Waiting for the winners

02:45

We're at race HQ, waiting for the first team .. Blackheart.com.au ... to arrive. They've been through Charlotte Pass - the last TA - at midnight. Apparently the last MTB (60km ish) was really really tough... hours in granny gear, and foggy on the descents. The last trek has been shortened (as decided at midcamp) to around 15km, so they should be here any time.

We last saw Nga Rakau at the end of the kayak across Lake Eucumbene. They were 3rd to arrive (although still 4th on time behind Tangerine) at 19:10. Their bike boxes were not at the TA when they arrived - eventually arriving about an hour and a half later, which was not ideal as they would have probably preferred to make use of the remaining daylight. However, they took the opportunity to catch some sleep, which will be useful before the tough MTB leg.

securify.co.nz set off on the kayak at 19:30. They will have a tough time; Stu caught a lift in the safety boat all the way to the top of the lake, and said it will be really cold on the water tonight, and the navigation in the dark will be tricky. There is also apparently a little section of rapids at the top of the lake which won't be easy in the dark, not to mention the line of exposed stakes across the lake near the top - well documented, but they still caught out Tangerine, who holed one of their boats and had to go back for a replacement.

4TC .. seems Dave didn't make it out of the rogaine TA. We understand they're catching a lift to Charlotte Pass so they can do the last trek over Kosciusko.

Time to catch a few zzz's before Blackheart arrive.