After placing as the second local male in last year’s Gloucester Mountain Man Tri Challenge, James Saunders is determined to take first place this year.
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Not a bad result for his first time taking on the challenge, which he competed in solo.
But he is motivated by setting goals and improving his position over last year.
James placed 20th overall and feels that he can achieve a better result when the competition takes place on Sunday, September 10.
So beating his own time might seem like a good enough goal, however, he has revealed the true motivation behind his plan.
This is to compete against his twin brother, Raymond.
Raymond was the first placed local in 2000.
He didn’t compete last year, so James hasn’t had the chance to compete against him.
The dilemma is that Raymond told him he won’t compete in the Mountain Man again until James wins the first local position.
So the pressure is on for this year.
Last year, James missed out on the first place spot to long time front runner, Brett Radford.
Regardless of how James places in this year’s event, he hopes that more people will get involved.
"We are lucky to have this type of event in our community,” he said.
Event organiser, Sam de Witte said the event is shaping up nicely so far and despite the river being low, the “show will go on.”
“It just means it will be a bit slow with a few more portage sections,’ he said.
He explained how back in the early days of the competition there were a few times that the river was as low as it is now.
But this doesn’t stop the paddle section of the event from going ahead, that is only affected by the river being too high.
“The numbers are looking good,” he said about the registrations that have already been placed.
“There a fair local contingent. Some former locals are coming back and taking a interest,” he said.
There is still time to get your name down for the event, visit http://www.gloucestertri.com.au/