WELL!!!  What can we say about the 2018 Dam Dash held at Camp Koongamoon, Landsborough.  Started out with a bit of inclement weather, but not looking too bad at the start.  Five minutes in and the sky band started to play some pretty severe drums.   The thunder and lightning show started.

Due to the race set up on an open mountain bike track, we had a split start.  Some headed off on the run and some on the mountain bike.  The group that started on the kayak had an interesting time, and we must say, had the worst of the weather on the water.  Some 10 minutes or so in, and the thunder started, followed by a bit of lightning.  Nice start.

Steve down at the kayak start was keeping an eye on the lightning strikes, using the surf lifesaving count as a base (something like 10 minutes between strikes or some such method).  Anyway, it seemed to us that it was getting close to calling the kayak off.  The reaction of the competitors on course was quite varied, with some being a bit nervous (Lance?), and some having the time of their lives (JC Crazy – living up to their name).

Steve, our weather watcher, on the job (I think).

Much to our relief, and Steve’s forecasting, the lightning stopped and was replaced by light rain.  This had the “advantage” of turning the bike course into a slippery slope.

Out on the course, and it was typical confusion everywhere (that is, for us trying to keep tabs on what was going on).  We had people running, riding, paddling all over the place.  Early on, it looked like the Boram St Chatterers were heading from the run to the mtb very quickly; the Mulga Bills were looking to be moving well; with the TriAdventure Aunties covering the kayak leg quite well.  We noticed team JC Crazy coming and going at a good pace, however, we did not have them rated in the top teams (as it turns out, we should have).  The other usual suspects, such as last year’s series winners, The Super Slugs; our own Xcite DAMage Control; and unknown quantities The Cannonball Run and the MGs, looking to be travelling well.

We did have a comment that one of the CPs wasn’t where it was supposed to be (being CP2 on the mtb leg), so I decided to head off to check.  That is when I experienced the deteriorating condition of the bike track.  I thought I would follow a team to CP2, which was Believe in a Cause and they were riding at a fair clip, even smashing down the dotted, overgrown track to CP2 with hardly a pause.  Then bang straight onto the CP.  I only found out later that Jason was aiming for GodZone Adventure Race, hence the frenetic riding pace.  I wish I stayed in the rego tent.

There was also a report (self –reported) of one team capsizing their otherwise “un-capsizable” kayak.  We wondered why Team Elixon came back so clean.

As usual with our races, one of the highlights was seeing the number of family teams participating, in this race, it was the Big Dog Racing Teams (2 teams), Team Stoll, Buderim Bashers, Believe in a Cause, and JC Crazy.  Well done to the youngsters getting out and having a crack at the race in this type of weather.

We would like to say a huge thankyou to all the teams that came out for their first foray into adventure racing, such as Don’t Follow Us We’re Lost (who were some minutes late, and we thought we actually lost!); No Shit Sherlock and Team A&E (who went round as a group and looked to have had a lot of fun); Ahead Physio (Tim, great runner, not so good paddler); and Coast Edging (guys stepping out from triathlon).  Also thanks to the guys such as the Lawry’s (Double Trouble Lawry) who have turned at most, if not all, of our races; and the Dashing Dames, who we have seen at a number of similar races.

In the end we had an amazing effort by JC Crazy to win the overall race, and the family category, by clearing the course in about 2hrs 16m.  We thought the course would be cleared but more like 2hrs 30m or so.  There is a back story to these guys, with Cheyne having run some school camps in the area, and being somewhat familiar with the layout, but even with that they must have been scooting along.  Well done team.   Other catergory winners were the Boram St Chatterers in the Men’s; TriAdventure Aunties in the Women’s; and a very close race in the Mixed with The Cannonball Run just pipping the MGs.

Thank you to all the competitors, and a huge thanks to Steve for transporting the kayaks and manning that station; and to Adam for assisting with the set ups.  Also thanks to our generous spot prize donors, Ahead Physio at Currimundi (get down and see them for all your injury woes); Mooloolah Valley Country Club (great place for a meal or drink after training around the dam); and Gordon Bossley for the Qld Orienteering drink bottles.

As usual, there are some improvements, such as a better method of recording CPs in pouring rain.  There are options, however, they come at a premium.  We hope to have a couple more races next year, possibly another urban race and off-road race.  As soon as we lock down a date, we will list it on our web page.