Motu Challenge

In the Community
Oct 14 2019

Two Hobec Teams competed in the Motu Challenge on Saturday 12 October in Opotiki.

The day was full of promise at the 7 am start. The weather was clearing and the teams were enthusiastic.

John MacKay and James McDougall set off with 127 other competitors on their Mountain Bikes for a 65 km largely uphill ride up the old Motu gravel road to Motu town ship. James managed a healthy lead on John by the time he handed over to Dan Broadhurst for the 16 km bush run, with John handing over to Sam Tabak. Good run times by both meant that Dan still had the lead when he handed over to Barry Hennessy (Justine’s husband who got the late call up that morning to do the 52km road cycle in the driving rain). Sam tagged Simon Collett a while later. I am sure Simon would say that the storm of biblical proportions that hit as he was cresting the summit of the road cycle was not funny. The road cycle took Simon and Barry up to Matawai and then down into the Waioeka Gorge. Barry handed over to Luke Stewart in the Kayak. The river was in flood with all the rain so it was a fast 27 km paddle. Unless you swim 1.5 km of it trying to catch up to your kayak in 15 degrees water. Thanks to the pictured jet boat the kayak was eventually returned to its rightful owner and the paddling could continue. In the meantime Simon had tagged Tyler Tabak (Sam’s brother for the other kayak leg). The rain continued to pour down. Rachel Rosser cycled the last 8 km into town and ran the last 3km, to the finish line to carry the Hobec Hopefuls to victory over the fast finishing Tom Lawson, for the Hobec Hobblers.

The sun was out in time for Dan Broadhurst to present prizes to the competitors in the Holland Beckett Law Sponsored Motu Duathlon section of this iconic multisport event.

For more information about this spectacular event click through to the Motu website where the countdown clock is already ticking down to the 2020 Motu Challenge. Two Hobec Teams competed in the Motu Challenge on Saturday 12 October in Opotiki. The day was full of promise at the 7 am start. The weather was clearing and the teams were enthusiastic. John MacKay and James McDougall set off with 127 other competitors on their Mountain Bikes for a 65 km largely uphill ride up the old Motu gravel road to Motu town ship. James managed a healthy lead on John by the time he handed over to Dan Broadhurst for the 16 km bush run, with John handing over to Sam Tabak. Good run times by both meant that Dan still had the lead when he handed over to Barry Hennessy (Justine’s husband who got the late call up that morning to do the 52km road cycle in the driving rain). Sam tagged Simon Collett a while later. I am sure Simon would say that the storm of biblical proportions that hit as he was cresting the summit of the road cycle was not funny. The road cycle took Simon and Barry up to Matawai and then down into the Waioeka Gorge. Barry handed over to Luke Stewart in the Kayak. The river was in flood with all the rain so it was a fast 27 km paddle. Unless you swim 1.5 km of it trying to catch up to your kayak in 15 degrees water. Thanks to the pictured jet boat the kayak was eventually returned to its rightful owner and the paddling could continue. In the meantime Simon had tagged Tyler Tabak (Sam’s brother for the other kayak leg). The rain continued to pour down. Rachel Rosser cycled the last 8 km into town and ran the last 3km, to the finish line to carry the Hobec Hopefuls to victory over the fast finishing Tom Lawson, for the Hobec Hobblers. The sun was out in time for Dan Broadhurst to present prizes to the competitors in the Holland Beckett Law Sponsored Motu Duathlon section of this iconic multisport event. For more information about this spectacular event click through to the Motu website where the countdown clock is already ticking down to the 2020 Motu Challenge. https://www.motuchallenge.co.nz/

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