Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race 2011
Under the Torres
Will Gray / 08.02.2011
The sight of these monstrous mountains, which rise vertically from the flat pampas plains, is one of the most typical in Chilean Patagonia and they were at their best as the teams arrived at the high-end Hotel Las Torres to enjoy a spectacular welcome with Caballeros accompanying the buses in.
Most teams have been nervously checking the route and guesstimating the time it will take them to complete the course – and it quickly became apparent that the start of the second trekking section is the section of the course that is set to leave most teams quaking in their boots.
Most teams expect a fast start, but it is the section PC9-PC11 that will involve some difficult navigation that could lead some teams astray – a section that could offer similar challenges to the opening trek of the 2009 race, when teams took three times as long as expected to complete the section.
British team adidasTERREX remain fixed on their expectations for a seven-day race, and suggested they will be carrying up to 10kg of food each for the monster trek which will ensure the intrigue in race positions continues the race right to the end of this challenging 600km course.
The challenging terrain in this region, which includes twisted forests and deep sinking Turba peat bog, means distances do not equate to traditional expected times and Peter Jolles, of team Perdido en el Turbal, explained: “Looking at the distance on the map and doing the maths, we came up with five days ... but this is Patagonia!
“The organisers book in 10 days for this, so you have to double or triple the time you expect to take in certain sections! Optimistically, we are expecting it to take eight days. The trekking is hard because there are so many unknowns.�
Right now, however, the teams have one focus, and that is preparing their packs and equipment for the early start out of Hotel Las Torres.
The entire race organisation, teams included, feasted on traditional Patagonian lamb, cooked on an open fire in the gardens of what is one of Torres del Paine’s premier hotels, accompanied by traditional live music and a glass or two of Chilean wine.
But that will be the final feet-up for the next 10 days, and with 600km of relentless racing awaiting, teams slowly skulked away as the sun sank into the clasps of the towering Torres.
Race day coming up ... let the fun begin!
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