Blisters, bruises, laughter and tears - we've seen it all at this year's Oxfam Trailwalker, and what a fantastic event it has been. The blog below is just a snippet of what went on at the event. We've tried to capture the highs as well as the lows, the joy as well as the pain, but only those people who have joined us in Taupo will really understand what it's like to have walked 100 km in less than 36 hours. It really is a phenomenal achievement.
Well done Trailwalkers! And thank-you so much for your generous support. In the words of Oxfam's Executive Director Barry Coates, it's incredibly humbling to see so many people taking on this challenge in support of Oxfam.
3.47 pm Final team is through!
Last but by no means least is Team SoupA stars! Coming in well within the time limit at 33 hours 47 minutes.
2:00pm Finish line update - nearly there!
Only a few teams left to go. Here's a few pics to set the scene at the finish line. And make sure you check out the icky blisters in the video below. Well, you know what they say: No pain, no gain!
A Trailwalker having a lie down in the finish line marquee, and receiving a well deserved massage, care of The Body Shop.
Ecstatic smiles all around, as enthusiastic teams cross the finish line and are awarded their Trailwalker 2009 medals.
Chin-chin! A team toasts their achievements - 100km in 30 hours.
As if 100km across rugged terrain in worn in sneakers isn't bad enough on the feet, this team takes it one step further and struts the final length of domain in their stilettos. Nice touch!
Samoan trade initiative Women in Business, represented in Oxfam New Zealand Trailwalker by Team Misiluki, receives an emotional reception at the finish line by their support crew and fans from within the Oxfamily. Misiluki lost one of their own along the way but gained another, adopting the last remaining member of another Trailwalker team. This participant had attempted Trailwalker in previous years but his team always fell apart before the finish line. What better team to walk those last few kilometres with, than Team Misiluki?
Airing out those tired tootsies! Immense relief on the face of a Trailwalker after the shoe-removal ceremony.
Team 'teeny tiny toejams troupe ' glam themselves up for the final leg. Watch out you might see these super troupers on Asia Downunder in the next couple of weeks.
11:15am Update from HQ
All teams have now left Checkpoint 7 - the remaining Trailwalkers are on the home-straight!
11:05am Finish line update
The time on the Trailwalker clock now reads about 29 hours since the first teams began their 100km journey, at 6:00am yesterday morning. Now almost 200 teams have crossed the finish line and received their medals, massages and hugs from Mum. For the 100 or so teams still to come, conditions on the course are picturesque, after a freezing cold night when temperatures dropped as low as 7 degrees. Keep it up Trailwalkers!
194 participants have now crossed the finish line and are stoked to receive finishers medals
Outrageous costumes and happy faces at the finish line
7.30am Finish line update
Over 78 teams have crossed the finish line - including our guys with the ironing board, who have just arrived with ironing board in tow. Very impressive guys - ironing will never be quite the same again for you will it...
Teams are arriving in a slow and steady stream now; some a little worse off than others, but all in great spirits. Who wouldn't be? Walking 100km in under 26 hours is certainly no mean feat and they must all be looking forward to well deserved sleep! Don't forget to take advantage of the free massages in the Samoan village guys!
Also let's have a big shout out for the finishing line crew, in particular our very own ED Barry Coates, who literally has been shouting out for several hours straight. It's incredible he's still got a voice!
5.15am Team Bubbles cross the line
Double Olympic gold medallist Caroline Evers-Swindell and her teammates Annabel, Nina and Emily, cross the line in Taupo after walking the 100km Oxfam Trailwalker in just over 23 hours. Cold and tired they agree it was harder than they thought, and were happy to see a trailwalker medal hung around each of their necks for their efforts.
Almost 55 teams out of 289 have crossed the line at his stage.
2.30am Trailwalker proposal!
Rumour has it a walker from Team Datacom Tortoises proposed to his girlfriend after crossing the line at 2:42am Sunday morning - and lucky for him she said yes! That's a Trailwalker first! Congratulations you two!
11pm Finish line update
Six teams are home! Only 283 to go..no problem!
9:30pm Checkpoint 5, Haka welcome
The night is young and the Tauhara College Rugby boys are making a party of it at Checkpoint 5! Their welcome Haka, booming tunes, and BBQ sausages are putting smiles on some tired faces arriving in the dark at the 72km mark. Not far to go now though! Grab a bowl of hot Naked Organics soup or maybe a shot of caffeine from the Caffe L'affare cafe (tent) and then back out on the night trail...
Pumping music and an enthusiastic Kapa Haka group from Tauhara College greeted participants at checkpoint 5.
