Close battle for top titles in male and female divisions of Routeburn Classic adventure run

Perfect race conditions led to some extremely close results and a new female track record in the 11th annual Routeburn Classic adventure run yesterday (Saturday April 26 2014).

The exclusive adventure run is staged on New Zealand’s world famous Routeburn Track, and this year as always it featured tight tussles among some of the country’s top endurance racers.

In the Peak Performers Men’s division, it was fifth time lucky for Nick Hirschfeld of Hanmer Springs – after coming second twice before, he finally knocked off top spot in a time of 2:47:20, but it not without a close battle.

Hirschfeld, 38, had previously twice gone under the course record, but both times finished second.

This year saw him in an epic battle with Wanaka’s Grant Guise, the pair never more than 20 seconds to a minute apart throughout the rugged 32km course.

“Winning the race is a great achievement and it’s taken a bit of perseverance, but Grant gave me a hell of a fright when he almost caught me with just 500m to go,” said Hirschfeld.

“I knew he’d be strong at the finish because he’s an ultra runner, and he had a faultless race putting in a four-minute personal best, but I wasn’t going to let him get past me in the dying seconds of the race.”

At the finish line, Guise was just 13 seconds behind Hirschfeld in a time of 2:47:33, while 15-year-old Craig Murray of Wanaka, the son of biking and multisport legend Keith Murray, stamped his mark on the race with a time of 2:58:59.

Queenstown’s Sarah Douglas took out top honours in the Peak Performers Women’s division in a new women’s record time of 3hrs 16min 48sec, beating Wanaka’s Jess Simson into second spot in 3:20:10 and Fiona Dowling of Wellington into third with 3:33:32.

Tipped as one to watch, Sarah won the 42km Icebreaker Off-Road Marathon at the Motatapu event in March and a few weeks ago took out the Athletics New Zealand Mountain Running Champs on Mt Campbell.

“Those races and the Routeburn Classic, which I’ve never done before, were the three main races on my schedule that I’ve been training pretty hard for since October,” she said.

“Yesterday’s race was really, really tough, because Jess who came second ran really well, she was amazing on the technical stuff and downhill.”

The lead passed between the pair more than once on various parts of the course, with Sarah describing Jess as “looking like a little mountain goat” on downhills.
“I know that’s an area I can improve on and not be so hesitant, but this year when we got to the final 7kms on the flat she had a minute and a half on me, so at about 4kms out I passed her and managed to put another four minutes on her in the last few kilometres.”

She said she didn’t expect to go under 3:20 in the race but was looking forward to returning to defend her title.

“I have to say that I’m so impressed with race organiser Evan McWhirter’s personality and the way he runs the race; he shook the hand of every single runner as they cross the line. I was blown away.”
Mr McWhirter said he and his team of volunteers were “thrilled” to have delivered another exciting Routeburn Classic.

“We had around 320 runners and, as always, entries were filled with a long waiting list within 30 minutes of going online,” he said.

“People just love this event and the chance to run in such a special and amazing alpine environment.”

This year a group of six young Wakatipu High School students, fundraising for the school’s Kapa Haka group, delivered a “spine tingling” flash mob haka to runners waiting to start in the early hours of the morning at The Divide, between Te Anau and Milford Sound.

“The kids gave it everything and there was an amazing inspired look on everyone’s faces, so then thanks to the Helicopter Line we surprised them all with their first ever helicopter ride back to Queenstown,” he said.

The youngsters repeated their performance at the event prizegiving held at Skyline last night (Saturday).

At the prizegiving two 10-year-veterans of the event -- Podge Cochrane of Queenstown and Cromwell’s Greg Wilkinson -- received one of sport’s iconic awards from one of its iconic athletes. Mark Douglas presented the Mark Douglas Perseverance Trophy to them both as they joined this elite and prestigious club.

Meanwhile the event’s youngest-ever competitor, 11-year-old Josh Platt from Wellington who ran with his father Steve, won the latest Xbox ‘Xbox One’ as a spot prize.

Other main results were:
Masters Men: 1st Steve Mackie (3:20:54)
Masters Women: 1st Susan Fleming (4:07:23)
Legends Men: 1st Roland Meyer (3:42:27)
Legends Women: 1st Korina Somerville (4:04:13)
Gurus Men: 1st Barry Mackie (4:10:56
Gurus Women: 1st Trish Fraser (7:15:05)

Around 320 runners took part in the tough adventure race which starts at the Divide on Milford Road, crosses the Fiordland National Park, over the 1127 m Harris Saddle and finishes in the Mt Aspiring National Park near Glenorchy.

The Routeburn Classic is a renowned mountain run in one of the most beautiful places in the world. It is described as a true adventure run in stunning Fiordland national park and a unique challenge for athletes of all abilities and ages.



Top male Nick Hirschfeld with Grant Guise hot on his heels at Earland Falls, Routeburn Track.  Credit: MMPro.



First female Sarah Douglas on the Harris Saddle, Routeburn Track.  Credit: MMPro.



Wanaka's Jess Simson powering her way to second place in the pro womens division.  Credit:  MMPro.



Routeburn Classic organiser Evan McWhirter with 11-year-old competitor Josh Platt.  Credit: Deborah-Lee Photography.