XRACE grand final day one. "Mate, we sell furniture here."
Straight after prize giving, one of the XRACE grand finalists came straight up to me. She goes "look, I'm twelve. Can I please come back next year when I am thirteen. Don't give me a transponder, I don't care. I just want to come back and do this race again."
I think it's fair to say, we created something special at the Grand Final of XRACE in Rotorua. Believe me when I say, everything below is true,and it really was the most amazingly crazy race anyone has ever been involved in. Over two days and twenty challenges, we crowned eight-year-old Zara Potter and her mum Leigh,38, Ngati Porou, - XRACE New Zealand Grand Champions.
And it all came down to the very last challenge. This team of tiny mum and tiny daughter arrived in fourth-place at the last challenge and, sorry wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. Before we find out how Zara and Leigh, the team that no one else noticed, that were always clinging in there, stepped up and won, we need to start at the beginning.
It was the toss of a coin that decided the start order. Oldest child first, youngest child last. At 11 AM, leaving from the Tea House - a lovingly restored Villa in Government Gardens, the 12 year-olds XRACE teams were fed into Rotorua City.
Day 1 had begun.
The first challenge was dad or mum - stilt walking and no second chances. This is a grand final, everything is harder. Much harder. Teams that got this challenge wrong, had to complete an extra challenge. No ifs, no buts.
And here, just like in all the other twenty challenges were mums and dads showing their kids what true sportsmanship was. Those parents that couldn't balance on two planks of wood, took their penalty with true dignity. It was always a fantastic race run with heartwarming spirit. Well done to everyone.
The challenges were almost a kilometre apart and teams had to navigate their own way around the city. The second challenge, was a very, very long version of the blindfold challenge most of you would have completed around the country. Bread-and-butter for this bunch of XRACERS.
And then it came, the dreaded challenge. Right in the centre of town was "Gangnam Stlyle". As midday shoppers and befuddled tourists looked on, a flash mob of red shirts, appeared and (mostly) nailed the dance challenge. It was a genuinely, laugh until your belly ached moment. Mum and beautifully choreographed son, resplendent in sunglasses did the between the legs move and a 10 minute time credit was theirs.
The next challenge was an instant classic - "Where's Wally? " Dead simple. Along the main shopping and restaurant precinct of Rotorua was window shopping Wally. All the teams had to do was to walk up to Wally and ask "are you Wally?"
The problems for the team was there were ten decoy Wally's, and only one had the next clue. Wally stay true character, when teams finally found her - she secretly slips them the next clue and walks away, refusing to acknowledge the discrete transaction.
Just getting to the next challenge proved riotous. There is a difference between 1220 Hinemaru Street (correct) and 1220 Hinemoa St (incorrect), which just happened to be a Farmers Trading Store.
One dad walks up to a shop assistant and asks "where's the Huhu grubs?".
Excuse me? Replies the genuinely perplexed assistant.
"We are here to do the huhu grub challenge."
"Mate, we sell furniture."
Dad breathes, reads his challenge sheet, sheepishly apologises and heads off in search of huhus. Two minutes later, red-shirted mum and daughter walk in and a shop assistant rolls his eyes. A flash mob of lunatics were lose in the city.
And from there, to the fantastic Tamaki experience. The children had to correctly weave a wax flower as a caring Kuia (female elder) displayed loving guidance to the tamariki (kids). It was a genuinely tender moment one dad reported back to me as she was passing over a skill she learnt fifty years ago.
Nice.
And here for all was the moment of no return. The evening before, a couple of hardened Kiwi Bushmen went into the Kaimai ranges in search of rotten trees and Huhu grubs. One day, these live grubs are happily wriggling around digesting fallen timber, the next day they are aperitifs for a hoard of marauding XRACERS.
You choose. Eat the Huhu grub, or peel a Kumara. Over to you. Needless to say, the number one topic of conversation at the finish was "did you eat the Huhu grub?".
And to this point, the grand final was mostly a day suited to the physically fast, coordinated and strong. A dramatic twist was waiting however that would completely change the dynamic of day one. Teams made their way to the iconic Rotorua Museum. After a relatively difficult but achievable challenge, chosen to respect Anzac Day - teams headed to the look out and with that a beautiful 360 degree vista of this beautiful host city.
