The World Adventure Racing Championships (XPD Australia)
Sign Here for a True Expedition Adventure
Rob Howard / 30.10.2011
Today the teams gathered at The Point for registration, opening speeches and skills checking. After 2 years of work by Geocentric and all the efforts of the teams to get here, the race was finally underway.After a very cold and windy night it was another fine day and the cricket oval at The Point was being prepared for a first class match as the world’s top adventure racers arrived in the clubhouse from early in the morning to sign their names, collect their bibs and any gear they’d ordered, and have their team photo taken. With so many teams there was quite a crush and a queue, but everyone got through by 9am when they moved outside for the welcome speeches.
Unfortunately, after everyone had signed in there were still a few racers and one team missing. The missing team are Tierra Viva (31) from Argentina and nothing has been heard from them at all. Race Director Craig Bycroft went off to the office to send an email to the team captain asking; “Are you coming or not? Let us know!� They could have been affected by the Quantas shut down, and this has happened to two of Buff Thermocool, the defending champions. Fran Costoya Lopez and Arnau Julia, the two Spanish racers on the team, were stuck (somewhere), but are due to arrive today at Launceston.
The Australian team ironically named ‘Missing Link’ have a bigger problem and are suffering a run of bad luck. After a late injury to a team member they found a replacement, then suffered another injury and found a racer from Finland to join them ... and now he can’t get to the race and is apparently still at home. If that is the case he won’t make it in time the team may have to start with just three.
Team ‘Macpac in Perth’ are also missing a bike, belonging to their US racer Luther Papenfus and he is hoping it will arrive tomorrow. If it doesn’t he has asked to start anyway, hoping the early stages are not MTB, and that his bike can catch him up!
The other team to suffer some back luck and have to find a late replacement are AXA Sports from Sweden. One of their team, Scott Cole, has been ill since arriving, with an infection and nausea. “We had to make a decision yesterday,� said team captain Michael Lindnord, “and we managed to persuade Jarad Kohler to come and join us.�
Kohler is the Australian multisport champion and was due to race in the Trans Tasman Trophy next week so he is an impressive last minute replacement, though he has never won at the XPD or Geoquest races. “We have never raced with Jarad before,� said Lindnord, “so it’s not ideal for such a race, but at least we are still racing with a strong team.�See All Event Posts
