2024 Results

Return to the Orongorongo Valley: Sunday 8th December

Planner's Commentary

Nearly 300 runners suited up for the first Rogaine in the Orongorongo Valley since 2016. The rain held off all day, but everyone was lashed by strong gale winds and much cooler temperatures than earlier in the week.

With a strong focus on the huge network of Private Huts along to Orongorongo River, it was no surprise that the majority of the teams made their way to this part of the course. Controls were aplenty, but despite seeming close on paper there was a tonne more climbing and distance between the huts than many expected. If you didn’t manage to grab all the hut controls, or if you keenly spotted others in the map that weren’t sites of controls today, then get back in there over summer as there are some real gems to be found.

The teams that made the best use of the course linked the huts with either McKerrow/Clay Ridge or Cattle Ridge tracks. These tracks were peppered with ribbons which, despite being out up to 8 weeks, were all still flying from the trees and bait boxes from which they were hung.

In the three hour event, runners stayed much closer to the Catchpool carpark. Those brave enough ventured up Cattle Ridge and were rewarded with points that rocketed them towards the top of the leaderboard. Others, and pleasingly a large number of families, took the time to explore the Middle Ridge/Five Mile/Orongorongo Track part of the course.

This year we only had a small number of “claims”, which is always pleasing for the organiser. There’s nothing worse than teams wasting time on a control that’s gone missing or wrongly mapped. While it’s Christmas though, the claims made on the day have all fallen on the deaf ears of the Grinch (i.e. me)

  • 5 teams claimed control 3A, but 27 teams that successfully located this ribbon
  • 2 teams claimed control 71, but 30 teams successfully located this ribbon
  • Controls 80, 39, 28, 58, 61 and 46 were claimed only once (by six different teams) but hordes of others all found these.

Congratulations must go to the top-three teams in each event:

  • 6 hour – Two Tippy Turbines (1640), Bush is Boring (1440) and Dubious Knolls (1430)
  • 3 hour – Boots & Smooch (620 points), Danger Children (600) and MarkEm (600)

That concludes the Rogaine season for 2024. Can’t wait to get back into the hills, trails and roads in 2025.

Have a safe Christmas and a happy New Year

Darryn Gordon
Event Planner