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The Dark Horses

Rob Howard / 12.11.2005

Race Director Geoff Hunt won’t commit himself to picking a favourite, or even a top 3 in this race, he says it’s much too close to call from so many world class teams. But pressed to name a ‘dark horse’ team he didn’t hesitate to say, “Aberdeen Asset Management could surprise many people.�

He’s seen the British team race several times now, they’ve finished 5th at Southern Traverse before, and he was in Scotland when they won the Wilderness ARC. “Conditions there were bad,� he said, “and when I met them out on the course they just told me it was perfect conditions for training for this race!� The team raced the previous World Championship in Newfoundland too, and they’ll be looking to improve on their 10th place there.

Team member Chris Near was a little uncomfortable hearing this news. “I’d always be more cautious,� he said, “anything can happen in these races. But I know Nick (Gracie) and Warren (Bates) will just go along with it and say we’re here to win! I cringed a bit when Nick stood up at the pre-race presentation at Wilderness ARC and said we were there to win … but he just meant that was our goal and we were there to all we could to achieve it.�

The team’s international experience will help them (they finished on the podium in Beast of the East too), and they’ve arrived in good time to prepare, though Near is glad it’s been rainy and cooler today. “It’s been so hot this past week,“ he said, “and combined with the effect of the long flight from the UK I was struggling for a few days after arriving. I wondered if I was ill!�

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