Patagonia Expedition Race
A Journey to the Land that Time Forgot
José Manuel Jiménez / 08.02.2006
At the time Charles Darwin was making his voyage on the Beagle passing through the Magellan Strait. Can you imagine what an inhabited and hostile land he found? Complex channels and fjords, enormous snow covered peaks, rain forest and pampas.
Jumping back to the present, competitors in the Patagonia Expedition Race 2006 will discover a land as uninhabited and hostile as it was back in 1833. Time seems not to have passed in these areas, and much remains it is as it was back in Darwin’s day.
This year’s race is going to be an unforgettable experience for all the teams, nearly 800 kms of unexplored lands, kayaking through parts of the Magellan Strait, as Darwin and Fitzroy did, and trekking through some of the Earth’s last unspoiled rain forests. Biking through vast pampas and mountain regions, and climbing huge granite walls. If last year was complicated, this year will be a lovely nightmare.
Last year Team Salomon Russia came in first but due to an early disqualification they didn’t “win� the race, Team La Clusaz (France) won the title coming in only a few hours later. The Kings Own Calgary (Canada) came in 9 hours after the French team and the US Team Fukawi came in only 90 minutes after the Canadians.
These athletes and all the other teams had to endure 295 kms on their mountain bikes, 165 kms in sea kayaks and 202 kms on foot; totaling 662 kms and passing only through 10 checkpoints.
This year the race is much longer, navigation will be crucial as there may be few reference points… and there will be less checkpoints! It may take days to get between one and the next.
We will be uploading photos and news on the race, and hope to have daily updates via satellite ... but we shall see!
So if you want to be up to date on the Patagonia Expedition Race 2006 check in here on SleepMonsters or go to www.patagoniaexpeditionrace.com.
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