January 2004

Crazyman Receives National Recognition

For 14 years the Kathmandu Crazyman has been Wellington�s premier multisport event. But heading into its 15th anniversary event it has been recognised nationally as the latest edition to the prestigious Sportzhub.com New Zealand Multisport Series.

Based on the rugged splendour of the regions hills, river and harbour, the Crazyman has been the capital cities icon multisport event for more than a decade. Attracting as many as 480 competitors, past winners have included Coast to Coast legends Steve Gurney and Wellington�s own Jill Westenra. In 2004 it will attract many more of the countries top endurance and adventure exponents as part of the eight race national series.

In a national voting process the Kathmandu Crazyman was voted as the fifth most popular race, which guaranteed the Wellington event a place in the national series. The eight race series started last October at the Motu Challenge in Bay of Plenty, then moved to Christchurch�s AMP Triathlon in November. February�s famous Speights Coast to Coast is the third race in the series, followed by the Mt Cook to Christchurch race in late February. The Tongariro Classic and Alexandra Gold Rush are during March and Wellington�s Kathmandu Crazyman on Sunday May 16, before the final series race in August at the Coromandel Classic.

As a major stop on the national series organisers expect the Crazyman to attract even bigger fields than the 375 who turned out for the 60km race in 2003. Defending Crazyman champion Gordon Walker is the current national series leader and has indicated his intention to return for 2004�s Kathmandu Crazyman. Defending women�s champion Kristina Strode-Penny is also keen to return and organisers hope to establish a match-up between her and local legend Jill Westenra. Entries open for 2004�s 15th anniversary Kathmandu Crazyman in February.

May 19th 2003

Crazyman Huge Success

Wellington's Kathmandu Crazyman saw 350 entries, brilliant weather and records galore.

For 14 years the Kathmandu Crazyman has been central New Zealand's premier multisport event. Past winners have included legends the like of Steve Gurney and Jill Westenra, while other standouts such as Neil Gellatly and Kristina Strode-Penny cut their multisport teeth as also-rans in the gruelling capital city event.

350 endurance junkies went to the line for this year's event, amongst them national class names like Gordon Walker, Al Cross, Craig Stevens, Angus Wood and Kristina Strode-Penny.

For Strode-Penny, the Kathmandu-sponsored event was a return to the race that started her career. Strode-Penny was an anonymous starter in the inaugural 1991 event, but returned in 2003 as the woman who many consider the world's leading female adventure racer.

Organisers had hoped to set up a duel between Strode-Penny and three-time Coast to Coast champion Jill Westenra. Westenra also started her multisporting career in the Wellington event, so it would have been fitting to see the duel for the very first time in the event that started their careers. But it was not be; with Westenra focusing on training for September's Primal Quest, Strode-Penny was left to a solo win.

This didn't dampen the spirits of the woman they call "Xena - the real Warrior Princess," as Strode-Penny led all the way to smash the course record by 20min. This came despite a puncture during the mountain bike and a swim in the first few metres of the kayak section. But the always-upbeat athlete said, "I guess that leaves room to improve on the record again next year."

The men's race was in total contrast to the women, with four nationally ranked men all vying for the win. Wellington's Angus Wood - who finished 3rd in this year's Sportzhub.com national series - led through the opening 16km mountain run from Eastbourne over Mt Lowry to Wainuiomata. But Auckland up and comer Gordon Walker took the front during the 34km mountain bike along the Hutt Hills Skyline.

Walker led for the remainder of the race to hold out hard charging defending champion Al Cross. Cross has been a top performer on the Wellington scene for several years, but announced his arrival on the national scene with a strong fourth in 2002's Alexandra Gold Rush. Returned to win the Central Otago event this year, and with his local knowledge on the Crazyman course was co-favourite with Walker to win the Kathmandu-sponsored event.

There was a touch of irony then when Cross severely twisted his ankle just metres into the race that he knows so well. This left him hobbling through the demanding run, clocking 3min slower than last year and 1min slower than Walker.

