Team 1
Mark & Andrew
Work BuddiesMark: Edgecliffe, 27
Real Estate Agent
Andrew: Elizabeth Bay, 27
Real Estate Agent
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Cure For Life Foundation
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Mark and Andrew have worked side by side at Real Estate Agent Bresic Whitney for the past 3 years. Even though they have always got on at the office and regularly socialize they believe that this trip will definitely test the friendship. The boys have chosen Cure for Life as their charity because Andrew recently lost a close friend to a brain tumor and both believe that it is a great cause.
Mark is a typical, no non-sense country boy from Central Western NSW. Despite moving to the big smoke in year 7 he hasn’t lost his entire country manner. He loves strapping up the knee and hitting the rugby field before throwing down a few coldies at the Pub after the game. Marks favorite TV show is “Farmer wants a Wife”, he was the first to put his hand up for the event because he loves adventure and a challenge.
Andrew grew up in the Sutherland Shire although he now lives in Sydney’s East because it is closer to work. He loves his fitness, training up to 6 times a week, and competes in the odd triathlon. He credits his drive to the Rocky IV album on his IPod and is training to beat Mark in an upcoming triathlon. Andrew is more easy going and laid back and won’t mind letting Mark take the reins providing that he doesn’t burst into his favorite Garth Brookes song on the side of the road.
Both boys are pumped up for the trip. How will they survive on the road and how will they handle each other, we will have to wait and see.
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Team 2
Rob & Rich
Father & Son
Robert: Blakehurst, 48
Optometrist
Richard: Boards at St Josephs College, 17
Yr 12 HSC
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Father Chris Riley's Youth Off The Streets
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Robert and Richard form a tight father son team. Both are really close and share a love of the South Sydney Rabbitohs admitting that even though the wins are rare they still watch all the games together. They have chosen Father Chris Riley’s Youth off the Streets as their charity because of Richard’s age and wanting help some of the problems that youth’s face today.
Richard is in his final year of school at St Josephs College where he boards. He likes being around his mates 24 / 7 but is looking forward to finishing the HSC so he doesn’t have to study anymore (or for a while anyway). Richard works part time for a Reception House in the holidays and is looking forward to relieving all the stress from the HSC during the event.
Robert is a lean 48 year old married family man with 5 kids. He likes feel good movies and doesn’t mind hitting the town every now and then with his close friends. He loves spending time with his extended family and those close to him reckon he is a bit of a softy at heart. Robert reckons he is up for the challenge of Mates Race but knows it will be tough, “How many people can say they have been around Australia with no money?”
We all know what it can be like hanging out with our fathers for a whole day. Imagine what it would be like for 28 days straight living side by side. Will there be father son bonding or bickering? Probably a bit of both. How will they handle it? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
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Team 3
Andrew & Matt
School Mates
Andrew Shrimpton:
Centennial Park, 26
Business Development
Matt Sutic:
Paddington,
28, Engineer
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Variety "The Childrens Charity"
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Andrew and Matt are the closest thing to a “fun boy” team that we have this year. Fitting in nicely as team numero 3 they grew up together in Sydney’s South before going to different schools. They have chosen the immensely popular Variety “The Children’s Charity” to raise funds for. Variety is nationwide and looks to improve the quality of life of children with special needs.
Andrew grew up in the Sutherland Shire doing what most boys do down there; play footy, go to the beach and socialize with fun loving girls. A bit of gym junky, Andrew doesn’t mind hitting weights around September / October just in time for his true love “Summer”. He works in the family business, which is one of the countries largest Registered Training Organizations, and spent 3 years living and working overseas in the UK and Canada. His favorite meal is a good “steak and 3 veg” and he is entering the race because he likes to get away for a big trip once a year which “is never enough”.
Matt used to make his daily bread cutting it as a sparky but gave it away to become an Engineer for one of World’s top firms. He describes himself as a “laid back entertainer” which his mates backed up by saying that after a few drinks he turns into the star attraction and can become quite flirtatious with the opposite sex. When he is not out with the boys he loves watching re-runs of Baywatch and hooking in to a BBQ Meat Lovers pizza.
The two lads have done their fair share of travelling together hopping around Canada as a duo and then domestic trips to places like Perth. They reckon that they`re are both relaxed at this stage but its only early days yet. As the event gets closer a few cracks could appear and then the real fun begins.
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Team 4
Christian & Max
High School Mates
Christian Reynolds: Turramurra, 22
Labourer and Part time building student
Max Rosenthal: Brisbane, 21
Media Production
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Parkinson's NSW
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Christian and Max are lucky team number 4. They grew up together at High School and even though they now live in different cities they keep in touch by trying to sabotage each other on FaceBook all the time. They are still in the process of choosing their charity.
