Cowboy Tough Expedition Race
Top Teams at the Cowboy Tough
Kyle Peter (Tecnu AR Team) / 16.07.2014
The 2nd annual 4 day Cowboy Tough 'stage' race starts Thursday near Lander, Wyoming and finishes on Sunday in Casper, Wyoming.
In typical Rev3 fashion each day's distances by discipline have been announced (including an elevation profile of Day 1) revealing a long day 1 in the Wind Rivers via bike and foot that may prove to be difficult to clear by any team.
Cowboy Tough uses a unique format that makes it part expedition race / part stage race. There is an 'End of Day Camp' that all teams need to reach at the end of everyday by a certain time as well as a time all teams need to be starting the next day. Teams need to balance their route selection to collect mandatory and optional checkpoints with the time that they need to be at the end of day camp. The winner is the one with the most optional checkpoints. The faster you collect them the more rest you get.
I am not entirely sure for 2014, but in 2013 the time you spent in the 'End of Day Camp' was only credited back to you if your team had collected all CPs so far in the race. If this is indeed the case for this year and Day 1's checkpoints are not all collected by any team, we could have an interesting last day (~6 hours) with top teams racing hard, neck and neck to the final finish line as everybody is released at the same time on Sunday with no regard to a teams' time spent in camp. Of course this heated sprint race after three 18-24 hour periods of racing will only happen if there are teams with the same number of CP's.
There are only 11 teams in the premiere category (4-person Coed). There are some gluttons for punishment that are heading to the Rocky Mountains that have just raced in Maine at the Untamed New England Adventure Race, but I am guessing that the Untamed New England race put a big dent on entrants to Cowboy Tough.
Here are my top 4 picks for Cowboy Tough (in no particular order). There are some really interesting mash-ups on all of these teams that will make things quite interesting to follow.
Tecnu Adventure Racing
Peter, Kyle - I wouldn't say I'm in 'off the couch' fitness, but I have not had a solid build up for this race since recovering from Expedition Africa the first 1/2 of June, and knowing that I will be starting my training for ARWC soon after finishing Cowboy Tough. S trava says I am fit though! ha
Broughton, Abby - After recovering from breaking her clavicle while racing with Tecnu for the first time in March, she put in a very focused training effort on being ready for CT. From the looks of it she has turned her weaknesses into strengths, and is more than prepared for Wyoming. I look forward to racing with her.
Popilsky, Jason - He is one of those quiet, humble strong dudes that does all the grunt work without much recognition. No doubt Jason is ready to carry the team's weight and be the first to offer a tow in Wyoming. He also is very familiar with the area we will be racing in for day 1 and will act as a 2nd navigator.
Chandler, Mari - Mari gets stronger the more she races. After a strong Expedition Africa and 2 weeks later another strong race at UNE, Mari is feeling good and ready to step up and fill in for Garret Bean who is nursing an injured shoulder and focusing his time on AWRC preparation.
Columbia / Vidaraid
Amselem, Marco - With 2 new teammates for Columbia, Marco is going to have to step up in the leadership department without Barbara or Jon Anders, but he is more than ready after having a phenomenal past 4 years of racing on both Tecnu and Columbia. Marco is fresh off a win at UNE... is he ready for more punishment?
Fernando, Mindy - She has big shoes to fill for Barbara, but again, Mindy is ready to rise to the occasion after the past couple years racing with Tecnu and most recently with the very experienced Untamed team at UNE. But also is she recovered and ready to push again?
Iglesias, Urtzi - One of the best AR navigators in the sport. I believe he has never been beaten at ANY rogaine in the coed division EVER!! He is not going to want Tecnu's 'backup' navigator to be in front of him. Is he too recovered from UNE?
Karstrom, Charlie - Newbie to AR. Marco told me he is an amateur age group Xterra national champion. And he is Australian. He will be fast and up for an adventure, but no experience and a big wild card. He doesn't paddle, but that won't be a major factor as I calculated about 7 hours of paddle time (with 2-3 of that being white water rafting).
WABAR
Garrison, Michael – Top Midwest AR racer and navigator from team Bushwhackers
Furman, Rachel – Top Midwest racer from team Bushwhackers
Karpov, Andrei – Strong racer for Wedali’s ‘second’ team. He can navigate very well, but I am not sure he has ever raced for more than 30 hours.
Korsch, Emily – Emily has been the key to Alpine Shop’s increased success over the past couple years. She is dedicated to the sport, and very strong. I got a chance to race with her in March where she really impressed me with her technical skills. It is her first race multi-day race though. Her Alpine Shop teammates and her have pretty much won every race that they have showed up at over the past 2 years. Another plus is that her gear and bike are already packed and in transit to Wyoming so she can spend the next couple days relaxing while I stay up all night tonight cleaning, organizing, packing.
Yoga Slackers
Staudigel, Daniel – Has been a mainstay on the YS for years, but is stepping up to a leadership role as well as main (only?) navigator.
Carter, Adam – I don’t know who this guys is, but the YS have strong networking skills to find the young up and comers like Erik last year.
Sanders, Erik – Erik is a beast, but the particulars of expedition racing were hard for him to grasp at last year’s CT. He soaked up all he could at CT and the ARWS Gold Rush Mother Lode and put that knowledge to use at the ARWC in Costa Rica and proved to be a solid racer. He has been in Europe for the past few months, we will see where is fitness is at, but my guess is tops!
VanGorder, Jen – A borrow from DART. Jen is an experienced racer than can add more to this team than just fulfilling the female requirement. Always smiling and positive she is just coming back from some injuries, so hopefully she will feel great out there.
Race home page: http://www.rev3adventure.com/race/rev3cowboytough/
Live Tracking will be available via Pinnacle
Race Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Rev3Adventure
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