Perak Amanjaya Eco Race 2009
South African Team Grabs Third Leg Win
05.12.2009
The South African team comprising Graham Bird and Andre Gie grabbed top spot in the third leg of the Perak Amanjaya International Eco Adventure 2009 today at Gua Tempurung in Kampar.Competing under the name “Team McCain Adventure Addicts“, the pair won in three hours 25 minutes and one second. Their win has thrown the overall standings into the open with the champions to be decided in the final leg tomorrow at Pangkor Island among the 16 teams from 15 countries.
According to Graham Bird, they had a great day with everything going well in every discipline from the start of today’s race with mountain biking, white water rafting, caving to the final lap in running.
“We took the lead from the Japanese team immediately after the white water rafting and lead all the way into the finishing line. Our performance today was simply awesome compared to the previous two legs. We hope to repeat this feat in the final tomorrow with the hope of finishing among the top three teams in the overall race,� said Bird.
Meanwhile, the second placing went to the Japanese team under the name “’Satoga-ism� in a close finishing time of three hours 26 minutes and six seconds behind the lead winners. Takahiro Ogasawara and Hidehito Sato led today’s race in the first three disciplines of mountain biking, white water rafting and running before succumbing to the strengths of the South Africans in the final two disciplines.
In third spot is the French-Australian Team Chiru Racing Bikes comprising Pierre Arnaud Le Magnan and Mark Thirlwall in three hours 28 minutes and three seconds. The pair is now overall second through their consistent performance in the three legs.
The Malaysian team which goes by the name “Salomon TLDM�, who started in second position of the overall standing this morning failed to perform well by finishing in eight spot today. Going into the final leg in third placing overall, the duo is expected to stay in contention for the top three positions tomorrow.
New Zealander, Grant Schofield, of Team Opus Fit For Fun, sustained injury when he fell during the mountain biking discipline, but he and his partner managed to complete the entire race in 13th spot.
The endurance race athletes will next move to final stage in Pasir Salak to end their 68 km race in Pangkor Island tomorrow in disciplines involving mountain-biking, kayaking, abseiling, running, and duathalon of biking and running.
[The Perak Amanjaya International Eco Adventure 2009 is managed by ZI Production Sdn Bhd in partnership with Asia’s top sports content provider, ESPN STAR Sports (ESS), who has lent its expertise as event management consultants and official TV broadcaster for the event.] See All Event Posts
