New Balance BEAST of the EAST
The BEAST is on the Loose
Sherry Simpson / 16.11.2004
The 2004 New Balance/Odyssey BEAST of the EAST is off to a roaring start. This year’s grueling course is approximately 253 miles long with 15 disciplines located in and around the Big South Fork National Recreation Area.
At 3:30 am all racers were on deck. After role call and the singing of the National Anthem the race began at 4:00 am with a rolling start on bikes. The 25 teams were in numerical order, led and followed by a police car with flashing lights through the historic town of Rugby Tennessee for the first 8 miles. After turning onto the gravel road which signaled the official start of the race course teams were able to begin vying for positions.
Their route was to bike to Zenith and cross White Oak Creek with their bikes in thigh deep water, then travel east along White Oak Creek toward CP1/Gear Drop in the Confluence Parking Area approximately 18 miles from the start. Here they transitioned from bike to swim.
The Big South Fork river swim was 7 miles long in water temps of 62 degrees (which was actually about 30 degrees warmer than the air temperature). First teams were in the water at 7:00 and out at 10:00. CP2/ACP1 Leatherwood Ford was the swim take out and transition to Canoe.
Teams are currently paddling north 35 miles, portaging rapids at Angel Falls and Devils Jump and anywhere else they deem necessary.
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