Walker made use of Cross' misfortune to open up a 4min lead on the mountain bike. But once kayaking the race began to change shape. Both men are amongst the sports best kayakers, and halfway through the 12km paddle along the Petone Foreshore the deficit had remained the same. But then Walker's race began unravelling.

First he got caught on a fisherman's line as the race went past Petone Wharf. The fisherman of course tried to reel him in until Walker's super-committed support crew handed the overzealous fisherman a pocket knife a demanded "Cut It !"

Walker's luck then went from bad to worse, when with a kilometre to go the paddle slipped in his hand and he capsised. Racing without a spray skirt in the brilliant conditions Walker's JKK UFO promptly filled up with water. In an act of blind determination Walker tried 4 four times to roll the boat back up, finally succeeding on his 4th attempt. But with the boat now almost entirely full of water his lead was now in serious danger.

Seeing all this ahead of him Al Cross gave desperate chase and arrived at transition sprinting like an Olympic K1 paddler. Just 40scs ahead of him Walker's boat looked more like a submarine, but 40secs was all Walker needed and he held on in a final 200m run to the finish line for his biggest win yet.

Behind this thrilling race for line honours, Taupo's Craig Stevens battled through a viral infection to steal 3rd off Angus Wood. In the teams, Wellingtonians Murray Doughty, Wayne Hiscock and Graham Moore defended their title from last year thanks to Hiscock breaking his own mountain bike record.

Other record to be broken included the women's Mtb, with Wellington road cyclist Susie Wood slashing 24min of the record set by Penny Edwards in 1999. Wood's team won the mixed team category ahead of a team led by former world mountain running champion Melissa Moon and former All Black Murray Mexted. Moon provided one of the highlights when by reducing Jill Westenra's 1999 women's run record by 17min when she clocked the second fastest run overall.

Another highlight was the impressive kayak leg from surf lifesaving standout Anja Jennings. The 16 year old was part of the Tawa College winning school team and recorded the fastest female kayak time head of Jan Hales and Strode-Penny.

The Kathmandu Crazyman also included a mountain bike duathlon option, which was won in record smashing time by Kristina Strode-Penny's partner Nat Anglem. Anglem cocked a run and mountain bike combination some 4min faster than multisport winner Gordon Walker... someone buy that boy a kayak!

March 13 2003

The Kathmandu Crazyman � You�d Be Crazy To Miss It!

In multisport circles the month of May means but one thing... Wellington's �Kathmandu Crazyman�!

Multisport is the fastest growing sport in the world right now, and Wellington's Kathmandu Crazyman is New Zealand�s fastest growing multisport event.

Established in 1990, the Crazyman has developed into a favourite fix for endurance junkies everywhere. From humble beginnings it has grown to attract up to 480 participants from all ends of the country for a 66km scenic tour of the icon outdoor elements of Wellington�s Hutt City.

Scheduled for May 18, the Crazyman offers fitness enthusiasts of all age, ability and experience a uniquely uncompromising yet eminently achievable challenge. Starting from Eastbourne Wharf, it gets underway with a 16km run along Eastbourne Beach and over the rugged, bush clad ranges via Mt Lowry to Wainuiomata. Then it's on to mountain bikes for a 38km traverse along the Hutt Hills skyline before dropping down to the Hutt River Trail. To complete the icon emphasis the race finishes with a 12km kayak on the Hutt River and Wellington Harbour.

With a prize purse totalling $NZ10, 000, the Kathmandu-sponsored event is one of the richest multisport events on the national circuit. As a feature event on the national calendar past winners have included Coast to Coast legends Steve Gurney and Hutt City's own Jill Westenra.

First and foremost, however, the Crazyman is a community event embracing all ages, abilities and backgrounds from school kids, house wives and corporate professionals to tradesman and retirees � some of them experienced endurance athletes, some of them relative rookies looking for a new challenge. If the full 66km seems too daunting, there is a team option that includes a popular corporate category. A popular mountain bike duathlon option also caters for non-kayakers.

The Crazyman, however, is anything but crazy. It�s a concept that has less to do with your state of mind for tackling such a challenge and more to do with the fact that you'd be crazy not to experience everything that is the Kathmandu Crazyman.

