DCR Episode 20 - Kepler Special

Kia Ora Whanau. For our 20th installment of DCR we bring you our coverage of the 31st iteration of the FreshChoice Kepler Challenge. Eugene and Matt travelled to beautiful Te Anau, also known as the Chamonix of Fiordland, to take part in the Kepler proceedings. It would be Eugene’s first time competing and Matt’s third. Whilst there we were planning to engage in a live podcast, our second in two weeks and then run the next day. This podcast proves that whilst, yes, we did indeed start a live podcast at race registration,  and whilst, yes, we did indeed both line up on the start line, that sometimes the universe can indeed dictate proceedings. And when that happens you gotta scramble. But here we are, with it smoking in our trembling hands, and despite the trevails and several re-thinks, this week’s episode is a straight up banger. We’ve interviewed Steve Norris, who for 20 years has been involved with the Kepler Challenge and has been race director for the last 12. We speak to Grant Guise of Altra (our first returning guest) about his 6th Kepler, his success in the 2019 Hardrock ballot and his thoughts on the Kepler committee engaging a ballot system for next year’s race. We also speak to Martin Walker of Christchurch’s Further Faster about his first Kepler attempt, and what will from now on go down in Kepler lore as the incident known as “Rocky’s Rocky Point Rebellion”. Finally, it’s down to an exhausted Eugene and Matt recounting their very eventful time on course (and off) during the 2018 race. Safe to say, Matt and Eugene both love Kepler a whole lot, and cannot wait to try their hands in next year’s ballot! Enjoy!