Lake Argyle Adventure Race
Karunjie Newsletter # 6
Bloody Hell….Here we go again. Barely have the aches soothed or the muddy waters rinsed from another epic tour of the Gibb River Road Mountain Bike Challenge when our sights are set on another East Kimberley adventure. Take a Beau Peep at this: a 3 kilometre swim - out and around Chin Yin Island Lake Argyle before a savage sprint up the boat ramp, over the dam wall to T1: A 28 kilometre downstream paddle on the thumping Ord River tracing this ancient water course, gouged through millennia to create magnificent chasms and sheer rock walls. Coming ashore at Fig Tree, competitors enter T2: A 40 kilometre mountain bike stage that includes rugged 4 wheel drive tracks, service roads and river crossings in an uncompromising pursuit of incredible vistas. T3 continues the visual extravaganza and lung bursting effort with a 10 kilometre run skirting the high vantage trail overlooking Bamboo Bay before a heady decent across the dam and back again.
I’m ridiculously excited about this new race event. It’s the complete package; a challenging race format, the incredible beauty and rugged splendour of the East Kimberley and the consummate and attentive hospitality of the Lake Argyle Resort. It can’t miss! Set aside the Queen’s Birthday long weekend, Sunday the 26th of September, 2010. LAKE ARGYLE ADVENTURE RACE……way cool.
There’s a couple of ways to participate in this exciting East Kimberley event. If you’re a freak you can tackle it all on your own – enjoy/endure each stage. If you’re a freak but like a bit of company, join the Pairs format (you and another freak race side by side completing each stage together). If you’re into adventure but maybe not up for every challenge, join as a team of 2-4. Mix it up and do just one stage or a couple – where ever your strength lies…..swim….paddle….cycle…..run.
Further details and registration now available on our website at www.karunjie.net.au
Legend….wait for it…..ary
Remember tired, uninspiring Lake Argyle Village Caravan Park? It was a neglected, dusty campground for yobbos intent on consuming their body weight in grog over a weekend. If that was its ugly duckling lineage, it’s entered a golden age as a beautiful swan under the stewardship of Charlie Sharpe, his family and staff.
Lake Argyle Resort has undergone a remarkable transformation to realise the promise of a stunning wilderness location with commanding views of Lake Argyle. Verdant lawns and shaded grounds greet caravan explorers, canvas cabins accommodate wannabe campers and deluxe two bedroom cabins accommodate those who don’t even offer the pretence of roughing it. The place is drop dead gorgeous and even has a horizon less resort pool........sheer decadence.
There’s more planned and Charlie has the same glint of borderline insanity in his eyes when you mention adventure races set on and around Lake Argyle. He was the consummate host and a tireless committee member during the Lake Argyle Swim and weighed immeasurable support to establish Durack’s Folly mountain bike adventure race earlier this year. You couldn’t find a more passionate or enthusiastic advocate for adventure sport and so we welcome Lake Argyle Resort as host partners. They’ll conjure a celebration barbeque dinner post event and provide a night’s free camping for competitors. Accommodation upgrades with special discount rates for additional nights available too, but be quick. http://lakeargyleresort.com.au/ You're not going to believe the changes here.
The boffins tell us there’s 7 times more water in Lake Argyle than held by the Sydney Harbour. Tour operators can offer a thousand different vantages and weekend cruisers could spawn another generation of Gilligan’s Island adventures if they were to become utterly lost within the vast expanse of her waters. There’s more of good ol’ H2O than any of us could use in a lifetime, right there in front of us, But that doesn’t diminish in the least, the gracious offer of assistance from Water Corporation.
These government heroes didn’t offer a moment of hesitation before they committed a truck load of bottled water to hydrate competitors and keep them in tip top condition. September’s likely to be nudging the Build Up in the East Kimberley so every drop lost needs to be replenished with………beer……..err, water. Beers afterwards.
There’s also a couple of tracks we’re hoping to use during the cycling stage that come under the control of the Water Corporation. They were very obliging during Durack’s Folly and while there’s still a procedural process to follow, we’re very confident of continuing our valued community partnership with this super duper government agency.
Prize Booty
If it weren’t reward enough to be accommodated at the most picturesque location in the East Kimberley, to be challenged physically and emotionally in a life defining adventure race, to engage with other kindred athletes and to have everything organised to military precision by an emerging superstar management company, we’re going to be putting up a truck load of prizes too.
Categories are offered for Solo Men and Women, Pairs Men, Women & Mixed and Teams; Men, Women and Mixed. Bragging rights, whooping cheers and even the chance for some fantastic prizes……what are you waiting for?
Almost Legendary
Let me share a thought with you. You own or manage a reasonably successful business or corporate venture but it’s not like you’re getting a Guernsey in Forbes’ list of the grotesquely rich. A letter of offer seeking sponsorship for an adventure race set on Lake Argyle in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia arrives on your desk (Snail mail still has a place)………What the Hell?
Whether or not they were able to offer any measure of assistance, some chose not to ignore the correspondence but reply with gracious words of encouragement and well wishes. I genuinely appreciate the gesture and earnest consideration offered nonetheless, thank you. Maybe next time.
Sponsorship Opportunity
If you or your company, government agency, sporting body, church group, street gang, organised criminal network (not really – shove your dirty money) or secret society would like to offer any measure of assistance or support, Karunjie Event Management would like to hear from you.
Please contact Simon Rimmer at karunjie@westnet.com.au or get on the dog and bone 0439 063 441.
