General manager of EidosMedia Australia Lodovico de Briganti has been taking a hike again, helping raise $370,000 for charity.

After last year’s Forster success, the “crazy” EidosMedia Australia general manager signed up for a second Smith Family Challenge, this time on the NSW South Coast region of Jervis Bay, in early March. The annual team race raises funds to help young Australians in need, to create better futures for themselves through education.

“For the second year in a row I got myself to final line in one piece. But it was tough,” he says.

The programme started with a four kilometre hike on the beach near Cudmirrah with dolphins surfing the waves alongside. Then participants had to swim across a river with their rucksacks above their heads before getting in the kayaks and paddling up the Sussex Inlet.

A 30km bike ride through Jervis Bay National Park brought “a couple of technical issues” resulting in a two kilometre walk to exchange bikes… and more walking and kayaking. “In all, we did around 50 km in nine and a half-hours,” he says.

The second day included a 20 minute snorkel exercise to get three underwater markers… and more kayaking and biking. “Unfortunately I believe fatigue and blurred vision didn’t support our already poor orienteering skills and we ‘kind of lost our way’ and ended up in a paddock with curious cows surrounding us,” says de Briganti.

Retracing their steps, his party then had to detour two kilometres because of a flat tyre… and then confront a black snake.

Being greeted at their destination by kids that had benefited from The Smith Family programme was “for sure the most rewarding moment”, he says.

To support the effort, go to http://thesmithfamilychallenge.com.au/?lodovicod/ 

Pictured: Technical issues

On the homepage: Lodovico de Briganti (right) plans strategy with fellow participants