, food and lodging.
Their 54-hour journey took them to checkpoints at Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington and Christchurch, before they won the ''Red Bull Can You Make It'' competition.
Mr Craft said his team was running last at almost every checkpoint and was about to give up when they found themselves stuck on the wrong side of Cook Strait with no money.
''We went nuts and ran into Homegrown [music festival] with this big sign saying 'please donate, we are very poor' and every time someone donated we gave them Red Bull ... and made the money in 40 minutes.''
They arrived in Dunedin just after noon yesterday, winning $1500 for their troubles, and along with the other five competing teams would receive flights back to their respective campuses.
The trio said they were looking forward to partying at Otago University's O-Week.
