Big Guns Ready to Fire

An Australia vs NZ battle is about to be waged on the Gold Coast, with NZ's number one ranked off-road stars Gordon Walker and Emily Miazga taking on Australia's best. Jody Zerbst and Guy Andrews are leading the charge for the Australian males, whilst Christie Sym, Narelle Ash and surf ironwoman legend Karla Gilbert will be flying the flag for the Aussie girls. Amongst the big names competing in relay teams are Phil "black snake" Clayton, an ex-world champion surf ironman and Sara Carrigan, Olympic gold medalist from the cycle road race at Athens. Full colour 28-page race programs can be picked up from Tugun Surf Club, with detailed maps of the course, profiles of top seeds and other useful information.

Otway Odyssey Mountain Bike Marathon

The Otway Odyssey Mountain Bike Marathon will take competitors through rainforest and soaring mountain ash on a giant roller-coaster ride single loop from the beach at Apollo Bay through Forrest, Lake Elizabeth and finishing on the beach at Apollo Bay. There is also a 2-person relay team category and the Otway Shorty 50km gives riders a shorter option.

Running in conjunction with the ride is Forrest Festival, with live bands, food, rides, kid's games, BMX dirt-jumping and more. This Festival is at the half-way point of the ride and gives friends & family the opportunity to kick back & relax while the riders are gallivanting through the National Park. On-line entries open September 11, paper entries are open now, click here to download the PDF.

Athlete Profiles: Jamie-Anne and Kaitlyn Fishwick

Her little sister Kaitlyn, 7, says "I am in Grade 2 at Samford state school, where I enjoy my classroom being neat and tidy. I like going to the beach and building huge sand castles. I also like riding my bike with Mum."

Well Kaitlyn if you love building sand castles, make sure you hang around after presentations on Saturday to participate in the Jamis Sand Castle Building Competition at 11:30am (open to everyone, entry is free!). If you don't manage to win your age category in Anaconda Junior Survivor and collect a shiny new Jamis mountain bike worth $400, you'll get another chance in the Sand Castle building competition, where the best Sand Castle wins a Jamis mountain bike!

There will also be a Keen Frisbee Toss competition at 11:00am with the winner collecting a pair of fancy Keen shoes valued at $200. Good luck on Saturday girls!

Schedule of Events Anaconda Adventure Race Gold Coast

If you're a Qld'er and have some time on Saturday morning (August 26), we'd encourage you to come down and join in the fun and festivities at Tugun.

• His Worship the Mayor, Ron Clarke will be opening the race at 7:45am before competitors will enjoy a VERY different start to the race at 8:00am from Tugun beach, directly in front of Tugun Surf Club.
• The Anaconda Junior Survivors will start at 9:30am.
• From 11am to 3pm there will be hourly random prize give-aways, everyone in attendance at the Outdoor Sports Expo on the beachfront will be eligible.
• In addition, at 11am there will be a Frisbee Toss competition (free to all-comers) with a pair of fabulous Keen shoes worth $200 to the winner.
• Then at 11:30am the Sand Castle Building Competition (free to all-comers) is on, best sand castle built within 30 minutes wins a new Jamis Mountain Bike valued at $500!!

There will also be a climbing pinnacle and bungy trampoline for the kids, and lots of great food. Rumour also has it that the notorious Anaconda Man, caped crusader and ssslithering hero of all Adventure Racers, will be making an appearance.

Team Profile: F172

At the tender young age of 59, Jan has a swag of medals in surf life saving (masters at world level), but lists her only medical problem on her entry form as "old age". We witnessed Jan paddling across the bar at Tallebudgera on a very big surf day (at the course familiarisation day) when several male competitors half her age wouldn't even attempt it, so we think she's lying about old age being a problem.

This team of tough Mums are looking forward to doing some serious team bonding on race day and are bound to test some of the younger all-male teams, so if you see team 161 out on the course, give 'em a cheer!

Team Profile: Not Drowning, Just Waving

"Not Drowning, Just Waving" is one of the teams with a distinctly international flavour. Yoko "BB" Okuda (pictured in the outfit she wore in this year's Gold Coast Half marathon) is an ex-professional runner/triathlete with wins in Vancouver Marathon and Japan Ironman to her credit. Werner Wilson is an ex-South African swimming champion who competed in the world triathlon championships in Perth in 2001 and met & married the sister of the final team member Peter "Hornet" Thomsen who is a Hawaii Ironman, and who is married to Yoko. {Editor's note - it all sounds very incestuous Peter!}

When asked about his preparation Peter says, "I drew the short straw (ie the paddle leg) and went for my first paddle 3 weeks ago and am using a borrowed racing ski. I can't keep the damn thing upright in the ocean, so I'm seriously considering running with the ski along the beach from Currumbin to Tallebudgera and then starting the paddle in the creek!" Good luck Peter, we hope you still have some energy left after lugging your ski for 5km along the beach!!

Athlete Profile: Ady Ngawati

Says Ady, "I tried to fit training in around my busy work schedule with some great support from adventure racing friends. I'm a little nervous about the paddle leg, in particular the entrance to Tallebudgera Creek (isn't everyone?), and will be really looking forward to the run leg."

Ady has won some big triathlons in her career but is doing this race "purely for FUN, I just love the course and it's going to be a tough challenge right to the end". Good luck on Saturday Ady.

Athlete Profile: Max R - Junior Survivor

Burnet Charity Pledge

If you'd like to support your favourite athlete in this Saturday's Anaconda Adventure Race by making a pledge to the charity partner Burnet Institute, click here (Junior Survivors click here) and select the competitor name and make your pledge! Your support will help in the development of vaccines for infectious diseases and cancers, and new treatments for those people that are already suffering from these illnesses. You can see a running tally of pledges listed by athlete name here