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Top of the South winch challenge - 14 June |
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TRIP REPORT: TOP OF THE SOUTH WINCH CHALLENGE
Date: 14/06/2009
Trip leader: Sav & Team
Trip report: Lex Bloomfield
Photos: Brian Brough, Guy Evans & Harald Ahlfeld
I’m doing 80kph along the Nelson to Richmond bypass when some guy in a clapped out old Corolla pulls up beside me and starts pointing furiously in the direction of the portaloo I’m towing on a trailer. At the first opportunity I pull over to find the door is flapping about wildly. Lucky no one was sitting on it. This was my start to the Nelson stage of the Mainland Winch Challenge.
Safely delivered and secured in a discrete spot, I left the portaloo and headed for a sumptuous cooked breakfast put on by the landowners, and then attended the marshals briefing. Along with Vince & Shane Todd I headed to our allocated hazard & patiently waited for the first contestant. It looked quite simple, ‘down the bank, cross the creek, winch the bank out of the water, across the swampland, down a bank into the creek, follow the creek and up into the swampland again, down into the water hole from the opposite direction this time, winch out if needed, and head for the exit point’. A piece of cake, we’ll be out of here in time to get a sausage in bread and a hot drink for lunch and our afternoon hazard allocation. Not so!!!
The first truck made reasonably good time until winching out of the water hole on the return trip. A chosen dead tree for their anchor point, decided that after standing as mummified remains for thirty years, it was time to head earthwards, depositing sawdust, moths, bugs and huhu grubs everywhere. From where I stood it was very impressive to see this fifty-foot high relic, suitably protected from trunk damage with a tree protector, heading towards the truck winching at it. "10 points for knocking down a marker peg," was the call on the PRS but we later reconsidered that penalty when we decided the tree fell on it.
And so began the long slow process to get everyone hauled around our little piece of Alistair Nicholls property. We had ground anchors used through the swampy area, winches whining in and out of the water hole, one truck heading off into the blackberries when they lost a belt & suddenly had no power steering, and another truck who chose a new firm looking line through some blackberries only to go from 10k to zero when he hit a hidden stump. It may have been cold but I was having a ball, and so too were the contestants, who came from as far away as Invercargill. It was 1.15pm before we finally finished that hazard with times from 4mins 7 secs to 19mins 58secs to complete the circuit.
We headed back to a quick lunch to find the afternoon shift was already underway and we were not needed. The hills were alive to the rumble of engines in all directions so we selected a few choice spots and became spectators.
Prize giving and a meal was held at the St. Arnaud Community Hall and the ‘man of the match’ would have to be "J" from Invercargill with his rendition of ‘Ring Of Fire’ which never actually got past him singing the introductory tune. Well done "J", we hope you come back next time. What a combination, all the way from Invercargill, towing a truck with a ‘StretchLimo’, and "J" singing the only short piece of music he knows. Johnny Cash would be proud of him.
Winners on the day were:
"A" class - under 33" tires
1st Guy Griffith Nelson Toyota Prado
2nd Gordon Jacket Nelson Nissan Patrol
3rd Trevor Jamie Marlborough Toyota Land Cruiser
"B" class – under 35" tires
1st Andrew Satherly Nelson Jeep Wrangler
2nd Brendon Ward Nelson Jeep Wrangler
3rd Rowan Coutts Nelson Jeep Wrangler
"C" class – open
1st Stan Van Hesswyck Mid Canterbury Trials Buggy
2nd Karl Townsend Marlborough Toyota Hi-Lux
3rd Mark Coleman Marlborough Daihatsu Rugger
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Past club trips 