2003's 14th anniversary event is scheduled for Sunday May 18th. For details: Ph: 04 938 4045. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.crazyman.co.nz.

May 20 2002.

Dominion Sport - Crazyman Multisport Race

Cross Uses Course Knowledge To Break Bridesmaid Tag
By Michael Jacques

Petone's Al Cross put a stellar field and bridesmaid tag behind him to win Wellington's Crazyman multisport event yesterday.

� Almost 200 competitors turned out in brilliant Capital City conditions for what has become Wellington's premier multisport event. Entrants from as far a field as Auckland and Christchurch turned out; some attracted by the $8000 prize pool and others by the gruelling challenge that involved a 16km mountain run over the Eastbourne ranges, a 38km mountain bike along the Hutt Hills skyline and a 12km kayak on the Hutt River and Petone Foreshore.

�Racing in his own back yard, Cross put course knowledge to full use to dominate a national class field that included Taupo's well-performed Craig Stevens, recent Rotorangi Gutbuster winner Steve Hoffman (New Plym) and national multisport series place getter Angus Wood.

�In tight racing that saw the first three place getters break the course record set last year by former world kayaking champion Andrew Martin, Cross was just too consistent. He opened with his best ever run over the gruelling Mt Lowry run, but trailed Angus Wood by over a minute. However, while Wood struggled on the ride along the Hutt Hills, Cross went from strength to strength, opening up an 80sec lead over not Wood but the fast charging Craig Stevens.

�Into their kayaks Cross would later express concern that he would be reduced to the runner up slot he filled in both the 2000 and 2001 Crazyman events. But as with 1999, when the then multisport rookie broke through with a win, he used the narrow advantage to fuel a determination that Stevens could not overcome. Two and a half minutes separated then when Cross stopped the clock in 3hrs 54min 56secs.

�Behind these leaders, John Cussins robbed Angus Wood of third overall. But Cussins - also of Petone - was less concerned with Wood and more worried about the veteran title. A former winner of the Crazyman race, Cussins has come back to full form in recent weeks following two years of health problems. He eventually won the veteran title, but only after overcoming early leader Niels Madsen (Lower Hutt) in the final kilometre.

�In other categories, Auckland's Jo Goose made Saturday's 12-hour drive worthwhile when dominating the women's field. Wellingtonians Cheryl Young and Jan Hales made it hard for the out-of-towner, putting almost four minutes on her in the opening run. But on the mountain bike and kayak legs Goose illustrated why she's the North Island number one right now by eventually winning 6min ahead of Hales in 4hrs 56min 22secs.

�Fastest team on the day was the Upper Hutt Cycle Centre duo of Murray Doughty and Wayne Hiscock, who made up a massive 11min deficit with the day's fastest mountain bike ride of 1hr 31min 29secs for the demanding 38km course.

�In brilliant conditions records fell left right and centre in the 13th anniversary event. Lower Hutt runner Rees Buck clocked 64min 03secs for a run record, while Wellington policeman Rob Nicol broke the kayak record with 48min 09secs.
It was a big day for Wellington Police, with policewoman Jo Holden winning the women's category in the associated duathlon. The standout, however, was Nic Blair who clocked 3hrs 05min 31secs for the 16km run and 38km mountain bike to win by almost 20min.

�

May 15 2002

ATTN SPORTS EDITORS

NZ's Going Crazyman for Multisport Money

By Michael Jacques

A who's who of New Zealand's multisport scene will line up in Wellington this weekend looking for a share of an $8000 prize pool on offer in Sunday's Horse & Hound Crazyman.

Money talks in multisport and athletes from as far a field as Auckland and Christchurch are amongst the 200-odd entrants for what has become Wellington's premier multisport race. Organisers have an $8000 prize pool on offer, which has attracted athletes such as Taupo's Craig Stevens.

��Stevens is considered the man most capable of knocking the legendary Steve Gurney from his perch atop the multisport tree. Gurney is not competing in Wellington due to American commitments, but Stevens will get a hard time still from local legends Al Cross and Angus Wood.

