Perth Rat Race Report
Perth, you have been Ratified!
With Deputy Lord Mayor John Tognolini in charge of the microphone and the final countdown, the City of Perth Rat Race 2010 was launched at 5pm Saturday night with over 200 eager rat racers taking on the mean streets. Perth CBD had teams crisscrossing from checkpoints to challenges and certainly entertained the locals who at first wondered what the heck was going on and then cheered the rats on.
Three hours of awesome fun followed which included synchronised diving, blindfold paddling, terrible karaoke, parkour, chilli pizza eating challenge, rock climbing, the youngest ever Kung Fu master and ‘take on Bill, and the peanut gallery' at the Perth & Tatts lawn bowls club. Aaahhhh, so entertaining for us. And good job to the team that purchased a $2 coin from a member of the public for a $5 note at the Oxfam checkpoint. And then there were the serious Rat Racers who set out on a serious point accumulation schedule where tactics, teamwork and the capacity to cover 20 kilometres saw some terrific scores of over 700 points. And what a way to close it out with a 150 person Body Combat set with Sharon from Fitness First. Whoooaaaa, is she dynamite or what?
The SA Ambulance boys carried in a very handy lead after smashing the mean streets course but the girls from 3 Chicks and a Map were equally as hot on the pace and collected a stack of points and the odd fan or two.
Sunday morning saw the main event kick off at 7.30am with plenty of enthusiasm and some good humour. A leisurely rat run and then a testy little challenge to release the bikes and get going in what was a super fast course for the first rat race in Perth. The lead teams blasted away and got well ahead of the forecast times as they rolled in the big tubes, smashed a straight drive, bluffed the kit checker and then played around in the kids pools. 
How good was the breakfast BBQ smell coming out of the ANA rowing club? All good until faced with a 2000 metre ergo row, especially with the club rowing coach barking instructions. Undaunted, the lead teams raced through the checkpoints and I doubt they even saw some of the biggest front yards in Perth as some of those river properties are unbelievable. Once teams got to 30 minutes ahead of expected times, the event team went into checkpoint set up over drive but the rat race world descended back into order when the front teams hit the orienteer challenge. Time to slow down, use you compass, follow the instructions and work as a controlled team...or you could go flat out and find those minutes ticking over as you go back to the start and try again, and again, and again.Back on course saw the no name eating challenge. No name beans, no name cola/orange/lemonade, no name wheat bix and melted chocolate, why wouldn’t you have something like this. Next up was the paddle section then a fast ride to the final activity which was the iconic Swan Bells for the abseil at a fantastic venue.
Line honours was team Boundless Wonders, closely followed by Team Outer-Edge/Blackheart and Caledonia Lone Star who finished within seconds of each other. Before we knew it six teams had clocked off and it was a case of time penalties to see who was going to take home the silverware. Back in the field there was plenty of fun and great spirit as the teams completed the course and it was terrific to hear about teams giving others spare tubes to fix punctures and sharing water around to keep the competitors in the game.
Down to the nitty gritty and the results saw the local team
Goats on Parade take out the open mixed event which was brilliant given that this was their first experience with the Rat Race. They were up there with the points on Saturday but nailed the cycle course on the Sunday to take it out. The SA Ambulance team won the male section after dominating the Saturday night event and despite visiting puncture city a few times, still came in with a great time. The girls from 3 Chicks and a Map followed up from an outstanding Saturday evening to post a great cycle time as well to take out the female category. And to the Tail-End Charlie award - and that goes to the Perth Spurs. Well done guys, and we look forward to seeing you, as veterans, tackle the 2011 City of Perth Rat Race on us. You can view full results here.
The Spirit of the Rat Race is one of the most important categories to us as the winning team typifies the Rat Race ethos of fun, participation, teamwork and adventure. This year it is a great story as we kept hearing about this 
team that were handing competitors and all the volunteer marshals a chuppa chup, and saying thanks, at every chance. The brother and sister combo of Team PowEgg tackled the event and had so much fun it was infectious for all around them. They were unanimously voted the Spirit of the Rat Race team and won the three brand new shiny GIANT mountain bikes (perhaps one was not so shiny). It was made all that much better when we found out that they had hired bikes to compete as theirs were so old and crappy - so well done and well deserved.
Well, thanks to our hosts and major partner, the City of Perth, the event was a super success and we look forward to seeing you next year. Thanks also to our event sponsors and partners such as Nissan Australia, Oxfam, Paddy Pallin, Club Lifestyle, Merrell, Mercure, IDQ and all the wonderful people at the East Perth Lawn Bowls Club, ANA Rowing Club in Bayswater, Swan Bells, Adventure Out, Rockface, and the many other commercial entities that helped us out to put on a great event for you. And a massive thanks to all the volunteers who lent a hand to make the Rat Race what it was - we couldn't do it without you.
Please feel free to drop us a line and let us know what you thought of the event - our friends at the City of Perth will be keen to see what you have to say - also feel free to send in any photos you may have, and any data you may have ex google earth or similar detailing your route.
Look out for next year and spread the word as we up the ante.
Until then, stay a little ratty.
Perth, it is official - you have now been Ratified...
Support one of the great checkpoints in the Rat Race - the ANA Rowing Club
The ANA Learn to Row Regatta is taking place on the 14th March - http://www.anarowingclub.org.au/#ltr
As a snapshot, crews of 4 of beginner rowers will be assigned a coach and have 5 lessons in the weeks prior to the regatta. On the day, they will race in at least 2 heats and hopefully progress to the finals. It really is an awesome day and a lot of fun for everyone involved.
The cost is $100 per person and on top of the crew lessons, they are entitled to 3 lessons in a single scull with myself and a few other coaches.
Hopefully we can get a few interested Rats to enter (note to Rats - sounds like a good challenge for 2011...).
Cheers, Jess
ANA Rowing Club Secretary
0402 107 081
Hinds Reserve, Milne Street Bayswater WA 6053
And to team Goats on Parade, well done on the win. A super effort on the Saturday night in terms of points and then a great Sunday to be in the lead group all day and come in only a couple of minutes behind the quickest team. Team Goats on Parade are the official mixed team winners of the Perth Rat Race 2010.
