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The Middle Pack Race

Susan McKenzie / 13.09.2006

Most of the cottages are closed for the winter on Lac Bouchard, but a few of the year round residents hang about on their deck watching as teams pass by on their way to CP37.

The gravel road, normally the domain of trucks and cars, is riddled with bike tracks as Spyder cycles into the checkpoint. Travis Macy, who had stomach troubles earlier in the race, gives the big thumbs up as the team cycles by in the warm late afternoon sun. The team is in fourth place, not far behind GoLite Timberland and not far ahead of Sport 2000 Lafuma, Adidas Natventure and Salomon Crested Butte.

While the top three teams battle it out at the front of the course, this race for third through
eighth is equally fierce, and the teams stay only long enough to punch the checkpoint before they are off.

Maybe it’s the 27 hours of mandatory sleep, or the dark zones, or the sunburned faces, but five days into the race and the raggedy edges have yet to show on the faces of the racers leading the pack.

The German team Adidas Natventure arrived as some low cloud scudded over the sun.
Physically, they said they were feeling okay, but they admitted to having some low points, mentally, on the course. The paddling sections were far from enjoyable, but the rappel off Cap Trinite made up for that.

“The rappel was fun,� said Tine Tretner, her long blond pigtails popping out from under her helmet. “I don’t understand why some people would be afraid of that.� (“That� being a 270 metre down a rockface.)

Salomon Crested Butte arrived about half an hour to an hour later, frustrated by what they believe might be a rule changed that affected their pace. (We’ll check that out as soon as we can.)

The lead teams are now only expected to cross the finish line Thursday afternoon, not morning as predicted.

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