Mountain Designs Wild Women Hells Bells Race Report - written by Ashild Krige
I’ve always had a soft spot for the Mapleton-Maleny-Kenilworth area—it’s one of those places I’ve admired from afar but never truly explored. And wow, what a place to host an adventure race! Rugged terrain, stunning gorges, wide rivers, dense bushland, and the kind of wild surprises that make adventure racing so addictive.
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| Mapleton-Maleny-Kenilworth area a stunning location for Hells Bells |
Pre-Race Vibes
The energy was high the night before the race. We had a relaxed meet-and-greet, shared a few laughs, and topped it off with Jan’s absolutely delicious lasagna, fueling both our stomachs and our spirits. Race morning kicked off early with a bit of logistical juggling— the bike drop was a fair distance away—but with plenty of time and a clear plan, we were all set. Our team was buzzing with excitement. We knew the course would be tough, but we were ready to embrace the unknown.
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| Kim scans the maps |
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| The excitement builds as we plan our course. |
Gorge-ous Start
The race started from Lake Baroon, and it couldn’t have kicked off in a better way. We plunged straight into a gorge, literally. The freezing water had us wide awake in no time, and from there, it was full-on technical scrambling. Rock hopping, navigating in and out of the gorge, picking lines, and chasing down those first checkpoints. It was equal parts thrilling and chaotic, and we loved every second of it.
A few steep climbs brought us to Obi Lookout where our bikes waited, and from there we launched into a solid 45 km bike ride through hilly terrain. It was all going well until Nicola managed to find the only screwdriver on the course, at speed, on a descent, in the middle of nowhere. One spectacular puncture later, we were down a few spots, but thanks to some fast teamwork (and a well-packed repair kit), she was back on two wheels, and we were moving again.
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| Mountain Designs Wild Women at start - Ashild, Laura, Nicola, Kim |
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| Just one of the waterfalls in the Obi Obi Gorge |
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| Obi Obi Gorge |
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| Mountain Designs Wild Women looking strong coming into TA 1 at Obi Lookout |
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| On the bikes ready for some cool downhill into Kenilworth from Obi Lookout. |
Nightfall and the Mighty Mary River
As the sun had just dropped, we entered the paddle leg down the Mary River. Everyone was bracing for the cold, with a “feels like” 4°C forecast in the early morning hours. But once we were on the water and moving, the adrenaline (and mild chaos) of paddling at night kept us warm. We pulled off the paddle without issue and transitioned into the next trekking leg. Things were looking good!....until we hit Checkpoint 15.
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| Start of the paddle - we could not see what this looked like! |
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| The Mighty Mary |
The Infamous CP15
Ah, Checkpoint 15. The ultimate test of patience, navigation, and sanity. We spent almost three hours hunting for a CP that simply wasn’t where the map said it should be. We linked up with the legendary Raging Coconuts and gave it one final effort as a joint force before finally deciding to move on. It turns out all other teams did the same, the checkpoint was in fact in a completely different location, and the maps hadn’t been updated before printing (cheers, Chris 😅). Despite the frustration, spirits remained high, and we were reminded that sometimes the adventure is in the search, even if the prize never shows.
After CP15, we jumped on a short bike leg that delivered us to a fun rogaine section. Kim absolutely crushed the nav with pinpoint accuracy, showing off some serious experience and calm. It was a satisfying section, efficient, smooth, and confidence-boosting.
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| CP15 on the Map, so this is where we were looking for it! |
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| Our tracker at CP15 in BLUE - CP 15 not where it's marked on the map avove. |
When Uphill Never Ends
From there, it was time to face the final bike leg—and what a finale it was. The last 30 km felt like it was all uphill. There were wicked hike-a-bike sections that just. kept. coming. Legs burning, sleep deprivation setting in, and yet, no one gave in. We arrived at the second-last checkpoint and were faced with a tough call: go for the final three bonus points, or play it safe and cruise to the finish.
We looked at each other and knew; we were going for it. Despite the exhaustion, the hills, and the many hike-a-bike grinds, we pushed through with grit, laughs, and determination. We reached the finish line around 9 a.m., after 21 relentless hours on the course.
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| Mountain Designs Wild Women at the finish - Teamwork & Triumph |
Reflection
The Hells Bells Mountain Designs Wild Women team brought together a mix of strength, experience, and unshakeable positivity. Kim, ever the organised and encouraging team leader, led with calm confidence and nailed the navigation as part of her build-up to the World Champs in Canada. Nicola, who insists she “only rides these days,” proved otherwise as she charged up hills and trekked like a machine, never missing a beat. Laura, the newest member of the Wild Women, joined us recovering from a head cold and a string of lingering injuries, but never once backed down, bringing great nav input, strong endurance, and a calm, experienced presence throughout the race. As for me, this was my first race since my accident last year, and while I was simply hoping to finish, I was stoked with how I pulled up, grateful to be back out there doing what I love with an incredible crew. Despite never racing together before, we gelled seamlessly, supporting one another every step of the way and proving that teamwork really is the secret weapon in adventure racing. Emotionally, physically, and mentally, we had each other’s backs the whole way. We lifted each other up (literally and figuratively), kept the motivation flowing, and never let the pace or morale drop.
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| Our tracker is BLUE - Rogaine & shortcut to Delicia Rd. |
Personally, just crossing that finish line was already a win for me after my last year of recovery, but to actually win the female category and place 4th overall, as a team that hadn’t raced together before, was something truly special.
Massive thanks to the organisers, the volunteers, and of course, the other teams out there battling the same wild elements. We’ll be back, hopefully with no rogue tools on the bike course and all CPs where they belong!
Finally thanks to our sponsors Mountain Designs, AyUp Lighting Systems and Tri Adventure.
Photo Credits - Margarete Oti
Maps - Wild & Co - Maps & Notes
Live Tracking - Track Me Live - Live Tracking Link
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| Mountain Designs Wild Women & The Raging Coconuts (also Mountain Designs Wild Women) |
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