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At CP40

Rob Howard / 13.09.2005

Teams arrived at checkpoint 40 at Samoens, the revised start of the canoeing on La Giffre river, at regular intervals on Tuesday. They cycled in along the riverside track on a hot afternoon, not long after their support crews had arrived, as it was only a few kilometres from the previous checkpoint (where the canoeing should have started). So, it was a confused transition with the inflatable canoes needing to be quickly pumped up, and wetsuits, helmets etc, found from the stacks of bags and boxes piled in the back of the support vehicles.

All the competitors were glad to be sitting down and resting their weary legs, and all had the same tale to tell, of endless climbs and descents and stiff and aching legs. They were not too happy to be instructed to wear wetsuits and waterproof jackets on a boiling hot day, especially as the water was now fairly shallow. In fact the marshals were also instructing them on where to portage around any rapids. (A reversal from the morning when the upper part of the paddle was cancelled due to too much water on the river.)

Golite Timberland arrived just moments after their support vehicle and quickly set about preparing their canoes. Regular team member Billy Mattison was crewing after breaking 3 ribs a few weeks before the race and being replaced by Chris Forne “I’m just glad to still be a part of the team,� he said as he pumped up one of the canoes.

Issac Wilson asked him how far behind US rivals Montrail Revo were and his answer was reassuring. “Not too far as the last transition, but I think you’re moving faster than they are, and you could catch this Spanish team too.� He was nodding in the direction of Arbarth AXN who were just leaving at the time.

Aaron Prince was happy with the team’s progress but still sore about their enforced stop at CP22, when the cycling section was closed in the storm on the second night. “It was a real bummer when we were stopped for going on there and forced to sleep for 11 hours,� he said. The team were on their bikes riding out of the transition when the marshal called them back.

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