Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge
ORIONHEALTH.COM and NIKE fastest over the dunes
Chris Archer / 12.12.2007
Behind these two teams, 8 teams arrived within an hour of each other, including WILSA HELLYHANSEN (FRA), ERTIPS (FRA), EUROSPORT NZ (NZL), LAFUMA SPORT 2000 (FRA) and ADCO COOLMAX BUFF (ESP).
4 other teams, SPELEO SALOMON (POL), AFOC FINLAND (FIN), HALTI (SWE), FJS (SWE) could also be proud of having completed this foot-slogging section in its entirety, checking in at every CP along the way and hence avoiding a penalty for any they missed to shorten the journey. The rest of the field did in fact miss out on one or more CPs, incurring a 6-hour penalty in each case.
DAUPHINE - CIE DES ALPES (FRA), AIGLE SPORT (FRA) and ENDURANCE MAG (FRA) each received a single 6 hour penalty at the end of this section while SALOMON SPAIN (ESP), TEAM DOWN UNDER (AUS), DUNKERQUE INEO SUEZ (FRA), COASTZONE.DK (DAN) received 12 hours for 2 missed CPs.
NOMAD ROMANIA (ROM) received 18 hours (3 missed CPs).
ATT360-ÖTZTAL (AUT) received 24 hours of penalties and left the overall race ranking, opting to continue the adventure with only three team mates. Stoic Serbs ABU DHABI NOMADS also took a 24-hour hit and are also out of the official ranking after losing team member Natasha to sickness and exhaustion.
In the provisional overall standings, the New Zealanders of EUROSPORT NZ consolidated their leadership but remain neck and neck with NIKE (USA). Both teams are separated by only 3 minutes after more than 32 hours of racing. WILSA HELLYHANSEN (FRA) are third, and no more than 20 minutes off the leaders, as are ORIONHEALTH (NZL), a little more than half an hour behind with LAFUMA -SPORT 2000 (FRA) in 5th place.
This morning at 07:00, the teams continued through the desert for a 40km trek, taking along a dromedary to help carry supplies and baggage all the way to Hamim, where they will bivouac for night.
SleepMonsters