Christian grew up in Perth before moving to Sydney’s North Shore when he was 10 years old. He works on building sites and attends Tafe studying to become a qualified builder. He reckons the best part of his job is being able to work with his shirt off in the summer and tan up. On the down time he likes a hit of baseball and watching the AFL. Christian heard about the event through a friend at work and signed up immediately. He is looking forward to the challenge and is treating the event as a warm up before starting full time Uni next year.
Max, the “wild child”, is a pretty chilled out individual when he is not out on the town with the lads. Originally from the USA he moved to Sydney, when he was 8, before settling in on Brisbanes arts scene, working in Film production and living in a share house with a local band. He loves getting behind the camera and is looking forward to filming the Aussie outback and sharing stories with tons of interesting people along the way. When asked about his motivation for joining the race he said “the less you own the more free you are. I love only having what can be carried in a back pack”.
So how will the odd couple pull up during their 28 adventure? Will Max’s artistic nature be too much for the straight shooting builder from Sydney.
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Team 5
Ben & Chandler
Met at the Pub watching Bands over a few beers Ben Hambour: Adelaide, 28
Student
Chandler Giles: Adelaide, 33
Adelaide Aged Carers
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Oxfam
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Ben and Chandler slot in as the fifth and most unique team to enter the big race. They are the only team to have a female AND come from out of NSW. They are super excited about this opportunity to raise funds for OXFAM in particular for their close the gap campaign because “we have both worked in the NT at various times on Aboriginal communities and have seen firsthand the health inequality. We're pleased to not only raise money for them but also to raise community awareness around Australia”.
Chandler grew up as a “Fisherman’s Daughter” in the town of Kingston, about 3 hours south of Adelaide, famous for being the home of “The Big Lobster” (shweet). She loves yoga, travelling and a spot of indoor Netball followed by a few beers at the pub. Being the only female in the race doesn’t bother her, she is well prepared having spent 3 years working and living in Central Thailand and in Aboriginal Communities in the Northern Territory. Other than being “uselessly single” Chandler now spends her days working as a coordinator for a respite program for Adelaide Aged Cares.
Ben is an Adelaide boy through and through despite spending most of his school holidays out in the sticks in a little country town, Millicent, where his mums from. As any good south Aussie would do he loves his footy, golf and the Coonawarra Reds (whoever they are). If he isn’t at Uni studying Event Management you can find him at the British Hotel, North Adelaide, pulling beers for the locals and some for himself when no one is looking. Ben is also well prepared for the trip after spending most of 2006 backpacking around South America. He claims to be “super single” and says that his motivation for MatesRace came from wanting to see Australia and getting off work.
This is definitely a team worth keeping an eye on. Not only do they have “the stranded female on the side of the road” card up their sleeve they also have done a fair bit of travelling to get them by. They will definitely have the edge when teams go through South Australia but will it be enough to lead them to victory?
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Team 6
Gabriel & Humphery
Brothers from another mother
Gabriel Colello: Avalon, 20
Dreamer
Humphrey Dove: Bondi, 30
Following his heart
Click here to See Lobster & Dove's progress
Camp Quality
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Due to the METEORIC rise in popularity of MatesRace we have extended the olive branch for the 6th and FINAL team in this year’s event. Slotting in are Gabriel and Humphrey the duo from Sydney’s sunny Northern Beaches. They have chosen the awesome Camp Quality as their charity.
When Humphrey Dove, the eclectic yogi now residing in Bondi, isn’t meditating, writing poetry or drawing pink love hearts everywhere, he is down at the beach “trying” to surf. A self-confessed nature lover, he is hoping to ride the generosity wave around the country taking in Australia’s magical scenery and giving back for the greater good.
Gabe is the other half of this artistic life force. A dreamer, painter, writer and part time model / actor, he is looking forward to helping out and having “a bunch of good times”. He grew up in Avalon, as an only child, spending most of his adolescence skating, surfing and playing it cool with the ladies. He rates the Palm Beach Light House as his favorite place on earth and loves his ritual Sunday morning breakfast of Banana pancakes. He says that even though he is “not a pro camper” he is up for the challenge.
So what’s install for the hippest hippies in town? Busking with all the artistic talent they possess shouldn’t be too difficult but how will they handle the hustle and bustle of the day to day unknowns. Will they bliss out or stress out? Who knows but at least we’ll have fun watching them.
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