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The Long, Restless Night (Langa Natten)

Gary Tompsett / 31.08.2004

After a chasing start for the leaders, SSO set off in a slightly later mass start, and paddled into the night, amongst the city lights and pleasure craft (drink ‘boat’ driving is the chief water crime in Stockholm, as many of them return from the restaurants of the archipelago). There was a submarine convention in town, but these were strictly moored for the night, and the kayaks progressed without incident (although some adventures were had with the portages).

Then came further transitions into more cycling (MTBO), blades (over 30km in all!), more foot orienteering, and yet more MTB. All of this was to the South East of Stockholm centrum. Which is where the groupies found our intrepid SSO + support the next morning. (We were fresh after our very own long/sleeping night).

The Day After (Dagen Efter)

It transpired that the night had been disappointing for many teams. Petri Forsman had fallen ill running a temperature of 40 degrees … Nokia out. One top athlete broke a collarbone in an MTB fall … FK Hercules out. Several teams had stages cut when they didn’t reach a time cut-off, or if they chose to, or if the organisers chose to change things. This is where Sport Ident applies penalties, and where it is difficult for the teams to know their true position, but the racing, of course, continues at the greatest pace. Sleeping is out of the question. Although the teams are of 4 members, they only have 3 racing, whilst others rest. For SSO, Fiona was a chief paddler, and Bruce a chief navigator and cyclist. As for Pete and Phil, well they do everything of course!

When we (the groupies) pick up the race, the pace has understandably slowed, but SSO are still chirpy, although moving into the slightly delirious side of that state. It was their general focus, buoyant demeanour and diet of brown goats cheese and peanut butter (£7 a jar!) that would lift them through the ranks in this ‘The Day After’.

More paddling within the archipelago took them to a point where the organisers axed another section and the competitors were moved by car to the last stage! But the last stage was looking good, and no one wanted to miss it.

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