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Several people have written to me regarding our KOKODA CHALLENGE. You are hereby advised that if you have an interest to enter this trek, you must complete a booking sheet by clicking on the following area of our website.
Before you register, you must decide which direction you wish to enter.
Option 1 – KOKODA CHALLENGE 2007 – Ower's Corner to Kokoda. Race will commence at 7am sharp at Ower's Corner Archway. Time to beat is a staggering 17 hours 49 minutes 17 seconds – Trek 344:
Official times registered in this event 2006 as follows up to 15th position:
1st – Brendan Buka (KTL) – Time: 17:49:17; 2nd – Wayne Urina (KTL) – Time: 18:51:57; 3rd – Damon Goerke (Australia) – Time: 19:28:48; 4th – Horace Yauga (KTL) – Time: 20:39:51; 5th – Cyprian Aire (KTL) – Time: 23:29:30; 6th – Tom Hango (KTL) – Time: 24:49:09; 7th – John Korove (KTL) – Time: 24:30:30; 8th – David (Duggy) Eroro (KTL) – Time: 24:41:27; 9th – Nathaniel Isuki (Independent) – Time: 26:08:02; equal 10th – Rod Ori (KTL) – Time: 26:46:32; equal 11th – Andrew Yauga – Time: 26:46:32; 12th – Wilson Sevisi (R & P Signs) – Time: 26:46:34; 13th -Mathias Kipu (Team Didiman) – Time: 27:06:15; equal 14th – Sean O'Hara (Australia) – Time: 27:24:18; equal 15th – Bryan O'Hara (Australia) – Time: 27:24:18
Brendan Buka winner Ower's Corner to Kokoda August 2006:
Brendon_Buka_prize_giving.jpgOption 2: KOKODA CHALLENGE 2007 – Kokoda to Ower's Corner. Race will commence at 7am sharp at the Kokoda Memorial Hospital. Time to beat is a staggering 22 hours 1 minutes 14 seconds set in August 2005 – Trek 345:
John Hunt at the age of 32 from Kereva village, outside Kokoda Station made a heroic run and set a new record along the renowned Kokoda Trail to be the fastest man ever to have walked/run the whole 96km WWII trek from Kokoda to Ower's Corner.
Results for the Kokoda Challenge 2005 are as follows:
1st – John Hunt Hiviki – 22:01:14 ; 2nd – Osborne Bogajiwai – 22:45:34; 3rd – Tom Hango – 23:34:46; 4th – Bernard Aruo – 24:08:46; 5th – Andrew (Andy) Rowan – 24:15:21 – New Zealand; 6th – Russell Gurisa – 28:32:21; 7th – Abel Arari – 29:05:22; 8th – Rod Ori – (injured) 29:36:52; 9th – Wayne Urina – (injured) 30:08:12; equal 10th, 11th & 12th : Sean & Bryan O'Hara; Robert Drysdale
Photograph – John Hunt Hiviki – winner 2005 Kokoda to Ower's Corner:
John_Hunt_Winner.jpgHighlights of 2006
Photograph: 1st group up the hill at Ioribaiwa Village – at this stage Brendan was in 3rd position behind Rod Ori 2nd. Brendan is wearing the number 27 t/shirt. Damon Goerke was out in front in 1st position heading for Nauro Village when this photograph was taken:
Checkpoint_1.jpgHighlights of 2006
Photograph: Excited village children run after Number 11 Damon Goerke from Australia as he ran into the village of Efogi the half way point in just over 8 hours. As Damon had never walked the track his main worry was he would get lost.
His tactics were to tag onto a PNG person. When this was mentioned to our porters, their reply was that he would be eating their dust.
No so, Damon quickly passed all of them one by one and had hit the FRONT….would the PNG guys catch him was on everyone's lips. The township of Kokoda went quiet as they waited for more news when they heard Brendan Buka and Wayne Urina were hot on his tail…would they catch the aussie??:
Copy_of_IMGP0666.jpgDamon took a wrong turn and headed for Kagi the hardest route instead of going through Naduri. Brendan and Wayne thought they had lost him and were wondering where he was thinking he had left them for dead.
Not so as Brendan saw the light from his head torch as the both moved towards Myola Junction, yes he thought I have a chance to beat this guy after all!!!
Photograph – Villagers at Efogi eagerly await the next competitor…will one of these young children grow up and enter this event, who knows! In 2005 people tipped a Koiari would win this event, ie a mountain man whereas instead it went to John Hunt Hiviki who lived in the township of Kokoda. In 2006 Brendan won the event who hails from the highland of PNG – Goroka. His brother was adopted by a family in Kokoda and he too now lives with them so now calls KOKODA home.
IMGP0674.jpgmaybe it was the bananas that did the trick – Brendan Buka stops at Efogi for a break and to fill up on bananas. Brendan wondered why Damon didnt stop to eat and thought he was running on empty. Damon on the other hand had all his food in his small pack which consisted of energy wraps. When he wanted to eat he would pull back from Brendan – a trick or two or perhaps a much more experienced competitor used to competing in adventure races back in Australia…but this was Brendan's first!
Check out the feet of these two competitors….KT26's !!! This shoe was the preferred shoe of just about everyone who entered with the exception of the aussies.
IMGP0686.jpgSecond place getter, Wayne Urina at Efogi – with all those bananas he wont go hungry:
IMGP0691.jpgTom Hango who was really sick right up to two days before the event with Malaria refused to pull out and headed off with the rest. He came home in 5th position overall.
In Kokoda he asked for the next last dose of his Malaria tablets, what an effort! I have only had malaria once but believe me you feel like you have no energy whatsoever.
Please note in 2005 Tom Hango came home in 3rd position but said he would have done better but his head torch batteries died on him. Tom, if he can stay healthy could be the dark horse in this years event
IMGP0713.jpgIn 2006 it was Brendan Buka's turn to become the fastest ever man to cross from Ower's Corner to Kokoda in a time of:
Time: 17:49:17
To quote Bryan O'Hara's words who has entered this event two years in a row:
i really think the record set last year will be very tough to beat. the conditions were great – overcast, relatively cool and dry. its gonna take a lot of beating.
Photograph: Brendan Buka wrapped in a blanket seen here shortly after he crossed over the finish line, the TREK HERO for 2006:
Brendan___ABC.jpgWinner of the Team Event – first five home from any team to arrive in Kokoda – winners – KTL (Kokoda Trekking Ltd).
Team_Event_2.jpgAlan Phillips, an experienced adventure competitor has shown interest in entering our Kokoda Challenge in Papua New Guinea. It appears he has competed in the Oxfam Trail Walker; Comrades Marathon, 6ft Track and done at least 20 marathons…etc
If you wish to enter, please CLICK HERE
Before you book, please make sure you select the correct trek number as follows:
- TREK 344 – KOKODA CHALLENGE -Ower's Cnr. to Kokoda – 2 days – 25/08/07 – 26/08/07
- TREK 345 – KOKODA CHALLENGE – Kokoda to Ower's Cnr – 2 days – 25/08/07 – 26/08/07
The ultramarathon man, Dean Karnazes has shown interest in our 2008 event. With the fitness of Dean he might decide to walk over and back, now wouldnt that be something.
Want to know more about Dean, CLICK HERE
Should you wish to read more about Dean, click on the following url address:Titled the Perfect Human.
Dean Karnazes ran 50 marathons in 50 days. He does 200 miles just for fun. He'll race in 120-degree heat.
Dean_Karnazes2n_pic.jpg
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