Muscles, Muddy Clothes and Broken Bikes

By Corporal Chris Cubitt

F/S Baz Bennett - enjoyed getting off his bike after 3 hours on the seat. OH-07-0541-36-tn.jpg.

The inaugural Ohakea 3 hour Mountain Bike Relay was held in stunning conditions on Wednesday 8 August.

An undulating 2.2km course was set in the Santoft Forest.

Seventy Ohakea personnel headed for Santoft for 1245 start.

There were 16 x four person teams, 1 x two person team and 5 individuals vying for the top prizes and the associated glory.

Fastest laps of the day came from AC Ryan Marshall, CPL Cam Pengelly, CPL Kane Thornburrow and SGT Nathan Trusler.

Fastest females on the day were CPL Kelley Waite and AC Rose Teasdale.

There were plenty of sore muscles, muddy clothes and broken bikes but all were outdone by big smiles.

The MT team was the most prolific ‘breakers of bikes’ with LAC Franky Richards destroying chains and frames at will.

The Armourers continued their good teamwork to have the best pit lane changes which kept them close to the front throughout the race.

CAPT Jane Webb was dressed for speed and success in her Airforce AC’s uniform and led her team to the fastest team with two or more females.

CPL Kelley Waite and team mate F/S Scott Ellery representing CIS. OH-07-0541-14-tn.jpg.

The most hotly contested prize of the day was for ‘Dick of the day’.

It looked like FLTLT Lee Bradford had it in the bag after going missing for 40 minutes – being the only person to challenge the PTIs pre race briefing of “It is impossible to get lost”.

CPL Jade Morgan and SGT Gav Kotua took the pressure off him when Jade broke the tap off the hot soup leaving it to pour everywhere…But quick thinking Gav grabbed the container pulled it backwards to stop this, only for the lid to come off and Gav to be left with all of the soup over him. A medic was on hand to tend to his burns.

The PTIs were relieved when AC Adam Turnbull came into pit lane, crossed his bike up and did a spectacular dismount in front of everyone to take the overall Dick of the Day award.

Armourer’s ‘Power House’ LAC Josh jellyman, eats up the track. OH-07-0541-09-tn.jpg.