Countdown To The Oxfam 100km Team Challenge

Trailwalker: Countdown To The Oxfam 100km Team Challenge

April 3, 2009

When the start gun sounds at 6am this Saturday in Taupo, the largest field of participants to take part in Oxfam Trailwalker will set off on a 100km journey on foot to help raise money for Oxfam’s work to fight poverty and injustice around the world.

Almost 1200 people in teams of four will have 36 hours to complete the 100km off-road course which takes in some of New Zealand's most spectacular scenery, including Huka Falls, Craters of the Moon, plenty of native bush and views across Lake Taupo.

Oxfam Trailwalker is not just a demanding physical endeavour; it is a challenging team event, and teams of four must stay together the entire 100km. The fastest teams are expected to cross the finish line in around 12-13 hours, but the majority of teams take on average 25 hours to complete the course.

"Oxfam Trailwalker is about ordinary people doing extraordinary things," says Oxfam's Executive Director Barry Coates. "It is an event that encourages people to test their limits and provides a great motivation for doing so."

What makes Trailwalker distinctive is that the format caters for the weekend jogger as well as endurance athletes, it builds mutual support and team cooperation, and it makes a difference to the lives of the world's poorest people -- each team raises at least $2000 and this year Oxfam hopes to raise $1.3million from the event.

On the start line this year will be double Olympic gold medallist Caroline Evers-Swindell with her three team mates Annabel Ritchie, Emily Ross and Nina Wardell – they are expecting to finish in less than 18 hours, considered ‘ultrafast’ by event organisers, and are looking strong for a podium finish in the fastest women’s category.

Another exciting team is Team Misiluki made up of Audrey Carruthers, Aiga Fagaote and Faioso Vavaouti from Oxfam’s partner organisation in Samoa, Women in Business Development (WIBDI). The team’s fourth member is Oxfam’s programme director Jane Foster. WIBDI works to transform rural livelihoods and helps to create sustainable village economies in Samoa. This will be a unique chance for Trailwalkers who have been training and fundraising forᾠmonths to meet some of the people who directly benefit from their efforts.

Support crew, family and friends of participants can this year keep track of the teams through Google Earth Maps as well as Twitter on www.oxfamtrailwalker.org.nz

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