Chris Townley

Event Founder

chris townley Or “wingnut” as he is otherwise known got sick about hearing how “cool” this event would be and pushed to make it happen. then he took on most of the jobs to make it happen as well (because kurt was a bit lazy).

Some people call him crazy others just think he is plain mad, follow him on an adventure at your own peril. This guy does weekend adventures that normal people WOULDN'T even think even possible. although as he is aging he is getting a little bit easier to keep up with. He used to be a triathlete but found that a bit hard so now he just runs a lot.

His heart is tied to this event, he even met his fiancée FELICITY while lapping the lake.

SARAH SUNSHINE

Even though Sarah is an Engineer she is well known for her ability to completely underestimate trail distances and tends to find herself in the wrong place more frequently than not according to her fellow Taupo Trail Runners.

She loves talking and is an introvert’s dream, ask her a question and you won’t have to speak again for 45 minutes. Sarah has been running various trail distances including ultras for a while now and has almost ticked off her goal to run each Great Walk in a day each.

She loves a running challenge and may be slightly competitive when she thinks she can win. Her running playlist is always Disney music on repeat, so feel free to ask for it if that floats your boat.

Sarah is the newbie on the team and as a result is full of enthusiasm for all things paper work.

Ash Pari

For those who don’t know Ash, he builds saw mills during the day and is a keen adventurer by night. He’s always up to help others out and is one of the best Tail End Charlies this country has produced.

When Ash is out in the bush having a great time you can liken him to the energizer bunny. Starts off fully charged then drops to ¾ charge but never goes below that. (Must be something to do with the solar panels on his head being charged from all that grey sparkly stuff in his hair) Ash rocked out a Miler last year at the lake so knows what he is doing.

Felicity Townley

Felicity Townley is a hiking and running enthusiast who loves the great outdoors almost as much as she loves keeping people in line—especially when it comes to the whiteboards. As the self-appointed "Whiteboard Enforcer" she ensures everyone marks their laps correctly during the event, because in her world, there's no room for sloppy handwriting or missed tallies. Married to Chris, she’s the perfect blend of fun and fierce, making sure everyone stays on track—literally and figuratively.

Sean McWilliams

Sean’s been with Blue Lake long enough to know better—and still shows up every year. A veteran of bad decisions and good banter, he’s our go-to guy for whatever needs doing, whenever it needs doing. Officially, he’s part of the crew. Unofficially, he’s our bitch. Whether it’s hauling gear, setting up tents, or being volunteered for things he didn’t agree to, Sean does it all with a smirk and minimal complaints (ok, some complaints). Every team needs one. We’ve got Sean.

Matt Gare

Matt Gare is the ultra-marathon-running, forest-wandering legend of Rotorua who somehow manages to make 100 miles look like a light jog. When he's not lost in the woods, he's doing all the jobs we conveniently “forget” to do on race weekend. Matt’s our go-to guy for all the dirty work. He’s the guy who makes the rest of us look good while he’s knee-deep in the tasks we’d rather avoid. If there’s a job no one else wants, you can bet Matt’s already halfway through it with a grin on his face.