Summit Team – Team A

Today a select few of our Australian World Harmony Run team were given the opportunity to run to the summit of the highest mountain in Australia – Mount Kosciuszko – and what an opportunity it was.

Charlotte Pass, our starting point and base camp, was very crisp and covered in unimaginably thick fog, giving us a real sense of what was to come on our day's epic adventure. We strode off along the path to the top, into the great mist with flags and torch in our hands and excitement and anticipation in our hearts.

The first seven kilometres was a gradual climb through some of Australia's most stunning scenery – the Snowy Mountains distracting us from the icy drop in temperature.

A quick stop at the very headwaters of the mighty Snowy River that flows right from the rooftop of the continent...

We found some warm refuge with our new friends, Bob and Sander – two carpenters working on some renovations at Seaman's Hut – for a quick breather before embarking on the final trek to the summit.

With the gain in elevation and the super-dense cloud rolling in over the snow, our focus turned inward. There was a powerful feeling of togetherness, a collective sense of determination and inspiration that flows from the torch into each runner, giving us encouragement to reach our goal.

The last 500 metres proved to be the toughest as our running trail was reduced to a single track of snow with a great wall of white on our left and a sheer drop all the way down the mountain on our right. Our very adventurous companion Peter, a freelance film-maker for Snowy Mountains Television, was awaiting the arrival of the World Harmony Run torch to capture the crowning moments of our quest.

We celebrated profusely upon completing the historic mission of carrying the flame to the 2228 metre peak of Australia's famed Mount Kosciuszko.

Our national co-ordinator, Prachar Stegemann (who is the only member of the team to have previously reached the top with a torch, 19 years previously) was very happy to reach the summit monument again.

In the freezing conditions we were thrilled to actually strike a flame from the torch on the summit of Australia. With the team having accomplished such an intense and awe-inspiring journey, we swiftly departed the great mountain to find the cosy warmth of hot chocolate waiting for us at Thredbo.

A most gratifying and fulfilling experience for all concerned...

– Marichi Clarke (Australia)

 

Team B

For the first few kilometres out of Jindabyne, our team was joined by Chris Darlington from the Jindabyne Sport and Recreation Centre, who so warmly and kindly hosted our entire team in superb accommodations last night.

We ran through the beautiful Kosciuszko National Park today while team A set for the summit.

It was a run of big uphills and large downhills. For my part I got two super uphills of over a kilometre long which tested my endurance,

but I was also rewarded with relaxed rolling downhills that let us open up our stride and fly down the mountains, especially the stupendous descent from Deadhorse Gap right down to Tom Groggin.

The views were spectacular, from open range

to deep woods

and switch-back weaving highways.

In some areas the trees, having been burned by enormous bushfires in recent years, stand stark and skeletal alongside the road.

We got our first glimpses today of an emu.

We were all very refreshed and happy to run through the Park, the nature around us lifted our spirits and kept us smiling all day long.

Our final stop after we finished our running was Khancoban Primary School:

they greeted us, sang with us, asked questions and of course ran with us.

We had an introduction to the iconic Australian kookaburra at the close of the day.

– Prabhakar Street (Canada)

 

Team C

What remarkable contrasts we see running through this powerful continent!

Yesterday it was the barrenness of drought-declared lands and today the spectacular magnificence of the snow capped mountains of Kosciuszko National Park.

It has been said countless times (and proven scientifically) that running makes you happy.

Today our team, with no ceremonies to attend, had only to run – 52 kms from Tom Groggin to Khancoban. We ran up (and up and up) and then down (and down and down) over and over again along the flank of Australia's highest mountain range.

It is an experience we all agreed would remain on the tablets of our hearts forever. The peace and beauty of Mother Earth revealing herself so perfectly in this most special area of Australia nourished us all unimaginably. What a rare privilege.

– Anubha Baird (Australia), Angela Muhs (Germany)
– (New Zealand – photography)

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Distance: 123 km

Team Members:
Prabhakar Street (Canada), Edi Serban (Romania), Standa Zubaty (Czech Republic), Sandro Zincarini (Italy), Runar Gigja (Iceland), Marichi Clarke (Australia), Misha Kulagin (Russia), Dima Lehonkova (Ukraine), Colm Magee (Ireland), Angela Muhs (Germany), Anubha Baird (Australia), Nataliya Lehonkova (Ukraine), (New Zealand), Julie Anderson (Australia), Peter Elliot (Australia), Rathin Bolton (Australia), Prachar Stegemann (Australia)

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