Finish line elation
Team B&T has conquered the 2013 Swisse Mark Webber Tasmania Challenge. We have been blogging live from the event, covering the highs and lows of the five-day adventure race, and looking at the inside story on the significant branding and sponsorship around the event. Here’s our final blog.
Finish line elation
After five days of brutally tough racing, Team B&T has completed the 2013 Swisse Mark Webber Tasmania Challenge.
It has been five hugely inspirational days that were mentally and physically challenging from start to finish.
From the 5am alarm clock, to the early morning race starts, to the navigating and physically pushing ourselves around the six or seven legs each day, through to the bag and kit box packing and map planning each night after dinner, there really is no time to switch off during the event.
Day five certainly saw the event end in style. At 7am we found ourselves on the summit of Mount Wellington, looking down on Hobart on the most beautifully sunny morning. Moments like that will stick in our minds for a long time.
The day kicked off with a 5km run part-way down the mountain on a rocky path, to meet our mountain bikes.
Next up was a challenging downhill ride on very rocky, overgrown paths. Half way through the ride we abandoned our bikes to pick up a checkpoint which was about 1km down an almost vertical path – we picked up fallen branches to use as walking sticks to help us back up again.
The rest of the mountain bike route took us closer to Hobart city, before we got into our kayak at Blackmans Bay Beach for a 12km paddle into town. With strong winds, rolling water and sore shoulders, we found this to be one of the toughest paddles of the race. But the thought of the finish line looming was enough to keep us going.
The final leg of the day was a 6km run, collecting a series of checkpoints along the way, through Hobart to the finish line in front of the Henry Jones Art Hotel. It was one of the most surreal moments of the race, running through the city with people clapping (and staring at the sweaty, salty weirdos carrying backpacks and maps, and looking utterly bedraggled).
It was a mixture of relief and disbelief, and the biggest sense of achievement we’ve ever had to cross the finish line. It’s going to take a few days to sink in.
It’s been more than inspiring to see the elite teams take on the Swisse Mark Webber Tasmania Challenge. All I can say is that they really are super-human.
New Zealanders Braden Currie and Richard Ussher, racing for Team Discovertasmania.com, were the event winners, finishing two hours and 42 minutes ahead of second place Team Pure Tasmania, Mark Hinder and Alex Hunt.
Day five highlights:
Ranked in the world’s top 10 adventure races, the Webber Challenge is a slick operation. Event organisers Octagon and course planners Rapid Ascent are behind the event, and it couldn’t happen without the army of volunteers who set up and man the transition areas, and transport competitors around at the start and end of each day. And then there are the team of physiotherapists from Physiowise who kept everyone moving, the bike mechanics who kept our bikes going, the kayak guys who helped us into the water, and the photographers and cameramen who captured the whole event.
And it’s no wonder big brands want to get their names on this world-class race. It attracts headlines around the world and everyone involved will now be eagerly awaiting the documentary of the five days, which will hit our screens next year. Sponsors of this year’s challenge include naming rights sponsor Swisse, as well as Europcar, Rexona, Red Bull, Tourism Tasmania, 2XU and Caltex.
The highlights, in no particular order:
Seeing wombats and echidnas in the wild
Huge adrenaline rushes every day for five days
Getting into bed each night
Finding the checkpoints. Each and every one brought a great feeling of accomplishment with it
Seeing Cradle Mountain up close
Reaching the top of Mount Field on our mountain bikes, after 15km of climbing
Venturing deep into the Tassie wilderness every day, surrounded by the most stunning and dramatic scenery
Completing the notoriously tough kayak around Strahan and through Hell’s Gates
Feeling battered and bruised, but totally elated, at the end of each day
Bumping into other teams out on the course when we'd been alone for a long time
The early morning sunshine on the top of Hobart’s Mount Wellington
And, of course, crossing the finish line
Some highlights in pictures:
Team B&T, consisting of B&T features editor Lucy Clark and her racing partner Dom Collie, took on the challenge. It ran over five day and covered 350 kilometres, across the western Tasmania wilderness. It featured kayaking, mountain biking, trekking, running and swimming – all self-navigated.
Look out for the first edition of B&T’s relaunched magazine, out at the end of January, which will include a feature on the 2013 Swisse Mark Webber Tasmania Challenge.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Latest News
Kantar: AVOD Subscribers Double In 12 Months
Study finds Aussies happy to watch ads on their streaming services. Or, are they just putting the kettle on more often?
Val Morgan Digital Exceeds All Campaign Uplift Benchmarks Via A 12-Month Brand Metrics Study
Val Morgan announces it has exceeded all its campaign benchmarks. Still can't get under an hour for the City To Surf.
Australian Retirement Trust launches monster of a campaign, by M&C Saatchi and Bohemia
Get offered a seat on the bus today? Knees creak like an old pirate's galleon? This retirement ad may be of interest.
Print Audits To Discontinue As Audited Media Association Of Australia Pivots To Support Influencer Marketing
Is it just B&T or are audits in the media industry suddenly becoming murkier than Roxy's husband's tax returns?
News Corp Australia Launches 2024 National Education Advocacy Initiative With Expanded Program
News Corp set to shine a light on the nation's schools in new series, giving illegal bikie gangs a well-earned rest.
Decoding The Consumer Maze: Urban List Report Reveals How Modern Shoppers Spiral From Discovery To Purchase
Latest report unravels a shopper's journey from the joy of discovery through to a nasty letter from a debt collector.
