Love of trekking brings big prize

Press, 20 February 1986, Page 15

Love of trekking brings big prize

PA Wellington A man who was first taken tramping at the age of 18 months carried off the $5OOO Adventurer of the Year title at the function in Wellington on Tuesday evening. Wayne Hamilton, aged 45, of Wellington, beat five other finalists for the title. His feat was to trek from West Cape to Long Sound in Fiordland, the first time such a journey has been completed. Mr Hamilton, a senior supervisor with the Post Office, said the award capped a lifetime of interest in the outdoors.

“My parents first took me tramping when I was 18 months and I have been in love with the outdoors ever since,” he said.

Mr Hamilton’s historymaking trek, which he completed with Albir Framption, lan Brickell and Dudley Kind, took six months to plan and nearly

a month to execute. Hazards included badly swollen rivers and heavy rainfall.

“You develop a kind of .love-hate relationship with Fiordland,” he said. “When conditions are bad — and they can get very bad — you wonder why you do it. But when the sun shines up top, themagnificent views make it all worth-while.” Mr Hamilton would like to use his prize-money to organise another trek through Fiordland.

Other contenders in the contest were Gottlieb Braun-Elwert, aged 36, of Lake Tekapo; Paul Dixon, aged 35, and Rob Pine, aged 30, of Auckland: Philip Rush, aged 21, of Wellington: and Henry Van Asch, aged 22, of Christchurch.

The judges in the competition were the singlehanded sailor, John Mansell, and the aviation pioneer, Captain Fred Ladd.