14/09/2025
🚨 Athlete Spotlight 🚨
One of our Laps at the Lakes legends, Sam, is about to take on something truly next level — the Adventure Race World Champs (ARWC) in British Columbia this September.
We’re talking 750km of non-stop, multi-discipline madness: hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, pack rafting, ropes, abseiling, ziplining — and whatever other “mystery” challenges the organisers decide to throw in! All of it is navigated the old-school way: map and compass only.
The course winds its way through rivers, alpine terrain, remote indigenous villages… and maybe even the odd grizzly bear 🐻. Teams are bussed overnight to the secret start line, handed their maps, and given just two hours to plan their route before setting off.
The race course stays open for 10 days, with elite teams expected to knock it out in 5–6. For Sam and his crew, the mission is clear: finish the full course, beat the time cut-offs, and most importantly — survive! 😂
Their team name, “Why Wait,” carries a powerful story. A friend of one of Sam’s teammates was tragically killed by a drunk driver while out training. His life motto was simple but strong: Why wait? — and that’s exactly the energy driving Sam and his crew into this adventure.
From all of us here at Laps at the Lakes — go well Sam, we’ll be cheering you on from Pāuanui! 💪🔥
