Keen Adventure Race - Alps to the Ocean
Stage 2: Teams Orionhealth.com set a blistering pace...
08.04.2008
Once again, teams started in the village of Falls Creek. The route took them over the dam wall, then climbing steadily upward through the snow gum forest on a rocky 4WD track, and up above the treeline into the high country.
I set out at sunrise to hike up part of the route, to get in position to see teams coming up following their 6:30 am start. There was frost on the ground, and in the shadows even little patches of snow left over from last week’s snowfall.
Before I was even above the treeline the four members of Orionhealth.com came pumping up, at a strong and steady pace. Adventuresportnz.com were less than two minutes behind them, and another minute behind followed the Blasters, and right behind them were yesterday’s stage winners SILVA Stingers.
Orionhealth are really showing what they are made of here. This relatively young team is really strong but, in the past, have suffered because of lack of international racing experience. However, in the last year or two, they have sure made up for that! Their mixed team (Anna and Stu) have definitely shown what they can do here, finishing yesterday in front of all but three of the male teams. Anna is only 25 years old – she’s looking likely to become one of AR’s legendary figures. Her challenge in multi-day races has been dealing with sleep deprivation, so I imagine that she’s liking the staged format of this race a lot.
SleepMonsters
