The new organisers of the three-day Goldrush multisport event are facing an extra challenge of extreme weather conditions.
"I don't know about a baptism of fire; it's more like a baptism by Mother Nature," co-organiser Tim Pearson, of Clyde, said yesterday. Pearson and Merryn Johnston, of Wanaka, have taken over organisation of the event from Alexandra men Neville Grubb and Ritchie Bailey, who began it 16 years ago.
For the first time in its history, one of the stages had to be cancelled yesterday.
"The temperature dropped from 27degC to 15degC in the space of an hour and it rained so heavy in the upper Manorburn that cars were getting stuck there and we couldn't get our officials in place for the mountain bike leg, so we had to cancel it," Pearson said.
Instead, yesterday's racing began with the road cycling section into the Ida Valley, which is usually the second stage of the day.
More than 200 athletes have entered the 375km race, which involves competitors kayaking, cycling and running through Central Otago.
The first day's competition on Saturday also threw up challenges for the entrants and the organisers.
"It was choppy on the lake [ Roxburgh] getting close to the Roxburgh end and it was so windy on the mountain bike leg that day, there was 4km riders could not even stay on their bikes," he said.
Three-time winner Dougal Allen, of Wanaka, leads by 1hr 10min from Gavin Mason, also of Wanaka. The rough weather on the first day's racing tipped Mason out of his kayak, which gave Allen the advantage.
The women's individual contest is close, with only eight minutes between Wanaka multisporters Simone Maier and Ailsa Rollinson. The women's team contest is also very close.
The race finishes todayin Alexandra, with the first competitors expected to arrive at Molyneux Park about 12.30pm.
