Patagonian Expedition Race
Playing the Waiting Game in Patagonia.
Pete Clayden (PER) / 22.02.2012
Since Tuesday, when New Zealand-led team Adidas TERREX Prunesco arrived at PC 19, and the final transition of the Patagonian Expedition Race, to the 47km kayak stage up the Beagle Channel to Fiordo Pia, the race has been in lock-down, waiting for clearance from the Armada de Chile to take to the water for what race director Stjepan Pavicic is hoping will be the icing on the cake, in terms of show-casing the beauty of Patagonia.
Clearly the leaders, after what observers described as an almost machine-like progression through the course, Adidas TERREX Prunesco have brought all their knowledge of racing on the AWRC circuit to bear and barring accidents, look certain to lift the coveted glass trophy for the fourth successive year.
As we wait for news of whether the teams are on the water, it’s interesting to reflect on the mixed fortunes of pre-race favorites, not to mention the courageous performances by underdogs and mid-pack teams.
Looking at the teams before the race, it was thought that this year, the race was more open, with more likely winners than usual, and strong challenges were expected from Finland’s Ulkoilun Maailma, led by Tuomas Sovijarni and popular Danish team; CUVA, usually led by Niels Torp Madsen and his friend and colleague Tobias Bering. CUVA’s chances slipped as these two had to pull out with just days before they came to Patagonia and yet they’ve still put in a strong performance in all-new line-up. Worsening conditions in southern Tierra del Fuego, with reduced temperatures and occasional snow-showers, gave CUVA an edge, as they had been able to prepare during a hard European winter. Tuomas’ teams chances were setback before the start with the loss of two thirds of Pavel Pavloncys’ equipment between Europe and Chile, probably leading to undue stress for the team in the vital last few days before the start. One bag still remains lost somewhere in Germany. If anyone sees a box of gels in Frankfurt airport, call Pavel!
For insiders, overlooking what a powerhouse team Adidas had assembled, the real duel in the race was expected to be between East Wind and GearJunkie, both here for the win, and for people at headquarters, this proved to be the case. The two teams are very different in style, even though similar in focus. Jason Magness’ team embody an almost cliched mid-western cool combined with a great sense of fun and yet on the course, are just all business. Masato Tanaka, on the other hand runs his Japanese based outfit with a similar level of efficiency and organization to a Moto-GP team. Every detail from using the same equipment, to carefully planned nutrition and a really close understanding of the race rules is covered. Their place on this years podium will undoubtedly bring Masato, Yoki, Kay and Fumihiro enormous satisfaction and a sense of a job well done.
Here in Punta Arenas though, it’s been the fortunes of Santiago based Alcatel-Adidas and the Croatians of Ad Natura that has excited most local interest. Ad Natura have a huge local following and only yesterday the Croatian Consul in Punta Arenas dropped by to ask the organizers to pass on his best wishes to them at the finish. Alcatel Adidas put in a very strong performance early on as they challenged to be the first South American team to finish, a title that now looks certain to pass to Brazil’s Selva Kailash, led by Carlos Fonseca.
No report on the teams though, can be complete without mentioning the quintessentially British team of Pata-Gonna-Get-Ya. Even the name is so typical of the British AR scene, with it’s love of word-play and irony. No team of such young people, with so little background in AR has ever done so well in this event. Out on the course, we’d often draw in our breath at the size of their packs and the sheer volume of food that they seemed to have with them and yet nothing could stop them, or their sheer sense of joy and fun at suddenly being in so much at the deep end. Eventually, though, the relentless guillotine of the cut-off’s caught them. Something tells me they’ll be back.
So, we sit here, on a typical Patagonian day, with blue sky’s and a wind that could blow your clothes off, waiting, waiting, as the last hours of the Last Wild Race tick by.
SleepMonsters
