Nineteen teams registered for the first event in the six event series that constitutes the Arrow International 24 Hour Adventure Race Series. Held once again in the Alexandra/Marysville area, participants undertook a spectacular course which involved mountain biking, trekking, navigating, kayaking, sleep deprivation and kayak portaging.

The event started in Alexandra with competitors undertaking a 37km mountain bike north of Alexandra to Galvan Bay on the edge of Lake Eildon. Due to lake levels being at a record low (just 8% of full capacity) participants face a 1km kayak portage to the shoreline. Once in the water teams where required to negotiate a forest of dead trees that had risen from depths as lake levels had subsided. Once clear of the sunken forest participants paddled the remaining 21km to the second transition at "Jerusalem Creek". First of the water was team "Quadraplods", Murray Thomas, Sally Fahey, Quenton Johnson and Dan Dollimore all of New Zealand and currently the "New Zealand 24 Hour Champions". Just three minutes back in second position and the current "Australian 24 Hour champions" was team "Challenge 2003", Damian Georke, Ian Franzke, Karen Hopkinson and Mark Mex in a total time of 3 hours and 36 minutes.

Into the third leg participants where required to find a manned check-point deep in the "Rubicon State Forest". With numerous route choices this leg would shake down the field but not decide the winners. Not surprising 2-person team "Mountain Design", Gary Sutherland and Andrew Pike where first to the manned check point in a total time of 5 hours 52 minutes but surrended their lead to the next transition when they suffered a flat tire. The mountain biking leg finished at "Ned's Gully" located at the foot of the well-known "Cathedral Ranges". Team "Quadraplods" and "Challenge 2003" held their respective first and second positions however team "Horizon Lines Canoes" John Jacoby, Nigel Aylott, Tory Thomas and Richards Rossiter where quickly gaining on the leaders.

Team BBQ Shapes Kim Willocks, Dave Wood, Richard Mackaroy, and Rob Davis suffered a broken rim during the mountain bike leg. The team decided to remove the tire and using tape secure the cracked rime before continuing to cycling on rough rocky roads and tracks for a further 20km until reaching the transition. Suffice to summarise the rime will never see a tire again however the "BBQ Shapes" where to finish the entire event in respectable 19 hours and 10 minutes.

Leg five consisted of traversing the infamous "Cathedral Ranges". From "Ned's Gully" across the "Razorback" to a manned check point at "Sugarloaf Saddle". Of considerable rough terrain the Cathedrals would separate the top six teams from the rest of the field as they endeavored to navigate the area after night fall. First equal to "Sugarloaf Saddle" check-point was team "Quadraplods" and "Horizon Lines Canoes" in 11 hours followed by team "Challenge 2003" in 11 hours 20 minutes and team Mountain Design a further 20 minutes back form Challenge. Participants continued to tramp another 15km through various terrain and tracks before reaching the final transition on "Lady Talbot's Drive" and then mountain biking the final 16km to the finish line at Gallipoli Park hall "Marysville".

Team "Horizon Lines Canoes" where first into the transition and quite concerned that the "Quadraplods" where just behind them. Unfortunately team "Quadraplods" had just made a navigation error at the last intersection before the transition and lost half and hour to the leader but manager to maintain there second overall position. Third into the transition was team "Mountain Design" in 13 hours 58 minutes followed by team "Challenge" in fourth in 14 hours and 3 minutes, just 5 minutes back.

The last bike leg did not effect the placing and Team "Horizon Lines Canoes" won the event in a total time of 13 hours and 32 minutes. Team "Quardploda" where second in 14 hour and 26 minutes and Team "Mountain Design" where third overall and first 2 person open team in 14 hour 35 minutes. Team Challenge 2003 where fourth overall and third four person mixed team in 14 hour 46 minutes. In total only three teams failed to finish the entire course with the most endurance being shown by team "Team Crabby Cramps" Michael Taylor and Gregory Paterson in 23 hours and 44 minutes. First two person mixed team was won by Team "Dumb and Dumber", Phillip Rossiter and Harriet Shields of New Zealand in 20 hours and 20 minutes. First three person open team was "Team Crank", Chris Milne, Matt Debelin and Michael Meryment in 19 hour and 3 minutes. First relay team went to Team "Arrow International" in 18 hour and 10 minutes.

Worthy of mentioning was the considerable contribution and hospitality shown to the event managers and participants by the Alexandra and Marysville communities who contributed greatly to the events success. The series now moves to Sydney for the second event in the series to be held May 17-18. Participants can expect introductory mountain biking, trekking, kayaking, navigating, plenty of adventure, and a little sleep deprivation.