Tom Lucas’ Adventure Racing World Champs NZ based support crew.

With Tiki Tour currently en route to the race start South Africa let’s take this opportunity to put the spotlight on an often overlooked, but vitally important part of every successful adventure racer’s support crew – their family. 

Sophie met Tom in London when he was working overseas on his OE. Sophie is from the UK but having been to New Zealand before she was happy to make the move to Queenstown. Sophie is a qualified Personal Trainer, and now combines managing Tom’s race preparation with managing the short-term property rentals they own, and their young family. 

Sophie says they plan some family adventures with an opportunity for Tom to train too. They just did the Old Ghost Road, with Tom, Jack and Harry biking, and Lillie and Sophie hiking. From the huts Tom was able to head out for more time on the bike or on foot.    

Sophie and their children love that Tom races, and watching the race unfold and are really proud of what he's achieved.  Sophie also talks him into entering things so she can watch the ‘dots’ on the events’ live tracking!  It's nerve wrecking but addictive!  

The whole family were sad to hear that Godzone was cancelled for 2024. It's been a huge part of their lives for over a decade, having always travelled to follow the Godzone races. With other partners and their kids, the Lucas family were at every transition they could get to. Sophie’s fairly sure they became known by the organisers as the biggest fan club, because they were there giving the team a cheer on, even in the middle of the night.    

While the Lucas family won’t be in South Africa in person they’ll be avidly following the ‘dots’ as Tom and his Tiki Tour team mates make their way around the course at the 2023 Adventure Racing World Championships.