Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race 2010
Difficult Straits
Will Gray / 11.02.2010
It was six hours earlier that teams had gathered back in the relative metropolis of Punta Arenas in the Plaza de Armas, passing by the ‘lucky foot’ to give it a rub and hope for the best. Some looked upbeat, some looked tired, but all looked eager to take on the gruelling course Pavicic has set this year.
A day after the route was revealed at a glitzy opening ceremony and cocktail bash, the teams had crashed back to reality and spent their 24 hours of final preparation pulling together their maps and searching the shops of Punta Arenas for last minute gear and food to power them through what is expected to be a fast course.
"We have had a real challenge just to get here," said one of the German team members, who only had their full team together one day before the race. Fast and Light were just happy to be packed and off after trying to second guess the route, while Helly Hansen-Prunesco arrived with their typically cool and confident manner intact. For now at least.
If the conditions are reasonable, leading teams should complete his year's race through the virgin territory of Tierra del Fuego in around six days – while for others it will be a full ten day experience. Organisers believe if the weather is in the racers' favour it could be even quicker - but that, of course, is a big if.
Setting off in two coaches from the main square, we headed north around the coast and the rising sun began to burn through. This is a very different Patagonia to the icy, rain-battered one that met last year's racers, but still early morning there was plenty of time for that to change.
By the time we all arrived at the Straits of Magellan, the skies were still clear, but the wind was blowing ferociously and white caps spread across the water. Wild was an understatement, the infamous Patagonian winds so strong it was tough to walk into them. "I'm petrified," admitted Tom Tomas from Almost Famous as we stared across the rolling waves. I didn't blame him.
On the beach Pavicic - 'El Diablo' - was still considering the options. The teams were taken to join him, beside a cave on the beach a little east of the ro-ro ferry port. "The winds are 30knots and waves are 2m," he told the racers. It was on the edge, but still possible pending a check by the Armada de Chile, who have the final decision on whether the kayaking sections can take place.
Twenty minutes later, at around 10:45, we were heading back to the bus. From the beach, things had seemed calmer, but in the middle of the notorious Magellan Straits it was a different story - 45kt waves and 3m swells. Even El Diablo could not put the teams through that…but instead he had a different surprise.
"We will go across on the ferry then begin the trek," he began. "But you need to be fast - when the tide comes in you will have to swim because there is a danger of unexploded land mines on the hill. And it's high tide at 4pm."
The news was greeted with varying opinions. For Team Eddie Bauer, it was a bit of a blow as the kayaking sections play to their strengths. HH-P, meanwhile, had already re-packed their bags ready to run the trek and ditched some of their food to get ligher. "We packed heavier this year, but most teams seem to have a lot of gear," said Nicola MacLeod.
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