By Peter Douglas
Dandenong Ranges locals warmly welcomed Oxfam Trailwalker Melbourne participants, as many trekked through the region over the weekend of 8-9 April to raise much-needed funds.
This year, teams raised an incredible $2.1 million through the event, which will be put towards tackling poverty in communities throughout the world.
The last team finished just after 8am on Sunday 9 April, with more than 570 teams completing the tough 100km endurance challenge.
The fastest team was ‘Dog Day Afternoon’, which arrived on Friday night in 11 hours and 25 minutes.
The four team members – David Overend, Daniel Langelaan, Daniel Nunan and Stephen Rennick – were greeted by a cheering crowd with popping champagne bottles and party streamers after a long day running the 100km trail in the warm sun through the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley.
Mr Overend, from Balwyn, admitted the day had presented its challenges and the team hadn’t completed the trail in under 11 hours, as they had hoped.
“When the heat came out, about 55km onwards, it made it pretty hard,” Mr Overend said.
“And our strategy was to get there early, and we actually got there late,” he said.
“This is my 14th Trailwalker, so I should be well organised by now.”
Hundreds of other teams continued the trek overnight and into the early hours of Sunday morning.
Almost all teams that started the challenge managed to reach the finish-line.
The heavy rain on Saturday night caused some difficulties, but, not surprisingly, the most common complaint was a few blisters along the trek.
Oxfam Trailwalker Melbourne spokesperson Anna Wemyss said the weather had been perfect all weekend until rain started on Saturday evening.
She said despite the challenges, the show went on.
“Every walker deserves a huge pat on the back, especially because of the wet weather on Saturday evening,” she said.
