Wulong Mountain Quest 2025 (China)

Event date: 20th-23rd September 2025.

2025 marks 12 years since I first began racing in China, I’ve been most years since then, typically for multiple events but now there seems to be only one major event left. The Wulong Mountain Quest, also now called the Mountain Outdoor Sports Open. There are still many smaller events on in China every weekend but for us overseas athletes, we typically prioritise events organised with reasonable prize money. The events we aim for over there are typically multi-discipline, off-road running, mountain biking, kayaking, swimming, rope skills what ever else they decide to throw at us. We love it, the more challenging the better. Myself and fellow NZ multisporters can compete well at this type of racing, we tend to suit the technical off-road, hilly terrain and longer multi-day stages. So of course we will target a competition that matches our strengths and love for the outdoors with a bonus of some potential prize money!
This year I returned to Wulong again with Alex Hunt and Sam Clark, but with a different female team member, Deb Lynch, the 2025 Coast to Coast Champion. Simone Maier our usual teammate was still recovering from some minor foot surgery so we called in back up and who better to call than Deb!
The event date had been pushed out a few weeks later than previously, and their plan worked, we were greeted with much cooler weather than the last 3 events. Typically we have had no days racing below 35 degrees for over 4 years, this time almost every day was below 30 degrees! And even some welcomed rain.

Day 1

Started in the town square with a 2km road run and was I happy to be keeping up with the near 3minkm fast running speed. Then we had a 800m chair carry, Deb got the chair spot, Sam Clark lifted the back and I lifted the front. We used a suitcase carry technique for a change and it worked well, Alex’s job was to help me by changing sides to relive me of some of the weight and Clarky held his own on the back. On MTB I had a 40g gel straight away and a bit gulp of drink (3 scoops of pure orange electrolyte) it was way too much at once. While our pace was not as aggressive as usual, the front Chinese teams pulled away but I couldn’t help increase pace due to stomach issues. I tried to eat a OSM bar and this just caused my stomach to be more upset and the began throwing up. We possibly lost a little bit of time on downhills too as we were being very conservative on the wet concrete roads. Onto the long run, I struggled to match Sam Clarks pace up the stairs. Stairs were hard! But I was on the tow line (I was also towing Alex and then Deb, all on the tow train!) so couldn’t get dropped. I eased back on the eating and drinking. We got to TA so that Sam could do the Ziptrek. Only one team mate was required for it so the rest of us had an opportunity to recovery and contemplate the past few hours of pain while eyeing up the final 30mins to go. While waiting I was threw up most of my fluids but felt better after. Then in final 5km road run to finish I hung in there and ended up contributing with a bit of towing for the final 1km to the Finish. We finished 4th on this day, 5mins off ‘Wulong Karst Team’ but only 1min between us and 2nd.

Day 2

Today started up on top of the mountain at 2000m altitude at the tourist area/horse park. It was thick fog and raining and everyone was already showing signs of fatigue. Straight into 20km run. We all ran well, But I did take 30mins to warm up the body, until then my body was not ok. Legs were ok but brain and cardiovascular system was very unhappy. But eventually got going! We were all happy with this run. After nearly 2 hours running I had only drunk maybe 500mls. Crazy but that’s all I could manage, as I was still having stomach issues. Cooler temperatures helped limit the damage from this.

Next onto the MTB, I wasn’t super strong but hung in there. Sam Clark towed up the hills. We had small scare when Alex’s chain came off and it jammed up a bit, we lost about minute there. I was feeling comfortable on the downhills so getting a few seconds ahead of me team gave me some small moments of well needed recovery. Energy levels a bit all over the show as nutrition still hard to keep down. Next we arrived at the reservoir, We pick up rafts and paddles and carry it all 300m to the beach to then navigate to 3 checkpoints around the lake.

On the raft we had OK pace but we were caught and passed by the leading Chinese team prior to cp1. This put us into the 2nd place coming out of the raft stage.

