Homepage Kokoda Youth Foundation newsroom

5000 People Attending Australia’s Toughest Team Endurance Event for it's 14th Year

Announcement posted by Kokoda Youth Foundation 20 Jun 2018

Gold Coast Kokoda Challenge, back for the 14th year: SATURDAY 14th JULY - SUNDAY 15th JULY 2018

Over 5000 individuals will flock to the Gold Coast Hinterland for the 14th Gold Coast Kokoda Challenge on July 14 to raise funds for local teenagers, unite in remembrance of our WW2 veterans and to conquer Australia’s toughest team endurance event.

There are family, friends, corporate and school teams, kids from the age of 12 to elderly participants over 50, elite athletes attempting to beat the record of 11 hours 50 minutes, people walking for their battle against cancer, for their ancestors who fought in WWII, for their desire to help local youth… bringing together the entire community.

“The stories, emotions and atmosphere of a Kokoda Challenge event is unlike anything else,” says Kev Davies, sixth time Kokoda Challenge participant.

The Kokoda Challenge has been dubbed Australia’s toughest team endurance bush walking event and is run annually on the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Melbourne, designed to keep the WW2 Kokoda spirit of Courage, Endurance, Mateship and Sacrifice alive. It is not a race, it’s about getting to the finish line as a solid team. 

Teams go through some of Gold Coasts toughest terrain in 48km and 96km distance events, with a 33 hour limit on the 48km distance and 39 hour limit on the 96km, with the event closing 10pm Sunday 15th.

Teams will tackle bush, fire trails, huge hills and a dozen creeks through Mudgeeraba, Austinville, Springbrook, Numinbah Valley, Beechmont and Clagiraba to finish in Nerang.

All event proceeds fund the Kokoda Challenge Youth Program, which has been running since 2004 and changing lives of 50+ local teens a year from all backgrounds and circumstances, from high achievers to those who are disengaged and at-risk. 

The 14-month program involves physical endurance, community service, team building and a funded trip to Papua New Guinea to complete the real Kokoda Track and volunteer in local villages. Starting in 2004, these kids are known as ‘Kokoda Kids’.

Details:
Saturday 14th July 2018
6:45AM - Firth Park, 1 Somerset Drive, Mudgeeraba – 96km Participants Start Line
10:45AM – Numinbah Valley Hall, Nerang Murwillumbah Road – 48km School Teams Start Line
12:45PM – Numinbah Valley Hall, Nerang Murwillumbah Road – 48km Open Teams Start Line

Sunday 15th July 2018
3:00PM – Nerang Velodrome, 8 Hope St, Nerang  – Official Event Presentation of Medallions and Awards to leading finishing teams
All day – Nerang Velodrome, 8 Hope St, Nerang  – Finish line for all participants, finishing at multiple times until cut off at 10pm Sunday

Attending and available for interviews on the day:

  • 2500+ Challenge Participants conquering 96km or 48km

  • 300+ Volunteers

  • 600+ Support Crews

  • Local councillors confirmed, including: Ros Bates MP, Cr Robert La Castra, Cr William Owen-Jones, Cr Kristyn Boulton Cr Peter Young

  • Doug Henderson OAM and his wife Anna, founders of the Kokoda Youth Foundation and Kokoda Challenge

  • Our 2018 “Kokoda Kids” (beneficiaries of our youth programs) competing in the 96km event -  A colourful group of kids in our 14 month Kokoda Challenge Youth Program. They have incredible stories of change, e.g. Afghanistan refugee working full time on top of school to get by, Congo refugee who lives in a house with 8 siblings, Aboriginal girl living in a boarding house who fled from a town of crime with dreams of more, an A+ academic and a high achiever chasing challenges outside their comfort zone and more!

Watch last year’s event here

For more information or to RSVP contact: Media Manager, Naomi Mullen on 0468 845 700 media@kokodachallenge.com

Brisbane-Kokoda-Challenge-2018_FI-800x50