Cosmo Returns To Australia!
Ever get the feeling we've weirdly warped back to 1988 at the moment? Confirm it with the relaunch of Cosmo in print.
People & Culture Consultancy Human Kind Collective Launches To Plug HR Gap For Media Agencies
Does the very mention of HR have you struggling to remember last year's Christmas party? Get the sweats with this news.
‘We Want To Be A Growth Partner, Not Just A Media Buyer Or Someone That Makes Ads’ – Bohemia Boss On Agency’s Ambition
B&T's chatting with Bohemia boss Paul ‘Hutch’ Hutchison. Although we do think 'the dagger' a far superior nickname.
Initiative’s Geoff Clarke: ‘Youth Hits Targets With Enthusiasm, Experience Hits The Targets You Can’t See’
Initiative’s CCO Geoff Clarke on the value of experience in agencies. Not to mention quoting lines from Pulp Fiction.
The Iconic Teams Up With 5 Aussie Athletes For Latest Campaign
Fashion label brings in the athletes for new campaign, many of whom appear to have prepped with re-runs of Zoolander.
Seven West Media Secures New Director Of News & Current Affairs
After a tumultuous few weeks, Seven unveils director of news & current affairs. And B&T never uses tumultuous lightly.
Seven Network Expands NSW Sales Team With Two New Group Business Directors
Seven ramps up its NSW sales team. Both of whom are well versed in pronouncing Manu Feildel's croque-monsieur.
New PR Subscription Changing The Game For Aussie Start Ups
Need better PR? You can now buy it via a monthly subscription. Price does not include a fascinator or Moet piccolos.
Paul Kent At Centre Of Fresh Scandal After Alleged Street Brawl
Do you long for the fights, gouges & testicle grabs of footy's glory years? So too, it appears, does Paul Kent.
DiDi Taps Disney’s Tim Farmer For Head Of Brand Marketing Role
Disney's Tim Farmer shifts over to rideshare company DiDi. Taking with him his Donald Duck coffee mug & mouse ears.
As Sure As Night Becomes Day, The End Of Third-Party Cookies Has Been Delayed
The question remains: what will we see first? The end of cookies, alien invasion or Jesus's second coming?
Fast 10: Scoundrel’s Tim Bullock Explains What Shane Warne & Salt-N-Pepa Have In Common
It's a Fast 10 with Scoundrel's Tim Bullock. Make it sound even faster by sucking on helium while reading it.
Outbrain Snatches Chris Oxley From Foxtel Media
Foxtel's Chris Oxley shifts over to Outbrain, but not before having his press photo taken in the wilds of the Daintree.
oOh!media & POLY Partner With Greening Australia For OOH Awareness Campaign
Like to quell the road rage with super cute pics of fluffy marsupials? This outdoor's just the ticket.
Are Media Cares For The Carers In Its Latest Social Change Campaign
Are Media calls on the government to add super payments to carers' payments. Remains silent on AUKUS, however.
In A Fragmented World, Engagement Is King
Today, B&T TV's talking fragmentation & engagement. But not in a down-on-one-knee sense of the word.
Kyle Sandilands On Advertising: “We Want Return Business. It’s No Good Just Taking Someone’s Money”
Kyle & Jackie O finally arrive on Melbourne radio. As yet, no sign of the monotonous and bitter AFL-NRL debate.
Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]
Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]
Is Meta’s New AI Chatbot Too Left-Wing?
Meta's chatbot accused of being left-wing after being caught wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt & listening to Billy Bragg.
TV Ratings (23/04/2024): Why Did No One Tell Angela That Farmer Wants A Wife Is Set On A Farm?
As wonderful as this headline is, let's face it, we all know an 'Angela', don't we?
PubMatic Unveils New AI Partnership To Turn Social Posts Into Ads For Any Digital Channel
Here's some nifty tech for turning social posts into ads. Assuming said posts aren't one-star character assassinations.
Intuit Mailchimp Makes A Splash With Its First Australian Brand Campaign
Ever laugh along at a gag you didn't get so as not to appear dumb? Get ready for more feigning with this new work.
GumGum’s Rob Hall: Advertisers Can No Longer “Rely On Binary Descriptions” Of Consumers
If anyone's got their finger on adtech's pulse, it's Rob Hall. He also avoids using the good paper in the office printer
Mastercard Nabs Florencia Aimo From Marriott International
Marriott International's Florencia Aimo jumps from the hotel business to the exploitative credit card one.
Bastion Agency Appoints Cheuk Chiang As New ANZ CEO
Cheuk Chiang takes the reins over at Bastion Agency. But not the rains down in Africa.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Major Sponsorship Wins After A Disappointing Week In Sport
B&T continuing our deep dive into local sport sponsorships & that's despite not a single offer of a free ticket as yet.
Macca’s Marketing Director, Samantha McLeod On Big Mac Chant: “What Was Once Old Is Now Cool Again”
Macca's using the power of nostalgia in latest Big Mac campaign. Well, only for those who've ever eaten one sober.
World Premiere Of Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line To Open Sydney Film Festival 2024
Oil's biopic to open Sydney Film Festival. Here's hoping Molly Meldrum will take his pants down at the premiere.
Entries Are Now Open For The 2024 Brandies, IntelligenceBank’s Annual Brand Marketing Awards
The Brandies are, of course, a prestigious marketing gong and not the mystery tipple favoured by nannas everywhere.