Cal Eco Finals

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Last gasp win for Earthlink

Craig Irwin / 05.11.2003

San Jose, Ca - Amid the disastrous Southern California fires the 2003 Cal Eco Finals took place in and around the Kernville and Lake Isabella area. Just a few hours north of Los Angeles in the southern portion of the Sierra Nevada’s, the history of adventure racing in this area is very well known as “Extreme� by veteran racers. The Kern/Lake Isabella area has temperature conditions that range from the 100s to below freezing in a single day of racing. The desert-like terrain in the lower portions of the course balance out with the classic high alpine meadows and lakes. This was the venue for the Cal Eco 48 hour finals.

At stake was an amazing $20,000 for the finals race, another $20,000 for the series and the Seagate 14k Hard Driver Award for those that were able to finish all 5 races this year. Among the teams in contention were, Montrail, Earthlink, Epinephrine, Bones, Saga, Seagate Adventure, Pricepoint.com and more… They would face with a challenging and competitive course that incorporated a 500 + foot rappel, canyoning, trekking, mountain biking, and flat water paddling.

During the year teams faced the bitter temperatures and navigational challenges of Lake San Antonio where Team Montrail were the winners, followed by the beautiful ocean and mountain setting of Santa Barbara, where Team Earthlink came out ahead. All new venues thus far, the next Cal Eco took place in the very green and moist setting of Fort Bragg where Earthlink notched up a second victory. The last stop of the Cal Eco series prior to the finals was in the amazing Southern Yosemite area. This was the biggest challenge of the year to date. An incredible finish by Team Epinephrine made the point standings worthy of heavy discussion and teams now knew that the finals would decide the outcome of the series.

Friday 7am: Just outside the Town of Kernville, teams met on the shores Lake Isabella for a run/swim start to an island just off the shore where their boats were staged for the paddle. Teams were off in a mass and Montrail led the initial 150 yard swim then inflated their boats for the 12 mile voyage around Lake Isabella. Teams hit the two shore checkpoints along the journey and then opted to portage across a saddle directly down to the Kern River where they would transition from kayak to mountain biking. In the lead were Epinephrine, followed closely by Earthlink and Montrail. These teams were racing hard.

Friday 1pm: Team Epinephrine arrived first from the 12 mile mountain bike ride up a gradual but technical single track that ran along side the Kern River. This technical riding involved cliff edges, rock gardens, dry creek crossings and classic desert-like foliage. Not to mention that once the racers started this section during the late morning the temperature had risen to almost 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Earthlink arrived within minutes,and then Montrail, staying steady and looking strong. See All Event Posts