300m jog back to our bikes to ditch the raft. We then MTB down to the caving stage. We passed the Chinese team and got back in the lead on the ride down to the Cave. The night prior had been very heavy rain and everyone was concerned that the Caving likely would be too dangerous to complete, we half wanted it to be cancelled for our safety but all knew the caving stage is often where we gain a lot of time on the Chinese teams due to how technical it is in there. We arrive at the TA and it is unclear initially but soon find out the cave is in fact cancelled. The next question we have is how far do we have to run to get to the finish line?? This is crucial as we can’t leave the TA with not enough food and water. Unfortunately no one there can speak English and eventually we figure out to run out of the TA leaving in the same direction we arrived back up the hill, still uncertain how far we would be running. I hung in there, we all had a really solid running speed. All up hill. We got to within 100meters of the finish line and had to do a fire lighting activity with an out-of-the-box wooden bow drill kit, prior to finishing. Not completing was a 15min penalty. We knew it was coming as of the first race briefing but could not find any kits to practice with. We did a fair amount of Youtube research and thought we could do it. Unfortunately no good and a bit of yelling. We finished very grumpy and unhappy. We’d spent around 12mins attempting it and then still received the 15min penalty. We’d been passed by several teams in this time, the lead Chinese team actually lit their fire (well trained from previous smaller events) and other teams just ran straight past the activity, taking the penalty. This had us finishing in 4th, 21mins further behind the lead Chinese team.

Day 3

Today felt warm but it was overcast, possibly just inflammation from the previous few days racing, I felt like I was overheating at the start line and feeling a bit ill. We started with a Lake swim – 1.2 km. With PFD and shoes! We put them on tight with crotch straps. I felt much better once in the cooler water.

I thought I swan ok, heart rate good, controlled and smooth but I was quite a bit slower than rest of my team! Deb swam in front of me the whole way as a way for me to sight and maintain a good line, she did backstroke to keep an eye on me too, legend. Her yellow swim cap was nice and easy to spot. We came out of the water with Flavio’s team in first (Team Kiwi’s can fly – They were the next closest foreign team in the overall rankings and were close to us in the over all times, especially because they opted to not attempt the fire lighting yesterday). We all ran a good pace in the 1km run to the TA. I was a bit ill again in tummy. I had some of the teams Coke drink waiting for us. But not really sitting that well. Then straight into the 12km road run, predominantly uphill! Solid pace from the boys Sam and Alex towing, I just tucked in behind and stayed close. Legs and lungs happy with pace, possibly could have gone slightly faster but not much, definitely couldn’t tow, but mostly due to strange head and tummy feeling ill. Flavio’s team and the ‘Wulong Karst’ team were easily spotted whenever we looked back not too far away, however for now we held the lead.

Over a high saddle then running slightly downhill to end the stage. Onto the MTB, this had plenty of uphill to start with then a long downhill full of switchbacks.

We took it cautiously again as wet concrete roads are not the best grip for our bike tires. Slightly more uphill then a 2km run downhill to the Wujiang River. We were passed by the Karst team on this descent to the river but we kept them insight and managed to get on the river in our kayaks just in front of them. In the kayaks we got to work.

We had 18km of down river paddling to take advantage of and get away from Karst and whoever else. Working hard we created a good gap. The higher flow (in the 1000’s) meant less technical rapids but still some features that made it more fun than a lake. Finishing under a bridge in the town of Wulong we had to run up to the bridge, abseil off it then run 1km to the finish line. This time only two of us had to do the abseil. Sam Clark and myself opted for it. We misread the information about the abseil and was unaware of an untimed waiting area to allow you to put your gear on carefully. Most teams grabbed their gear then sprinted to the waiting zone.

We put out gear on carefully then ran through the waiting area to the abseil.

