Kurt Fearnley Completes Kokoda Track "crawl" in Rugged Papua New Guinea Mountains

Kurt Fearnley, four times New York Wheelchair Marathon winner, should now be called "Super-Kurt" after completing a 10 day Kokoda Track crawl in Papua New Guinea. The champion paralympian had to drag himself along the rugged track using his hands. He had support from 15 family members and a team of porters and guides. Other challenges he faced were the sweltering tropical heat and humidity and the mud along the track, as well as water crossings. Most able bodied trekkers find the going tough, so it is amazing that somebody with Kurt's disability could conquer this treacherous terrain.

Waiting at the finish line at Owers Corner at the southern end of the 96-kilometre track were his mother Jacqueline and father Glenn They had traveled from Carcoar in central New South Wales to surprise their youngest son when he finished the trek.

Kokoda Spirit team leader Wayne Weatherall, a Kokoda Track veteran, said it was the most amazing effort he'd ever seen in his time trekking. He used the words "superhero" and "superhuman" when referring to Fearnley who started the trek just one week after winning his fourth consecutive New York wheelchair marathon.

The Kokoda Track, in the Owen Stanely Ranges of PNG, is dangerously rugged. Several able-bodied people have either died or had to be medivaced out during attempts to complete the trek. A plane crash in this area of jungle in August 2009 claimed the lives of one Japanese, nine Australians and three PNG nationals.

Fearnley has commented that he just wants to heal his body and will take a few weeks to rest and get rid of all the aches and pains. He talks of spending time at Bar Beach in Newcastle and is pleased the challenge is completed.

The purpose of this amazing trek has been to raise funds for mens' health through the Movember organization.

Kokoda Trail is the "track's" official name

The official name of the route is Kokoda Trail. This was gazetted in 1972 and was in accordance with the most widely used term in Australia at that time. In 1972, Papua was still an Australian Territory.

Prior to this, the Kokoda Trail did not have an official name though in the post-1945 period, use of 'Kokoda Track' was common in Papua New Guinea, and still persists today despite the official proclamation.

The Kokoda Track significance

The now famous Kokoda Track was the site of WWII fighting between Australian and Japanese soldiers in the Battle of Kokoda in 1942. Australian diggers fought bravely and defeated the enemy in the extreme conditions that would thwart most people.

Australian soldiers were supported along the track by the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, Papua New Guinean nationals who guided and assisted them. Australian digger, Bert Beros penned this poem which best describes the role the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels played in helping the wounded to safety.

Sources:

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26366810-953,00.html

http://www.theage.com.au/national/superhuman-kurt-conquers-kokoda-20091118-imlk.html

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