Their cruely cryptic clue was posted and here is what it read.
"Head to your last challenge. It is situated between the "S" house and the "U" house. "
Playtime was over. The grand final had just struck back.
You could not but help feel for the lead team. The XRACE champions of Wellington, Abbie and Richard Perrson had been absolutely flying. No question, they were the fastest team on day one to this point. This event is harder on the lead teams as they have to navigate everything, lighting a red path for others to follow. Their lead over the other teams at this point was easily ten minutes.
A lot was at stake. The top ten teams on the day knew they had immunity from the first challenge on day two. But no matter how hard Richard and Abbie tried to solve the cryptic challenge, they coundn't - they even went to the council buildings (completely allowable and within the spirit of the game) and staff were on Google Earth trying to look the buildings shaped like a "T", they had reached a dead end.
Their lead evaporated and this fantastic team fell 20 places.
They weren't the only teams to struggle. Everyone struggled.
Teams were asking? Give us the penalty. We will take the penalty. But there was none. You solve it or you are stuck. Eventually, a couple of teams clicked to the cryptic answer and most followed suit .
Between the S House and the U House is the Tea House, the start line. The Blimmin' start line was the T House they so craved.
Team then navigated one last gigantic music challenge, ten artists this time and for all a finish was just metres away.
Day one was over. No question, it was epic. We had promised all teams that this was just a warm up and it was. You won't believe the twists on day two.
XRACE Grand Final, Day 2. "Craig, where's your son?"
The reason to hold the grand final in Rotorua was a blazingly easy decision. When you see the challenges we laid out to our XRACERS on day two, you couldn't have done it anywhere else. It really is New Zealand's number one holiday destination for families. This city, through its attractions, businesses and volunteers put the magic into our grand final and we worked it hard.
There was certainly nothing easy about the opening challenge on day two. It was drop dead difficult. Here you go, decipher the four names and when you have done that, tell us what these people have in common.
DEUMDN LRALHYI
EKAT HPPRSDEA
HET UEENQ
PAAANIR NATGA
SNEETR HERFRDOUTR
Boom. XRACE day two had just bitten hard - just ten seconds after crossing the start line.
The top ten teams from yesterday received immunity from this puzzle and took their unchallenged seat on a fleet of Tamaki Tours buses. Thinking they would all just waltz off into the lead, they were at first bitterly disappointed to find out that they had to wait until thirteen other teams solve the above riddle and join them on the bus. The disappointment turned to huge relief when they realised how difficult the challenge was. They sat and waited. And waited. The teams trickled on at an agonising pace.
For the teams trying to solve the challenge, the agony was so much more intense. They desperately want to make that first bus and then they despondently heard a raucous cheer that would have measured on the Richter scale. The doors of the first bus closed, twenty-three teams had just snatched a vital lead.
Sitting on Bus 1, quiet as church mice were Zara and Leigh Potter. Waiting.
Finally, a second bus fills and gives chase to the first teams and for the rest - despondence. Then another fills and chases. And for the only time of the day, we were merciful. We had time-limited this challenge. All stumped teams were timed out and allowed on the remaining buses. (The answer to the riddle is at the bottom.)
And just where were the fleet of Tamaki Buses taking them to?
Only the Skyline Gondola and Luge.
But this is the grand final, no sauntering into the queues to gondola to the top. No way. One of the nasty surprises of the whole weekend was in wait. There are thirty individually numbered gondolas that take fifteen minutes to complete the circuit from lake level to mountain top back.
All teams were shocked to find out they couldn't catch just any gondola car, they can only make their way up the mountain on the car that had their number on it. We corralled them like the sheep they would later try to corral that day.
And so the calling of the car numbers began. Car number 15. who has car number 15? The excitement from the teams as their car came into vision was palpable. Honestly, I think winning Lotto would have been less exciting for those teams.
And they had to come down the mountain exactly the same way.
Finally, agonisingly finally all teams were heading to the top and with that a fantastically fun reward - luging down the side of Mt Ngongotaha . But this is XRACE, this is the grand final and something is always waiting. No cushy chairlift back to the top, "teams, see that walking track, that's how you guys are getting up to the top. Better get running." Said Qi , a big, bubbly, cheery young Maori fulla and incredible XRACE volunteer.
