Eco-Challenge
The 2 Steves: Eco Carnage
Nice Steve / 17.10.2002
Team TNF Kona marched on through the increasing carnage that is Eco Fiji 2002. When the loss of nasty Steve to a bad bout of the flu seemed to be the biggest news coming out of Eco Challenge Fiji yesterday, the race seemed to crumple with him as the field was decimated by withdrawals. Over 50 teams, including clear leaders Team Buff AXN from Spain and the gallant Irish racers of Bridgedale Salomon, are now out of the race and only 27 teams remain on the course with more DQ’s looking sure to come. There have been several serious injuries, mainly broken limbs from bike crashes, and a high level of general wear and tear withdrawals in this most gruelling Eco Challenge ever.
The good news is that Team The North Face Kona and Team A-TEK from the UK are still out there and racing, with TNF Kona tied in 13th place with Team Subaru Canada, and they are now clearly working together to get through this race. Team A-TEK have put in a brilliant performance in their first Eco but may yet succumb to cut offs as the race nears its final days.
As Rob said, even Team TNF Kona are not safe from this and course cuts may well be the only option to avoid only having a half dozen teams getting to the finish. What is going on in the head of Burnett is hard to say. He has been stung by criticisms that the Eco was getting too easy and too safe, so may opt to go for a very low finish rate to send a message to other races and racers. As good as it is to see such a tough Eco, there will be many teams who will feel they have not got reasonable value for their US$15,000 entry fee, missing out on so much of the course.
Team Buff AXN sound like they almost pulled out from broken hearts as the extent of the rest of the course unravelled before them at CP11 - a real blow for a great team as they were seemingly running very smoothly and had built a possible race-winning lead at one point. This leaves the Kiwis Seagate.com well out in front and with the race pace picking up on the water, it will be difficult for anyone to catch them… but there again, anything is possible in this race.
As a famous dart commentator might say…’There’s Shakespeare on BBC2 but they ain’t seen drama like this!’ Stay locked to your pooter screens today for more news as it breaks on the real story behind the Eco carnage.
Nasty Steve, glad you came back from the dead though!
SleepMonsters
