The Very Last Gasp

Rob / 19.10.2002

There is just over a day left before the course closes – 8 teams have now finished, 15 are still shown on the course and The North Face Kona are still out there valiantly struggling to reach the finish line.

They have already passed the cut-offs where teams might be diverted to shorter courses and are on the coasteering section on WayaSewa islands, having left CP14 at 07.49am on the 20th. But that leaves them only just over 26 hours to make the final deadline – the closing of the course at 10am on the 21st. Even some of the leaders took this long to get around the island and to kayak back to the finish and TNF Kona won’t be able to rest again if they are to succeed. It really is the very last gasp and the outcome could still be glorious success or bitter disappointment.

At this final stage there are a few scenarios to consider. The first (and the one we are pinning our hopes on) is that they paddle into the finish just in time. Glory all the way and everyone is happy. But what happens if they clear the last CP and are paddling in to the finish when the race clock ticks past 10am. Will they be pulled off the sea when they are still able to continue under their own steam, and how will they be ranked against teams who did a shorter course? The worst case is they are simply stopped at one of the final CP’s – just short of the line.

The majority of the teams still out will certainly not complete the full course, there are too many who will miss the cut-offs at the start of the kayaking or CP13. (In fact some will have done so already.) It’s hard to tell, but it looks like only 10 to 12 teams might finish having ticked off all the CP’s, and TNF Kona are lying in 12th place – on the very edge.

They are not the only ones on the edge. Spare a thought for their wives, partners, and families. For them the uncertainty is almost unbearable as they have little idea what is really happening to their loved ones. Several have said this is the worst race ever for them, it has gone on so long and the mixture of pride in the team’s achievements and fear for their safety has been made so much worse by knowing so little. Not long now and it will be all over – for all of them.

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