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First Place is Shared as SPQ Draws to a Close

Gordon Wright (SPQ)/Rob / 26.09.2004

In a competition beset by grief at the death of competitor Nigel Aylott, first place in Subaru Primal Quest was shared by Seagate and Nike ACG-Balance Bar, as they finished together, crossing the line in a spray of champagne.

Following the restart of the race teams were caught by dark zone set at 16.00 on Thursday at TA6 on Skagit river, where they sat out the night. In the morning the race effectively restarted again and once on the river the two lead teams agreed to finish together.

Nathan Fa\'ave, captain of Seagate, said of the teams\' collaboration, \"We realized we didn\'t have a right to win. At the time of the accident, Nike had two hours on us, and the next day too. It didn\'t seem sporting and it didn\'t seem fair.\"

Mike Kloser, captain of Team NikeACG-Balance Bar, said that the tie was reflective of the spirit of adventure racing, \"We feel honoured to have been able to cross the finish line together, especially in view of Nigel\'s death.\"

It was a fitting and sporting end to a race blighted by the freak accident in which Aylott died. Even after the restart there were safety worries about Team ‘Mandatory Gear’, who reportedly set off an emergency beacon on their GPS when in a ravine near Devil’s Peak. Local rescue crews were ready to respond, but it was subsequently reported that all was well and the team were continuing the race.

The race continues to run until Sunday, September 26th, when the last teams are expected to finish the shortened course in the company of a kayaking honour guard, escorting them to the finish line in commemoration of Nigel Aylott. His team mates are expected to paddle the final leg of the race on Monday to “carry Nigel over the line – a winner as he deserves�.

Once all the teams have finished there will be ceremonies celebrating Nigel\'s life throughout the next two days, as well as the introduction of a permanent memorial.

Nigel\'s family has expressed a desire to establish the Nigel Aylott Memorial Fund, which will be a family-directed charity dedicated to the advancement of adventure racing in Australia, Nigel\'s native country. The organizer of the event, Primal Quest LLC, has announced that it will contribute $50,000 to help initiate the Memorial Fund.

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