Godzone 2015
- February 03, 2015
On the southern end of Lake Wanaka, situated in a dramatic glacial carved basin, is the stunning resort town of Wanaka. The World’s First Protected Lifestyle Reserve, with a population of just 7,000, it’s a spectacular natural playground and if you are into the outdoors, there is no better place to visit or to host GODZone.
Wanaka is one of New Zealand’s premier gateways to the outdoors. With four ski resorts, a wide selection of mountain bike trails, endless walks and hikes, an abundance of water sports, and the Mt Aspiring National Park near by, outdoor enthusiasts are spoiled for choice.
Wanaka was the finish location for Eco Challenge back in 2001 and with so many course options available participants will enjoy breathtaking scenery and a sensational adventure through some of New Zealand’s most epic terrain.
Lake Wanaka’s spectacular location at the foot of the Southern Alps makes it a magnet for outdoor lovers the world over. The town is situated at the southern end of Lake Wanaka. It is surrounded by mountains, to the southwest is the Crown Range and township of Queenstown. To the north the Haast Pass cuts through the Southern Alps near Makarora. To the northeast are the towns of Omarama and Twizel. The Matukituki River valley gives access to the Mount Aspiring National Park and some of the most dramatic scenery in the whole of New Zealand. Teams who attend Chapter 4 will experience an incredibly diverse range of terrain which will test their skills and inspire to the maximum.
Wanaka is one of the few areas in New Zealand to enjoy a continental climate, with four distinct seasons. The weather is fairly dry, with spring (September–December) being the wettest season. Annual rainfall is 682 mm which is half the national average. Wanaka experiences warm summers (December-March) with temperatures reaching the high 20’s, but with an average summer maximum of 24°C. Winter can be extreme with temperature mostly in the single digits during the day time followed by extremely cold and frosty nights and frequent snowfalls. Teams participating in GODZone should expect to travel high into the mountains which always brings the risk of extreme temperatures, both hot and cold.
The main disciplines for GODZone are navigation, trekking, mountain biking, kayaking and canoeing. The race may include additional disciplines that reflect the demands of the terrain.
Many teams underestimate the importance of navigation in adventure races. It is vital that you have at least one competent navigator in the team. The course will demand strong map skills and present teams with numerous route decisions that could significantly impact performance.
Most stages of the race will have a navigational element which underlines its importance. On some parts of the course teams may travel for many hours before seeing a TA or CP (with several route options available) meaning tactical planning will be just as important as following the map. The organisers strongly believe that the winning team should combine both brains and brawn so competitors should focus on a subtle balance of physical prowess versus skills, such as navigation and route planning.
Along with all the required equipment, the teams will also carry a YB tracker throughout the race. The tracker will collect and send several packets of information every fifteen minutes keeping the organisers, family and friends left at home informed on how their favourite teams are progressing along the course. Our devices also provides the teams with a way to communicate if something should go wrong, as there is a red alert button which will transmit the gps co-oridnates to the race organisers so the teams can be located quickly and assessments made.
For more information please visit the GODZone website.
