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Getting into Position for the Finish

Raid Release / 14.09.2006

Nike Powerblast head up a tight troika of teams on a breakaway after another dark zone. The 16:00 closure yesterday evening of the magnificent 300 metre abseil down a sheer granite cliff overlooking the Saguenay Fjord, spreads the teams even thinner around the course.

At the end of the impressive rope-works section NIKE/POWERBLAST (USA) set out ahead of closest rivals LES ARCS-QUECHUA (FRA) onto the following 58km MTB section that would take them through the night to Ha! Ha! Bay.

When they arrived at the end of this section, at 23h45 last night, the leaders slept on the banks of the bay while behind them the French team were getting lost. The team’s navigator, Rudy GOUY, usually so dependable, took the team for a 90-minute detour around Lake Goth making a possibly crucial error of judgment. The third team in this leading trio, WILSA SPORT/HELLY HANSEN (FRA), after resting at the end of the rope-works, flew onto the MTB course covering the 58km in a little over 4 hours; almost one hour faster than Nike Powerblast.

At 06:00 this morning, after a 6-hour rest, Nike were first onto the sea-kayaks, followed 44 minutes later by WILSA SPORT/HELLY HANSEN (FRA), who came straight off the bikes and into the boats. LES ARCS-QUECHUA (FRA) opted to rest 5 hours leaving a couple of hours later. Taking advantage of the ebb tide, they all enjoyed a calming, current-aided paddle across the River Saguenay.

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