8:30pm Top team update
Team Yomp: L-R Gerry Mekkelholt, Ken Maplesden, Wayne Oxenham
The first two teams have crossed the finish line, and it’s clear it went down to the wire in the final leg. The fastest team was YOMP, arriving in what could be close to a record breaking time in the history of Oxfam New Zealand Trailwalker. These guys cannot be given the official first-place title, because they are one member short. However they have achieved an epic feat today, and in a move that has stunned us all, they’ve already raced back to the trail to join the support crew of another team. How outstanding.
L-R Steve Pelham, Carmel Bradley, Brent Rayner, Barry Fox
More than familiar with Team YOMP’s situation are this year’s official winners, Team TIS. Team TIS forfeited their win last year because of the four-team-member rule, but this year they let nothing get in the way. With an unofficial finishing time of about 13 and a half hours, these fourth-time entrants won’t say whether there are more Trailwalkers on the horizon for them, but today’s exceptional effort on their part is something that will not be forgotten!
6:30pm Top team update
Team TIS is making remarkable time, having arrived at Checkpoint 7 at 6:06pm. Now onto the final stretch of their Oxfam New Zealand Trailwalker 2009 experience, we wish them all the best! Word is that Team YOMP was only ten minutes behind Team TIS at Checkpoint 6 however, so they mustn’t be far away. Looks like we are to expect a pretty close finish, stay tuned!
Teams cross fields in the warm glow of evening light near checkpoint 4.
6:00pm Top team update
It’s a beautiful evening in Taupo and the first three teams have made it past the 5th checkpoint – a milestone of 64.5km. Leading the pack is still Team TIS, who clocked into Checkpoint 5 at 3:37pm. This morning’s second-place holders Loosey Gooseys have been overtaken by Team YOMP, with both teams arriving at Checkpoint 5 only sixty seconds apart. Their clock-in times came 27 minutes after Team TIS, at 4:04pm and 4:05pm. Competition is heating up.
4:00pm Checkpoint 3
Team Bubbles - Recognise our rowing hero Caroline Evers-Swindell? Proving that her legs can work just as hard those olympic arms, Caroline and her team have cruised through the first 45km. Happy to have a rest in the shade at checkpoint 3, the girls are treated to hot dogs and hugs from their dedicated boyfriends. Only 55km to go - great work girls!
Teams enjoy a good pampering by their support crews at check point 3.
4:00pm Checkpoint update
Sightings from the first three checkpoints today were Team Misiluki, leaving Checkpoint 2 around 2pm after a couple of sandwiches and a change of socks. Then come 3pm at Checkpoint 3, Caroline Evers-Swindell was seen having a short but well-earned rest with her fellow Trailwalkers in Team Bubbles. Also at this checkpoint was the team and support crew from Hong Kong, in fantastic spirits posing for photos and looking more than ready to tackle the next leg. Go teams!
2:00pm Checkpoint 2
Clowning around at checkpoint 2: a sure way to put a smile on the face of even the weariest walker.
Teams arrive at checkpoint 2 in great spirits. By this point they've covered 30km of the 100km course.
Team Misiluki pause for a photo at the Girl Guide camp, checkpoint 2. How do they manage to still look so fresh faced and relaxed? Perhaps it's because they know a Body Shop coconut cream foot massage is only minutes away.
Trailwalker Programme Team MISILUKI, from partner NGO Women in Business Development Inc Samoa. WIBDI has combined tradition, trade and technology and turned coconuts into a viable income for more than 200 rural families, enabling a break-through contract to supply virgin coconut oil to cosmetic giant The Body Shop.
12:30pm Top team update
It's neck and neck at the front! Two teams are vying for the top spot and are only 4 minutes apart at Checkpoint 3. Team 'Loosey Gooseys' has arrived at Checkpoint 3 - 45kms into the trail - and 'Team TIS' is hot on their trail arriving at 12:34pm. Team TIS was the first team to cross the line in 2008, but because they had dropped one team member they weren't eligible for top honours - Team TIS won't be letting that happen again! Watch this space..
9:30am Checkpoint 1
Blister prevention at checkpoint 1 - and we've only just begun! St Johns Ambulance are on hand to help any injuries or serious blister issues..they expect to be inundated later into the night..
Couldn't leave the ironing board at home... Where's the kitchen sink? But please note impressive preparation with the loo rolls.
The Walkie Talkies are all smiles at checkpoint 1..16.6km down only 83.4 to go!
6:58am Start line
They're off! Only 100kms to go!
Oxfam New Zealand's Executive Director Barry Coates wishing particpants all the best - with a gentle reminder for teams to be nice to each other and their support crews when times get a bit tough!
An impressive 1200 people in teams of four lined up at the start on a dark and chilly Taupo morning! Some keen beans were in shorts - signalling a need for speed - no time to stop and peel off any layers! A few nervous yelps and laughter filled the foggy air. Trailwalkers were sent off with a moving performance from Tauhara College's Kapa Haka group - a unique experience for the internatonal teams taking part this year from Hong Kong, Australia, Samoa and the United States.
