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Teams to Watch

Rob / 16.11.2002

There are 45 teams in this year’s race, from 9 countries, including two from Singapore and 2 from Japan. While the local teams are naturally confident, being on home ground and never having seen a visiting team win, there is no doubt they fear Lythgoes. The Davies family team lead the way for much of last year’s race before injury intervened, and they are probably the most feared of the visiting teams. The Kiwis were impressed with the strength shown by Ran Fiennes and Ski Sharp last year too, but they don’t really know how good their new team mates are! Not yet.

Of the local teams Seagate.com are favourites as they’ve had a fantastic year, led by Nathan Faa’vae to wins in Eco-Challenge and The Gorge Games, but they have had a late team change. Like many others Kristina Penny Strode is still suffering from ill-health after Eco-Challenge, and is replaced by Kathy Lynch, who has more experience than almost any other racer at Southern Traverse, but she was not intending or preparing to race.

Team Outward Bound will have a definite advantage, as they work in the area where the race is taking place, and Sportzhub.com are also tipped to have been preparing to win this time out. They are the New Zealand 24 hour champions but have been training in the wrong area after being tipped off that Geoff Hunt was seen there! He is tipping Team Kathmandu for a top 3 place and thinks ‘Delta Roadex’ could to well. They are lead by Bill Godsall, who has raced at every Southern Traverse and include Bas Smith, one of the very best up and coming young racers, so they are good mix of strength and experience.

A couple of other strong local teams have been weakened by last minute replacements, including Woodbourne NZ Defence Force. One of their team dislocated a shoulder in kayak testing. The French team Dialink are also tipped to do well after a good performance last year, and especially as they are joined by a local racer, Cyril Margaratis.

The rest are largely unknown quantities but ‘Heinz Wattie’s’ could do well as they include two top trans-Atlantic rowers, Steve Westlake and Steph Brown. They’ve certainly got the best reasons when asked why they are here:

“Get away from the kids for a couple of days.�
“Training and preparation for the next Atlantic Rowing Race
“Insecure over-achiever perhaps.�
“Adventure holiday and to visit the relatives.�

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