We had a quick abseil and then sprint to the finishline. Finishing 1st overall today. However we lost up to 4mins to some teams who had sprinted to the waiting zone and hung out in that zone for a while, making the most of it. We had the the fastest time of anyone in the wait zone, around 15 seconds (remember we had no idea this zone existed). So unfortunately wasted time for us again.

Day 4

Starting back at the town square we ran east up the river, had a short chair carry (only 100m, super short) then ran down to the river for more river kayaking on the Wujiang River. Awesome, we love river kayaking! Working hard from the start we were quickly near the front of the chaos with only Flavio’s team just in front, then crept past them around 8kms in. 18km of kayaking again all downriver.

I ran out of fluid with about 10mins to go which didn’t seem like an issue, but then during the 1.8km run out of the kayaks to the MTB stage I consumed a thick gel, which causes a lot of stomach pain, perhaps because of the lack of water with it. By the time we reached our bikes I was feeling pretty bad in the stomach, worse than the other days and I had another wee vomit. However my legs were feeling good. The MTB was a 14km all up hill, around 800m climb on a rocky 4wd track.

Finally some off-road riding. Trust the organisation to put us through muddy sections on the final day so we had dirty bikes to clean up after. We got into a rhythm riding well together but nothing super hard. I wanted to push hard but needed to wait for my stomach pain to settle a bit first. Around 20mins in, Flavios team came past us, moving quickly! This was enough to make me fired up to work harder! I end up on the front, desperately trying to chase them down. Eventually we reach the top and enter the final transition to the 10km running orienteering stage. We exit with our map around 1min behind Flavios team in 2nd. Straight into a very steep and muddy track that ensured we skipped out a long road section full of switchbacks, I had the map and was in control of the teams directions. At the start of today, in the overall standings we were 2nd place behind Wulong Karst the local Chinese team by around 25mins. So we had little chance to claim that back. However 3rd place, Flavios team, was only 2mins back. So in order to secure 2nd place Overall we just needed to make sure we finished with them. Easy, we had pretty much caught them back up by the first checkpoint, I came into it at slightly different angle and we were right with them. We ran stride for stride to Checkpoint 2. Then on the way to Checkpoint 3 I took a slightly different way. Even though we were with them I was still navigating the whole time as though they weren’t there, so when they went a different way I stuck to my plan. Unfortunately I missed spotting the footpath we needed due to the overgrown grass and we waded through a paddock, when we met the main road again we had lost about 200m to them. Obviously frustrating we trucked on and Alex warned me it wasn’t worth it, to just follow them to the finish line. We arrived at checkpoint 3 around 300m behind them as they had put the hammer down, running fast. Then at CP3 I made the call to run along the road to get to CP4, Flavio’s team has gone back up the hill to run through a village instead, Alex wasn’t happy about it, understandably, but I knew this one was super low risk as the road was clear but the village route was not (remember this map is just a satellite photo). At the trail entrance, where both team met up again I’m certain we gained back 200m on them and now we’re only 100m behind them. Over the next 1km, this trail would lead us to CP4 and the finish line. Easy. Turned out this trail was all boardwalk and super super slippery (it had been raining). We all had to be very careful not to fall. Sliding around, a few falls and hanging onto the handrail we made it down the staircase to the finish line just behind Flavio’s team. But it’s not over. We now have climb over a wall. The wall is 3 meters high. So pretty high! We time out while waiting for Flavio’s team to give it go. They were pretty efficient. Next our turn, We boost Deb up first, then me, then Alex boosts up Sam Clark. Last is Alex but this is the hard part. Dangling a leg down wasn’t great, and Alex pulled Sam’s shoe off, Sam then hung down head first to grab Alex’s hands while Deb and I hung onto him. Hands too slippery! Sam then throws Alex a glove and this increases grip enough for Alex to hang on and we slowly pull him up and over. That was close!

Finally we cross the finish line and the race is over. Relief. We can relax. Thankfully we have only been beaten by a few seconds by Flavio’s team so we get 2nd for the day and hang onto 2nd overall. Kudos.