And that's hard climb was just what a top ten team were waiting for. Both father and son are mountain runners in Wellington. We couldn't have scripted a challenge for them better.
Back at the top; the cruel twisted game of gondola roulette start again. This lead team were caught up and passed and it would take a further four time standing still minutes before they were allowed to make chase again.
A quick note to all teams. Thank you so much for the spirit and leadership you display to your kids as other teams caught up and passed you. Sports people aren't role models, you are. Luck will always play a part in a grand final. XRACE at times can resemble life. You don't always get what you want.
(Enough of the preaching, get back to the race will you.)
As the gondola cars slowly wafted down the hill and the teams returned, the Tamaki buses and the next twist was waiting. It may have been a gigantic fluke but somehow our fleet of buses ran with Swiss precision. Buses would leave exactly on a five minute interval. Exactly. Not a second early and as you will see, certainly not a second late.
The teams finally started to arrive back only to find out to their horror - it was hurry up and wait. The teams realised a sprint here could turn into a five minute advantage there.
The first bus left, the second and the third and Zara and Leigh Potter were nowhere to be seen.
Here, as in the whole day, the teams displayed amazing camaraderie and spirit towards each other. We have a saying at XRACE - shake hands with a complete stranger, wish them luck. Now go out and beat them. And how they were wishing to beat them.
The teams on the bus were going "give us the countdown" so we did.
10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2 and a screaming 1 told the bus drivers it was time to close the doors. Teams reported they can hear the countdown on the gondolas as they came down the mountain.
One team in particular heard the countdown and competitive instinct kicked Craig Kirkwood, a nationally ranked runner and sometime triathlete, heard the countdown - clicked and knew exactly what was happening and sprinted for the bus.
He made it and was met with an arm barring entry to the beckoning door.
"Craig, where's your son?"
About twenty-five metres behind and going as hard as he could was his son Mathew. His turbo spinning legs simply weren't long enough to keep up.
They were ushered to seats 1A and 1B on the next bus and five seconds became instantly five minutes.
And here is what I love about New Zealanders, Craig and Mathewtook it all their stride. After all, for Craig today, he was racing for even higher honours than New Zealand (a feat he has achieved). Today, he was representing all Kiwi dads and there is no higher honour then that.
(Stop the preaching will you and get back to the blimmin' race).
The buses were taking to aMazeme. A biblically hard hedge maze that surely deserves to be nominated for garden of the year. But our XRACERS weren't admiring the scenery, all they wanted was to find the centre and get out of that perfectly manicured hedge.
The first team in wasn't the first team out. The mountain runners were back in the lead.
Their next set of challenges were at a real Kiwi institution - The Agrodome. This multi award-winning attraction has been around for over forty years and they were the perfect hosts for challenges that couldn't more typify Kiwiana if we tried.
Another planned barrier stalled the top teams. And stalled them badly.
This challenge was called "the human sheep dog trial." New Zealanders with a few years on them remember vividly a television programme called "A dog's life". This involved crack teams of farmers and their dogs magnificently managing skatty sheep - over bridges, between gates before locking them in a pen.
Well guess what, that's what was waiting for the teams - except this time, the XRACERS were the playing the part of Jess and Blue.
The problem for the mountain runners who had daylight to second was six teams were required to complete the challenge. Their breakaway run to the finish had met a very wooly wall. The required number of teams finally arrived and the challenge commenced.
Hilarity ensued and I can tell you this - the teams have a new found respect for Jess and Blue. But we weren't finished with this woolly caper. Teams had to then find a barn filled with sheep. The kids had to then try and capture an ear tag from just one sheep amongst forty. Do you think the sheep played ball? Sheep don't play ball and the answer was an unequivocal no.
All the top seven teams made the first bus out of the Agridome and unbeknownst to them, their last bus ride of the day and buses now circulating at ten minute intervals.
