Hawea Contact Epic 2019 - 12th year

Contact Epic event - Lake Hawea 

2019

12th year in a row circumnavigating the 125km around Lake Hawea on a mountain bike 

7 times winner of the Contact Epic event

9 podiums out of 12

2019 - 3rd Open female

Current contender, out of 16 people left vying for the "Last man standing" competition

And still having a blast on yet another stunning epic Autumnal day!!

Photo supplied by Garrick Carmeron

www.studio5.co.nz

Lining up for the 12th year running since 2008 of the Contact Hawea Epic is by no means getting easier for this 46 year old veteran.  I still get a bad dose of the mad screaming butterflies in my stomach at least a month out from this race every year. I tell myself not to get so worked up about this event, but I guess it is in my blood now since I have raced it every year from the inaugural event. 

Picture this on the start line.....Cold, brisk and sometimes freezing temperatures of an Autumn mid-April morning at approximately 6:45am, about 500 - 600 competitors line up on the control gates of Lake Hawea township. Winning the event allows you the luxury to turn up just before the start and get a box seat position without having to arrive super early in order to get a good start line position. The mist rises spookily off the lake to reveal the course you are about to embark on for the morning and into the afternoon. The sound of soft orchestral music is played until about 2 minutes before 7am start call. Then the soundtrack from Eminem, "Lose Yourself", which is played every year without fail, is blasted out loudly before the ten second countdown. If that doesn't get your blood pumping and all fired up then you should have stayed in bed!   

It is an exhilarating thrill to lead out the bunch ride over the control gates. Realistically, this is as close to leading this race as I will get now. However, I will take this glory for as I long as I am fit and able to get myself round this lake in the future annual events whilst vying for the "Last man standing" competition. This competition was announced after the inaugural race. The rules are that you have to have completed every 125km epic event since 2008. I'm not sure Danielle and Aaron Nicholson (the event organisers) realised how determined the riders in this competition were going be, to keep coming back year after year.  

Funnily enough, a good friend of mine, Michael Wright and I joke about who is going to be knocked out of the competition first. I have even threatened to break his leg. Michael asked me to pick up his number plate and register him this year, as he was going to travel up early in the morning. At 6:30am I saw Michael's truck go past the place I was staying. I rang him to see why he didn't stop. His words as he chuckled stupidly were "I have a slight problem.....I have lost my bike!"  To which my reply should not be published. Believe it or not, I am sorry Michael lost his bike which obviously jettisoned   off the back of his ute on the way  up to Hawea. I'm sure he wouldn't have been speeding for that to  have happened! It is still no where to be found. Probably down a farmers bank or in someones garage who had a lucky find on the road. Thanks to Michael we are now down to 16 people left in this competition. How many more years will it take to establish the winner??

As we hit the first incline going past the camping ground the cool air burns your lungs. You ride hard and hope that everyone holds their line and don't do stupid manoeuvres to try to win the race in the first 10 minutes, as often happens. The lookout hill on the tar seal section between Hawea and "The Neck" turn off to Kidds Bush is the hill that usually sorts out the bunch. This year must have been a sedate pace as it was the first year I haven't felt like dying at the top of it and managed to hang on to the first bunch. 

30km into the race we hit the gravel road for Kidds Bush and Hunter Valley Station side of Lake Hawea.  This is where the race really begins. There are several undulating pinchy climbs, icy cold creek crossings which are usually rideable. This year they were as high as I have experienced, making my time slower than I would have liked. The same bog that I try to ride every year catches me out yet again, with the front wheel implanting deep into it and throwing me off my bike! Counting down the kilometres to the Hunter river crossing and half way point is usually a boost of energy for me and like a bolting horse for home.  Only these days it's not quite bolting!!

I love this side of the lake, seeing the Dingleburn Station homestead and then the Hawea township in the distance. The rocky river bed riding was changed for a new crossing point of the high flowing Hunter river. It was more single track type riding with a few dodgy narrow wooden plank structures bridging some small creeks. My biggest fear is slipping off wooden structures like these. I held my breath and hooned across them with no crashes. I am stoked about that!  Then it is more rough terrain as we cross rocky braided fords on our way to Green Bush Hut. If you desire, you can stop here and refuel with snacks and energy drinks that are provided. I have never felt to urge to stop yet. In fact, I never knew there was a hut there until I was invited by Dingleburn Station owners Pp (Davida) and Guy Mead to help build a new patio on the hut a few years ago. From Green Bush Hut there is more undulating climbs of rough 4WD track leading to the Dingleburn homestead.  

The highlight of this race apart from finishing, is hearing, before I see Pp Mead at the scone station cheering me on. I love riding through this section with the beautiful autumnal scene of falling poplar  leaves and the breath taking vistas of Mount Aspiring whilst concentrating on staying on the very narrow road as you ride around the famous Dingleburn bluffs. Knowing I have only 35 km to go on gravel and tar seal with really only one more steep pinch of a climb out of Timaru creek is the fuel that keeps those tired beaten legs turning.

The last few years have seen me riding mostly by myself in this section. Some years ago I used to have a harem of boys to work with (draft with) to the finish line. Soon I am riding the last stretch along the lake front road to the Hawea pub where you finish in the garden bar. What a relief it is to hoon into the finishing shoot with your name being shouted out as you skid to a finish stop and receive your finishers medal. The first finish back in 2008 is still fresh in my mind, being greeted by Danielle with a bottle of champagne, my sister and mother. Not much has changed apart from the bottle of champagne. Another special note to make is the ever consistent and generous Ginny Rutledge, who is always welcoming a sweaty muddy hug from me along with her yummy race recovery soup and sandwiches. This lady is just Gold!

For a short while, before I pootle off for a shower and to regather myself, we competitors mill around congratulating each other on finishing and sharing our stories of pain and suffering. Many regroup back in the garden bar for the afternoon celebrating and watching other competitors finish their adventure before prize giving later in the day. 

Feeling stoked about my achievement of just finishing unscathed, mechanical free once again, and coming 3rd, I was getting excited about picking up Peg from Queenstown, then heading to Bluff  for a ferry crossing to Stewart Island in the morning for our next adventure.  As I packed my gear into the car whilst chatting on the phone to Peg, who should walk up behind me and surprise the heck out of me, but Peg. Speechless, I grabbed us a celebratory beer and we headed off for prize giving.

Prize giving consists of a spot prize draw by way of a unique and entertaining stripping of 4 models (X3 males; X1 female - about the ratio of male to female riders in the event) with sponsored biking gear from clothing to bike accessories.  There is of course the major prizes for category winners, and the sword award for the winners of the third year running of the Centurion - One Hundred Miler, 160 km event. 

Wether you are competitive or a weekend warrior, if you are looking for a challenge or true adventure, then this event is a must do!