Huairasinchi
Teams Are Welcomed To The Tribal Lands For Huairasinchi
Press Release / 09.06.2019
Registration day started early in the morning; at 8 am international teams were already in the main hall of Hotel Zaracay in Santo Domingo, since they were the first on the list.
During registration, both adventure and elite teams had to complete a visit to all the organization stations and present their mandatory gear, as well as listen to important talks such as kayak safety and rules for the rope system. Finally, the teams had until 4 pm to turn in their bike and race boxes to the organization.
In the afternoon, during the briefing, Huairasinchi´s Race Director, Santiago Lopez, did not reveal the route. The maps will be delivered tomorrow during the “Lock Down” at 6am, so teams remain expectant and with their nerves on edge.
This year's route promises unique biological and cultural diversity. "The Route of Cultures" will allow the teams to cross through different ethnic areas such as the tribal areas of the indigenous Tsachilas, Montubios and Kichwas. Teams will also experience transitions through a range of of temperatures and altitudes, hence, a wild variation of vegetation and animals. Racers will cross 4 provinces of Ecuador, both in the coastal area and the Andes.
Along the route, ecosystems will change rapidly, crossing wetlands, cloud forests, rainforests and highlands. It will be a beautiful route, but of course, a very challenging one.
At the end, teams received a traditional cleansing from a Tscachila shaman to send them off with good energies for this upcoming adventure. Racers got a feeling of Ecuador’s culture and received permission to transit through this traditional territory.
Tomorrow, teams will leave by bus to the start line at 2am, arriving at approximately 6 am. A total of 38 teams have registered for this epic adventure of Huairasinchi Movistar 2019.
Out of the 38, 25 are elite teams that will complete the whole route (24 mixed expedition teams and 1 ladies expedition team). The remaining 13 teams are adventure teams that have a shorter route, the categories within the Adventure competition are: 7 mixed adventure teams, 1 ladies adventure team, 1 male adventure team and 4 couples adventure teams.
The adventure is about to begin, and as always, Huairasinchi has planned a route to surprise its racers, in which they can enjoy nature, the people and the beauty of Ecuador.
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