And you just have to love Kiwi humour. One bus driver was a little out of a depth with what was going on. I mean, no one could really believe what was actually happening. I was standing guard on the second bus and a clever, witty team decided to take control. Dad goes to the bus driver. "That's it driver, the bus is full, you are allowed to go now." Dad was so convincing this genuinely helpful bus driver to close the doors, depresses the clutch and the teams on board let out a roar. We were caught off guard but luckily buses can't get moving that quickly and the bus captured. Well done, dad. "A" for effort.
The leading bus trundled their way back to the Rotorua Aquatic Centre and at this point, they didn't know it, but they were all just thirty minutes from the finish line.
The chatter was immense. All except for one team, sitting at the back, silent, unengaging - Zara and Leigh, not saying a word.. The only mum left with a chance of winning the whole thing.
As organisers, we couldn't have scripted better. We didn't want one team racing away. We wanted panel scraping all the way to the finish - and we got it.
The penultimate challenge was Wally. She was back. This time, on her own in Kuirau Park, sipping cofffee at the Saturday market. The challenge may have seemed like finding a haystack needle but find her they must as she and only she had directions to the last challenge of the day.
And a family trip for four the Gold Coast, including flights, rental car, accommodation and a seven-day pass to all the theme parks for the grand champions.
The first teams arrive at the last challenge, victory was on site. The teams had to firstly climb five steps and swing Tarzan style over ten metres to a very wet splashdown into a 2-metre deep pool. For all these teams, bread and butter.
But if only the very last challenge of the day was to be so pedestrian. But, by now, if you've made it this far in the story, you guessed correctly the last challenge was going to be blisteringly hard.
You knew we wouldn't let them sleep walk to the finish.
Zara and Leigh were probably in about fourth-place, minutes behind the leaders.
So what was the last challenge of the day - that saw the tiny team from Gisborne pass all the men? Teams simply had to walk on water. A fifteen metre long inflatable sausage, bobbling on the water was all that stood between the leaders in the Gold Coast. It was a long skinny two-metre round tube that you see it all the aquatic centres around the country, the ones kids race madly over attempting to reach the end.
I kid you not. This challenge was incredibly difficult and both team members had to knock it off, not just one. For the lead teams, it was perhaps five metres too long.It became a cycle of try, fail, repeat.
And then completely unbelievably at a dripping wet thirty kilos, eight-year-old Zara Potter balanced her way to the very end. The Potter family had one hand on their boarding passes. The cycle of failure repeated for other teams and then mum still up. It wasn't elegant, it certainly wasn't pretty but somehow Leigh found strength and balance and was the second person to complete the challenge.
All that waited was to put their kit back on and make the tiny dash to the finish line. The other teams were broken.
The victory sprint down the finish was legendary. The photo catches Leigh sprinting then arms in the year as she cut the mythical tape. Humorously, Zara was a good twenty metres behind.
I think we can forgive mum for the only moment in her life for misplacing her girl. Mum, instantly turned and waited those few seconds then hugged and hugged her tiny champion.
And over the next ninety minutes, the remaining teams, completely soaked and looking like drowned cats also crossed their finish line.
To a soul, everyone knew they were part of something special. A truly bonding experience that will rival anything. Anything.
We all collectively created something magical.
And to 12-year-olds Sophie, who I found out was the girl that begged to come back next year a promise. That one impassioned plea was the topic of conversation at Team XRACE HQ post event.
Because of Sophie, we have created a graduate program. All twelve-year-olds can race just one more time, they race without transponders and cannot win any titles but can race nonetheless.
And we will let them race for free.
In return for coming back as thirteen-year-olds, they must promise to return once more at fourteen as volunteers. We will feed you, make you sleep in tents and work you to the bone. I hope they accept this challenge.
So, that's it then. Season one of XRACE is over. Zara and Leigh snatched victory from the older and much more fancy teams and for us, planning begins for our 2014 events and our 2014 grand finale which will be held again in Rotorua.
Thanks for getting this far (if you did). I think by now you realise, we love XRACE as much as you do.
Enjoy the winter.
Shane.
The answer:
Edmund Hillary
Kate Sheppard
The Queen
Apriana Ngata
Ernest Rutherford.
All on the notes of New Zealand Currency. And to the Aussie dad in the field. Sorry mate. No, I mean it. Sorry.