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Trekking off the map: what happened here?

Jacqueline Windh / 26.02.2006

For the third year in a row, Stjepan Pavicic has managed to run what just might be the world's toughest expedition race – in spite of not having any major sponsor. But there are even greater challenges than lack of money in putting Patagonia Expedition Race together. The wildness of the terrain makes logistical support difficult at best, and in many places impossible. Even helicopters cannot access much of the terrain that the racers travel through (due to rugged topography, dense forest, and average wind conditions ranging from gale-force to storm-force commonly gusting to hurricane-force). This means that checkpoints are few and VERY far between, and that the intended race course at times (this year LOTS of times) must be modified due to weather.

For the first two editions of PER (2004 and 2005), I helped with the organization and press coverage of this race. This year, I happened to be in Patagonia for the days before the race, and I followed the racers in the press van for the first day. Then headed off for my own adventure in Tierra del Fuego. I arrived back in Punta Arenas on February 23, the last day of the race, and was in the town square for the arrival of third-place finishers FEED THE MACHINE (USA). So, although I wasn't around for most of the race, I had a chance to talk to the organizers and some of the race members after the race – especially about the controversy about the "unauthorized" trekking routes followed by the quintet formed by members of teams MAD SCIENTISTS (South Africa/Germany) and DAP ANTARCTICA (Chile).

This year there were three trekking segments. The first 56 km trek (PC2 Rio Rubens to PC3 Seno Obstruccion) was pretty straighforward.

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