Concordia students complete Kokoda Challenge
EIGHT Concordia Lutheran College students participated in Australia's toughest team endurance event over the weekend.
The Kokoda Challenge is a 96km endurance trek in the Gold Coast Hinterland which aims to instill the character traits of sacrifice, endurance, mateship and courage in participants as they struggle through the event.
There are creek crossings and 5000m of incline and 5000m of decline along the course.
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Our students showed real grit and determination as they fought their way through cold winds, blisters, chafing, sleep deprivation, exhaustion, swollen feet and aching joints.
Made up of two teams, they trained together over the last five months and grew in fitness and in character culminating in the event.
'The Hiking Dead' (Lachlan McGrath, Harrison Wellingham, Lindsay Blinco, and Korey Wolski led by Andrew Wickes) placed 3rd in the schools' Stan Bisset Cup with an outstanding finish time of 22 hours, with a full team finishing!
'The Night Walkers' (Samuel Pela Polye, Matthew Collins, Alex Burke and Jamie Cox led by Chris Bartlett) finished, less Sam and Jamie due to blisters and injuries, in 29 hours.
The students displayed traits of endurance, mateship, sacrifice and courage, the traits that will serve them well through challenges in the rest of their lives.
Hikers were supported by their family members who met them at four major checkpoints and dressed blisters, fed, watered and gave much needed encouragement to their children.
The support crew also went without sleep and worked together showing the Kokoda virtues as they waited for hours in the cold for the hikers to arrive, only to push them on 15 minutes after arriving.
A big thank you to the support crew families, we couldn't have done it with out you!
In the lead up to the event, students raised money for the Kokoda Youth Foundation which gives Aussie youth the opportunity to participate in a nine month development program which includes the Gold Coast Kokoda Challenge event and culminates in the 'Kokoda Kids' going to New Guinea and walking the actual Kokoda Track.
This year's students showed great initiative in their fundraising to support the youth program with 'The Hiking Dead' raising $2,072 making it the top fundraising team in the school competition and 'Night Walkers' raising $1,070 and coming in as the 5th top fundraising team.
A special mention also to Jordon Waters who is participating in the Kokoda Youth program this year.
Jordon hiked the Kokoda Challenge Gold Coast event successfully for the second time this year with the 'Kokoda Kids' in the youth program and will be going to New Guinea later in the year to trek the real track.
Well done to all participants and thank you to all who helped.
Chris Bartlett
CLC Kokoda Challenge Coordinator
