As Covid raged around New Zealand, the Queenstown event organiser last month successfully guided 65 athletes plus crew around a seven-day, six-stage, 264km ultra run through some of the Southern Lakes’ most spectacular trails and mountains.
The inaugural Southern Lakes Ultra (SLU) was completed on February 26, three years after the idea was first suggested to Bell.
New Zealand’s first seven-day staged ultra, the Alps 2 Ocean race through the Waitaki Valley, ended in 2020 and Bell saw an opportunity.
The stunning trails and mountains of the Lakes District seemed a perfect fit for a new event. The area was Bell’s playground and she was determined to be the one to get it off the ground.
Bell, who had completed three Alps 2 Ocean events, knew how important multi-stage ultras were to the running scene.
"I saw a multi-stage event as having many positives. I also thought Queenstown area would be ideal ... the terrain, the tourist town.
"I love my home town and wanted to share my favourite mountains and trails with athletes. I asked many Alps 2 Ocean athletes for feedback on the Alps 2 Ocean course, and the overall feedback was they wanted more mountains and less runable terrain.
"I also love the remote mountains, so wanted to incorporate them and have a mix of runable and mountains and include a variety of terrain and trail surfaces."
But Bell did not count on Covid. The inaugural race, scheduled for 2021, had to be postponed . Earlier this year, the event again hung in the balance as the country went into the Red setting.
It was evident early on that overseas competitors, mostly from Australia, would be unable to attend, but that probably worked in Bell’s favour. Entry numbers were now below 100 (including support crew) and the SLU was free to go ahead under the Government’s criteria, unlike many larger events around the country.
Despite the setbacks, Bell says she never lost motivation and remained determined the SLU would become a reality.
"I saw the big picture and just kept chipping away at it.
"Every challenge possible was thrown at us, but I never lost that focus. I guess when you have a strong WHY you just keep chipping away. At times, it was two steps forward one back, but the end goal was always there."
The SLU had the potential to consume her life and for two years she averaged almost 20 hours race planning a week. That was in addition to her job with environmental consultants Boffa Miskell Limited, as well as being a mother and wife.
Following the success of last month’s race, interest for next year’s event has already been strong but, as word continues to spread about the event, Bell is wary of it becoming too big and too commercialised.
"I always want to keep the family feel, where we know each other by name, where I am happy to invite athletes into my home and share adventures.
"I want to keep SLU open to those with a dream, not just the elite. I want to show people what is possible, if you have a goal, commit and train. I don’t want it to be easy, but I want it to be achievable. "
Bell set out with a vision to create a world-class multi-stage event in a world-class destination. If the inaugural SLU was anything to go by, she might just be on to something.
