Adventure Quest Africa

Starting Out

David Ogden - Team Manager of \'International Adventurers\' / 30.07.2002

After an early morning call the team made their way down to the starting gate for the 25K run/trek loop through the National Park. A run was not what the team wanted as we had planned a slow start; however there was a dark zone for stage 3 - 80+ Kilometres away -so a fast start was required.

The racers disappeared into the dark and the support team returned to continue packing the Landrover, before coming back with the mountain bikes for the 67Km bike leg to the Fish River. Team Edge was first into transition with a 25 min lead. Our team arrived at 0633 an hour behind the leaders having made the elementary mistake of following another team in the wrong direction. The first transition went well and the quartet set off for a steep short climb followed by a downhill section then an undulating track to the Great Fish River.

We made our way by Landrover to T2 using main roads and eventually turned onto a dirt road to the launching point for the kayaks. These we inflated and left by the river, before setting up our transition layout further up the road. The leading team ‘Edge; passed through at 11.15 with nearly an hours lead and as the afternoon wore on Brazil Telecom passed through in 16th place having been last at T1. The concern now was the impending dark zone for the next 50K water leg. The rules stated any equipment could be carried in the boats, so I suggested some teams take their mountain bikes, then land when darkness fell and carry the boats on bikes. Most support members laughed this off but other racers came up with the same idea and ‘Team Hydro Gear’ worked out a method and were the only team to actually load their bikes up.

Our team arrived at 16.19, in 19th having suffered numerous punctures due to thorns. They were concerned the oncoming dark zone would hold them up for 12 hours and I explained my plan to Primus and went to show him another team preparing. A group of 3 teams were also working together building a trailer from bike racks and spares. Carrying a boat whilst cycling is no mean feat but Primus and “Ironman� Andy were up for the task.

While the team ate, Grant and myself deflated the boats, folded them and prepared makeshift harnesses. Zirk, the Race Director, arrived and advised that we could not use the main road and would incur a 5-hour penalty upon arrival at PC3. We accepted this and Primus and Andy were strapped to the boats, carrying lightened packs on their chests. The two girls, Kristel and Jody had the paddles taped to their bikes. It was quite a sight watching the heavily loaded team cycle off into the darkness, after a false start to fix another puncture.

We quickly broke camp and headed for PC3 where the rules only allowed us to take gear from the water stage from the team, we were not allowed to hand over any equipment or supplies.