This month, a team of four girls from Westlake Girls and four boys from Westlake Boys showcased their incredible skills and determination at the annual Adventure Racing Hillary Challenge final in the Tongariro National Park. This event, which they qualified for in May, is known to be a highly challenging event over five days.
The competition included 12 one-hour challenges on the first two days such as rock climbing, raft building, disc golf, and problem-solving. These activities tested the participants’ physical endurance, teamwork, and strategic thinking.
The adventure continued with a two-day rogaine on the side of Mt. Ruapehu. Despite the harsh conditions, with temperatures starting around 1°C, the team demonstrated resilience by pitching their tent fly in the snow for an overnight stay! The team had an absolute ball over these two days and came away beaming and excited for the final challenge.
The final day pushed the competitors to their limits with a gruelling 50km multisport race that included a 2km kayak each, 9km run, 30km mountain bike and a final 7km run. The team had a slow start to the race but did an exceptional job coming back up through the field.
Ultimately, the team achieved an impressive 10th place in New Zealand. This is a remarkable accomplishment, especially considering that none of the team members had participated in the Hillary Challenge before. With a relatively young team, all but one member are eligible to compete again next year, promising even greater potential for future success.
Congratulations to our Westlake Boys and Girls for their outstanding performance and for representing our schools with such pride and perseverance.
A special congratulations also goes to Sasha Bosch, who was awarded the “Toughness Award” which is given to the toughest female of any team in the competition!