Young Athletes Prepare to Tackle World’s Largest Expedition Race, Godzone Chapter 12
After a two-year pause, the world’s largest expedition race, Godzone, is set to return to New Zealand’s South Island, adn a team of remarkably young competitors from Motueka high School is poised to make their mark. The AWS Legal Motueka team – comprised of Tide Fa’avae,Nika rayward,Leo Easton,and Louie Burger – represents a new generation taking on the grueling challenge of navigating and surviving up to 700 kilometers of remote Marlborough terrain over as many as nine days.
The unique aspect of Godzone is the element of surprise; teams won’t discover the course details until the night before the race begins, demanding adaptability and robust navigational skills. This year’s chapter 12 promises a test of endurance, requiring competitors to hike, bike, and paddle through challenging landscapes.
From School Challenges to Expedition Racing
Louie Burger, 17, has been immersed in the world of adventure racing as his intermediate school days. He recently completed the MAGNIficent adventure race earlier this year, fueling his desire to compete in Godzone. Burger describes the experience of adventure racing as “type 2 fun,” explaining, “It’s not fun while you’re doing it, but it’s fun to look back on.” He is the youngest of her siblings to attempt Godzone.
According to Fa’avae, her father offered support and guidance without imposing pressure. “He was definitely supportive, but he wasn’t pushing me to do it or not do it, it was my decision.”
Nathan Fa’avae, having retired from expedition-length racing after his victory in Godzone Chapter 11 in Southland with Team Avaya in 2023, is now mentoring the Motueka team. He emphasizes the importance of adequate training, stating, “If you don’t go into these races with a reasonable amount of training then they are not enjoyable and it is probably a bit unfair on your team and I think it is actually quite hard on your body so I said, if this is something you want to do, you have to be real about it and be willing to put in the training because if you are not, I’d encourage you not to do it.”
He has assisted the team in developing a training plan, leveraging their existing experience in the Southern Alps. “While it’s their first Godzone, they’re no strangers to doing big pack adventures in the mountains…they’re a good bunch of kids,” Fa’avae noted. “They enjoy being together and they do collectively have an amazing amount of experience in the outdoors given their ages.” This year, Fa’avae will experience Godzone from a new viewpoint – as a spectator.
Facing the Unknown: Sleep Deprivation and Mental Fortitude
A importent concern for all team members is the inevitable sleep deprivation.Year 13 student Leo Easton, 18, acknowledges this as the biggest unknown.”I’m excited, it’s another limit to push, I guess but I haven’t done any expedition length adventure races so I’m a bit more unsure about how my body will cope,” he said. “You have to back yourself to make the right decision even though you’re not really functioning properly and I just think that’s really hard,you just need to really have the skills to trust yourself.”
Nika Rayward, 19, who is currently studying outdoor education at Tai Poutini Polytech, anticipates Godzone will be the most challenging endeavor of her life. She expressed worry about navigating in the dark while fatigued. “I’m most worried about sleep and just getting really tired, I just don’t really know exactly what I will be like in that situation because I’ve never been in it before and then night nav, navigating when it’s dark when you are really tired.”
Despite the anticipated difficulties, rayward remains optimistic. “We all know we’re going to go out there and we’re going to do as much as we can, we’re going to go as hard as we can and try our hardest to finish the full course.”
Godzone chapter 12 is scheduled to begin in Marlborough on Friday, promising a thrilling display of endurance, teamwork, and the spirit of adventure.
