Bull of Africa
2 teams out. 4 unranked. Leaders charge ahead.
Lisa de Speville / 27.06.2005
A brief update:
- Arriving just before 22h00 last night (Sunday), teams Cyanosis Powerade (SA) and Balance Vector (NZ) were ready to sleep. But, Cyanosis decided to push through to the abseil sleeping at the paddle put-in. Balance Vector decided to sleep here at the checkpoint leaving around 03h00 to complete the trek and abseil by 07h00. The teams are both unofficial and are racing with 3-people each. They decided to meet at the paddle put-in at 07h00. With 6-people they can take 3 two-man kayaks to tackle the 60km paddling section to CP16.
- Halti came through at 22h50 on Sunday night, leaving 45-minutes later. They would have slept at the put-in. I saw them briefly moments before they left. All seems well.
- DueSouth were next at 23h12. I think they are all battling blisters, particularly Cobus van Zyl and captain Graham Bird. “Both of us… we just never get blisters and these started on the first hike,� said Graham. “The problem,� said Cobus, “is that we took the river route option – like Mazda – and that trashed us in comparison to the other teams�. I asked Graham whether they were going to sleep here or shoot through to the abseil and then sleep at the put –in. Without hesitating he replied, “We can’t. We’ve got to sleep now.� By 23h30 on Sunday night, which was 54hrs into the race, they’d only had two 10-minute power-naps and a 1h40 sleep. They left at 03h14 and completed the abseil just after 07h00. Sleeping here was a good idea. “None of us can actually continue now,� said Graham. They’re sitting in 5th place.
- During the night (after my last report) Martin & Scheepers / Pinegold (SA), Nike ACG Endure (UK/Finland) and The North Face (UK) came in to CP12. Martin & Scheepers waited out the 45-minute compulsory stop, leaving immediately for the 10-km trek to the abseil.
- The North Face (UK) have been steadily climbing the ranks. They came through just before midnight, slept for a few hours and left for the abseil at 05h03.
- Nike ACG Endure (UK) came in before sunrise (05h49) and left at 07h22.
- Tension Structures (SA) and Jeep (SA) – both racing with 3-people, have been together since CP6. They’ve made a combo 6-person team. They were in fine spirits when they hit the transition at 09h32, leaving when their 45-minute stop was up at 10h23. Jeep’s captain Sakkie Meyer asked after the backmarkers. “Lisa, how far back are the last teams?�
“Far,� I replied. “Geez,� he answered. “… and we’ve been going slowly.� They are in 9th place (if you ignore that they are unranked).
- 180° Adventures have just been in. They are looking well. BUT… new recruit, American racer Andy Tubbs seems to have been bitten by a spider. Both of his legs, just above the ankle are sensitive, red and inflamed. CP12 is also a station where teams may receive medical attention (to a limit) without penalty. They have cleaned up his legs, found the puncture marks and will monitor the spread of the infection. They did recommend that he doesn’t proceed but the team has pushed on. Andy is feeling ok and they will reassess when they get off the water. They won’t make it to the end of the paddle by the start of the darkzone so they will be spending the night sleeping until sunrise. If the infection continued to ascend his legs Andy will have to withdraw from the race. But, for now they are still in.
- Team Olympus has arrived here at CP12. They withdrew from the race last night at CP8, the second team to do so. Vicky Wirsam has been battling with ITB inflammation and I believe Jeremy Green hasn’t been feeling very well.
- Merrell/Wigwam Adventure (US) and Mazda Salomon (SA) are off the water. Merrell left the paddle take-out on their bikes at 08h35 (Monday morning). Mazda are 2h16 behind.
That’s it for now. For those looking for news on teams further back, I hope to have something for you later. I’m waiting for CP times and should see most teams still in the race here at CP12 at some stage in the next 12hrs…
ENDS
SleepMonsters
