The Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge
12-12-2008: Antipodeans dominate Day-1 of Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge
Mark Watson / 12.12.2008
Friday morning traffic was brought to a standstill as the Corniche (esplanade) was blocked for the initial mountain bike stage and start of the 2008 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge. 144 athletes from 21 nations lined the four-lane highway in nervous excitement… and then the gun fired.
“It was scary at the start with so many teams on their bikes and super close to each other� Richard Ussher of team Desert Island (NZL) told sleepmonsters. But the flat sprint on hard asphalt soon settled to a rhythm and whilst not an AR athletes strong point, the speeding peloton snaking it’s way between police and press cars would have even put a smile on the face a tour de France rider.
Team Desert Island (NZL) immediately took pole position throughout but it was ADCO/AROC (AUS) who got off to a poor start, “We didn’t want to push in under the start banner and so hung back a little but that was a mistake� explained team captain Tom Landon-Smith. “By the time we were moving the leaders had a massive start on us and I went lactic trying to catch them� Landon-Smith elaborated. However the team from down under fought their way back into contention and hung onto the peloton through to the transition.
With Desert Island (NZL) leading, but only by seconds, the transition was a mass of bikes and helmets but they were soon abandoned for paddles and the custom tri-mast tandem-kayaks designed specifically for Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge. It was on entering the water that Desert Island (NZL) made their move. “We rode the cycle leg in our running shoes and life jackets and we already had a our sprayskirts fitted to our kayak so we could just slip into them and that seemed to give us a bit of a jump. There were boats all around us in the water but when I next looked around we were 200 metres in front.� Ussher told Sleepmonsters.
The 12 km kayak saw the strength of the NZL team hold fast but the surprise of the day was behind them.
A recently reformed ADCO/AROC (AUS) team in second place was enjoying the knowledge that once again they had thrown down the gauntlet to many of the USA and European professional AR teams. “We knew we’d do well in the paddle� Landon Smith told sleepmonsters “but we needed to because we’re crap runners,� he elaborated with a smile. “But while many teams look at a boat and find the negative aspects, when Matt looks at a tub all he thinks is how can I make this thing go faster,� Landon Smith explained of his team-mate Matt Dalziel.
Claiming a healthy second position gap was also a surprise to last minute ADCO/AROC (AUS) inclusion Emily Miazga. “I only just recovered from a serious bout of pneumonia and really haven’t been able to train. I didn’t know how I’d perform,� she said. Obviously the time off has not affected Miazga in the short term, however what remains to be seen is whether her recovering lungs will take their toll as the race continues. Miazga agrees, “I’m definitely not as fit as I should be.�
Out of the water and into the final run saw only 10km’s to go.
It was Desert Island (NZL) first, followed by ADCO/AROC (AUS) and then a small break back to a plethora of highly competitive teams, but disappearing from sight into the run, no one knew in what order teams would re-emerge.
With only a few minutes kayak to the finish line the re-emergence of teams quickly proved the podium was now in contention to a number of teams.
However on crossing the line, Desert Island managed to retain their lead, while fellow kiwis Team NZ (NZL) moved into second. Sport 2000 Vibram Outdry (FRA) claimed third whilst ADCO/AROC (AUS) slipped to fourth.
....And so after the first day of competition, three of the top four teams are from south of the equator… but many gruelling days are to come to we can only wait and see what the sea gods and sand gods bring us in coming days.
SleepMonsters
