The first team reached home plate in Oxfam's Trailwalker, held in Whakatane, at 12.16 am this morning.
Oxfam reports that ”in a storming 10 minutes of action at the finish, we just had the three fastest teams cross the line within minutes of each other. And they were all mixed teams with 2 of them locals.”
Whakatane's Woodchuckers came in first. Photos: Oxfam
The fastest finishers were the Woodchuckers. A mixed team of Whakatane and Ohope locals are all in their 50's and they crossed the line in 15 hours and 20 minutes.
They were dressed in forestry gear and carrying logs of wood because they've done their fundraising by chucking wood into trailers to sell.
Next to cross the line were another local team the Merry Berries who are representing Julian's Berry Farm, finishing in 16 hours and 29.
They have been fundraising with a share of every ice cream they sell at the farm.
They said local knowledge helped a bundle - they've been training on some of the trails that made up the course and that the out-of-towners were probably surprised at the steepness of some of the sections.
They were followed immediately by team Beca Get Walking from Auckland who finished second fastest because they started an hour later, finishing in 15 hours 29. They said the rain was horrible but at least it was only in patches.
The Trailwalker should be finished by 1 pm today and has so far raised $844,196.89. Target is one million dollars.
The Trailwalker is the ultimate team challenge – tackle 100km in 36 hours or 50km in 18 hours and raise funds to fight poverty.
Oxfam's New Zealand Trailwalker is part of an international series, with an incredible 17 events being held around the world in 11 countries. Over the years, the event has raised more than $160 million internationally for Oxfam's life-saving work.
Set up by the legendary elite Queen's Gurkha Signals Regiment in 1981 as a military exercise to test teamwork, endurance and determination, Oxfam Trailwalker is the ultimate physical and mental challenge.
It began in 2006 in New Zealand. Since then over 10,000 participants have lined up at the start line and raised over $8.3 million.
After a magical 10 years in Taupō, Oxfam's Trailwalker has come to Whakatāne and takes in the very best of the Bay of Plenty region including the one and only Ohope beach.
Also new for 2016 is the introduction of a 50km distance option to be completed within 18 hours.
The Merry Berries were second this year, raising more than $9,000.
Beca Get Walking were the third team to finish their 100 km run.
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