An international ultra-runner attempting to traverse New Zealand's Te Araroa trail at record speed was attacked by wild dogs just four days into his attempt. Karel Sabbe, the ultra-runner hailed as the "Michael Jordan of trail running" by off-road enthusiasts, is seeking to complete the 3054km Te Araroa trail in New Zealand at the fastest time possible.
Read Also...:
Adelaide ranked hottest city in the world as state smothered by hottest day in years
02-13, 2025
All hell is going to break out': Trump says ceasefire deal should be cancelled if Hamas doesn't release all h
02-13, 2025
'We'll bring hygge to Hollywood': Danes jokingly petition to buy California as Trump seeks Greenland
02-13, 2025
Trump says he and Russian leader Putin have agreed to begin 'negotiations' on ending Ukraine war
02-13, 2025Sabbe's journey began at Cape Reinga on Thursday, January 16th, with his loyal team and friends, including fellow runners Marie Van Dyck, Kobe Blong, and Sabbe's high school friend, Henry De Vynck, who is responsible for building the tracking system and handling logistics. However, just 400 kilometers into the journey, on the fourth day, Sabbe and his team were attacked by a pack of aggressive wild dogs.
"Kobe and I were attacked by wild dogs. Kobe got bitten, fell, and broke his elbow, I was unharmed." Locals immediately rushed Blong to the hospital for emergency treatment. Blong was acting as a "pacer" for Sabbe during his run, and he is accustomed to fast marathons and alpine terrain. Marie Van Dyck told Stuff that after a quick recovery, Kobe had rejoined the team, "He's doing great and back with the team."
Sabbe had invited New Zealanders to join his adventure by tracking his journey online, and it was these followers who quickly came to offer assistance after the dog attack. Although the team had prepared for the challenges of the Te Araroa trail, one of the world's most diverse long-distance trails, traversing mountains, volcanoes, beaches, lakes, rivers, and islands, they did not anticipate the threat of wild dogs. Reportedly, packs of wild dogs are a known problem in the northern region, attacking farm animals and wildlife, including kiwi birds. In the Opua Forest area alone, over 35 kiwi birds were killed by dogs in one year.
New Zealand's Department of Conservation had even closed parts of the trail due to the threat of aggressive wild dogs in the area, stating that these dogs pose a real threat to the public, DOC staff, and animals. Despite the dog attack, Sabbe and his team have not been deterred, saying that the support from locals along the way has been "incredibly warm," with people giving them gifts and even homemade pizza. Sabbe is no stranger to long-distance trails, currently holding the fastest known time for the 4265km Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada, which he completed in 46 days, 12 hours, and 50 minutes. He also set the Guinness World Record for the 3530km Appalachian Trail in the USA in 2018, completing it in 41 days, 7 hours, and 39 minutes.
As to whether he will break the fastest known time on the Te Araroa trail, Marie told Stuff that their return flights home are booked for February 21st. The current record for the trail is 49 days and 115 hours. According to the New Zealand Department of Conservation, the average time it takes people to walk the trail is between 50 and 80 days, depending on the weather and how much time they want to spend enjoying the scenery along the way.
