Mt Oxford Odyssey

by Beka Hunt

Much like the epic, the Mt Oxford Odyssey is not for the faint hearted. Over the last 9 years, competitors have chosen between a 15km, 21km, 33km or full marathon course and committed to the gruelling race up Mount Oxford. Those that participate in the 42km marathon event, climb an elevation similar to the height of Mount Cook, summiting Mount Oxford twice in the process. This year, the Odyssey took place on the 15th of April, with the Canterbury temperament providing some wind and clouds- and a whole lot of mud. More than 400 athletes arrived in Coopers Creek on the morning of the event, with many attending the first safety briefing at 5.30am. Due to the roughness of the terrain and the sheer physical challenge of the course, the Oxford Land Search and Rescue team monitored the mountain, and those racing were required to report to check-ins along the trail. At 6pm the track closed (giving a 12 hour time period for completion) with participants' safety in mind. Despite a slippery track, Ben Williams completed the marathon in only 5:32:09, with the first woman Nancy Jiang following just after the 7 hour mark. Both raced exceptionally well and earned their place on the top of the podium.

In the 33km race, George Guerin and Katie Morgan won first place for their respective categories- George in the men's and Katie the women's. Julia Tully ran to victory in the Leki Oxford Half Marathon, with Gyuri Varga winning the gold in the male category.

In the final race, the Team CP 15KM Trail Run/Tramp, Ocean Faloon-Cavander took the win for the men, and Eva Pringle for the women.

I spoke to Tristan King about his experience, as the Leki 21km was his first ever competitive trail run. Although he had trained for the occasion, he was nervous to be in such a large event setting. However, he found that the day was incredibly well organised and full of beaming faces, with everyone chatting at the start line; “it makes a huge difference to feel welcome.”

Everyone was incredibly supportive. Runners would move to the edge of the track as soon as they heard someone approaching from behind and strangers were checking in on those that seemed to be struggling.

He was equally amazed when he reached the summit and found there was hardly any wind. “It was idyllic and there was so much variety of terrain. There’s parts that are rocky. There’s bushes, birdlife and wide open trails.”

He even debunked a trail running myth; it’s not uncommon to walk uphill!

Although there was a competitive atmosphere, most of the runners competed with themselves, pushing to reach personal bests and to accomplish something incredible. Without a doubt, Tristan will be back next year to run the full marathon, although the event has undergone a change since we talked. In 2024, the 42km course will be replaced by a 50km ultramarathon to mark the 10 year anniversary of Odyssey. Although there is more distance to cover, the organisers promise that it will be easier than the original course, and take less time to complete. With this change, it’s clear that the Mt Oxford Odyssey isn’t afraid to surprise and challenge its racers- whether it be with an abundance of mud or an additional 8 kilometres. Either way, the mount is where the action is.

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