��Cross is a former winner of the Crazyman event, while Wood recently finished the summer season ranked third in the Sportzhub.com national series. Stevens though has a pedigree as long as his paddle. For starters top-level sport runs in his family, with brother Gavin being a former Olympic cyclist and top veteran runner. Gavin was also a national class cyclist prior to multisport, where he has become known as a solid all rounder with strengths on the bike and in the kayak.

��Stevens was fifth in last year's Length of New Zealand multisport race, but recent accidents - twice this year he has been hit by a car in training - have hampered training so he is hoping experience will give him an edge over the gruelling Crazyman course. Al Cross is the local most favoured to push the Taupo builder, with a recent fourth in the high profile Alexandra Gold Rush attesting to his form.

��Amongst women, Crazyman organisers have put together a classic Auckland/Wellington grudge match between former Wellington netball rep Cheryl Young and Joanna Gosse. Gosse is the best of a new wave of female multisporters replacing recently retired legends Jill Westenra and Kathy Lynch. The dominant female on the North Island scene, she won the recent Tongariro Mountain Classic in a time that only Westenra has beaten.

���Cheryl Young is also one of this new breed. While involved in multisport for the past five years, netball was her number one priority. Now retired from representative duties she has devoted her physical energies 100% to multisport.

��Their battle is much anticipated, for while Gosse is currently the form female on the national scene Young's recent devotion to the sport has seen her improving at a rapid rate. In past years she had managed to finish as high as fourth in the Coast to Coast with not much more than netball training. This year she was expected too challenge for a podium position but broke her collarbone four weeks out. She still managed a solid sixth place, but with the collarbone now fully healed is hoping to make up for that disappointment with a win this weekend on home soil.

��Young is just one of hundreds of Capital City endurance junkies who continue to embrace the Crazyman as their premier multisport race. The event turns 13 this year, but rather than suffering any bad luck is looking healthier than ever. Increased prize money, huge entry interest and community support has the Horse and Hound-sponsored event poised to become a Capital City icon.

��With entries still pouring in organisers can't say exactly how many will line up at Eastbourne Wharf come 9am on Sunday. Taking in the icon outdoor elements that are so essentially Wellington, the race includes a 16km run over the Eastbourne skyline to Wainuiomata, then a 38km mountain bike along the Hutt Hills Skyline and back down the Hutt River Trail, before finishing with a 12km kayak on the river and Petone foreshore.

�

�

April 20 2002

Wellington's Icon Endurance Event Almost Upon Us

Wellington's Crazyman multisport race turns 13 next week. But rather than bad luck the Capital City's premier multisport event is looking better than ever.

��Increased prize money, huge entry interest and community involvement has Wellington's Horse and Hound Crazyman poised to become a Capital City icon when it goes under starters orders next Sunday, May 19.

��Established in 1990, the Crazyman has in fact been Wellington's premier multisport event for more than a decade. Attracting as many as 480 entries the race has been one of New Zealand's most prestigious multisport events, attracting endurance legends such as Steve Gurney and the Hutt Valley's own Jill Westenra. However, with increased sponsorship and Hutt City Council support organisers are keen to see the event grow even bigger.

��Taking in Eastbourne Beaches, the Hutt Hills skyline, the Hutt River and Wellington Harbour, the 16km bush run, 38km mountain bike and 12km kayak takes in the icon outdoor elements of the Hutt Valley, which has led to Hutt City Council identifying the Crazyman event as a potential promotional tool for the Hutt City.

��This and Hutt City community support has enabled Crazyman organisers to lift the profile of their event in every aspect from promotion to prize money. With two weeks to race day organisers had already surpassed last year's entry numbers for the same time in 2001. Entries include several of the country's top multisporters too, including Taupo's Craig Stevens and former kayaking world champion Andrew Martin (Nelson). They will battle established Wellington stars such as Al Cross, Angus Wood and John Cussins for a $5000 prize pool.

��Despite being one of New Zealand's more prestigious multisport events, the Horse and Hound Crazyman is first and foremost an event for the entire community. Participants can do it as individuals or teams of two or three, and for non-kayakers there is even a duathlon option. For Details see www.huttmultisports.co.nz or: Michael Jacques - Ph: 04 9205655.