Caving experts sound alarm at 'risky' adventure race route

A world adventure race route down a deep cave has been attacked by cavers and search and rescue experts who say the passage is unsafe and risky for any recovery efforts.

Competitors are due to reach the West Coast cave, which has a 40m-deep entrance and tight, low passages, tomorrow.

Search and rescue co-ordinator for Tasman, Sherp Tucker, said there were concerns about the safety practices and well-being of competitors.

He has expressed the Tasman police district's concerns to the Department of Conservation.

The DoC officer on the West Coast who approved the use of the cave, Mike Slater, said the endorsement came after careful consideration.

"We are confident with the stringent conditions that allow for the use of the cave. The system itself will be protected and competitors' safety will be assured."

Speleological Society president Stephen Swabey said it would be difficult to recover injured participants.

He was concerned that while competitors would be allowed two hours to pass through the cave and not be timed, many would want to complete the cave as quickly as possible so they could rest before continuing the race.

The society encouraged people to go caving, "but not when they were sleep-deprived and exhausted, as the competitors will be when they arrive at the cave".

"Caving for the first time requires all your concentration to avoid damaging yourself or destroying sensitive cave formations," Dr Swabey said.

Te Tahi cave contains stalagmites and stalactites thousands of years old.

It is reached by abseiling down a cliff, 40m into a vertical entrance shaft. The main system is several hundred metres long, in places less than 1m wide, and cavers at times need to crawl through water.

The Adventure Racing World Championship race director, Geoff Hunt, last night accused search and rescue and the caving society of a "misinformation campaign".

Professional cavers would be on hand to monitor the athletes, he said.

A temporary line would be placed on the ground for competitors to follow and orange tape would be used to mark closed-off areas of the cave.

"The adventure racers are fully aware of the need to protect the cave from any damage."