Spanish Domination in the Sierra's

Doug Judson / 15.08.2012

"Day 3 of Gold Rush Mother Lode expedition race dawned with the Spanish team Columbia/Vidaraid maintaining a strong lead over a talented field of competitors. After making mistakes early on in the race, the Spaniards were now running a near perfect race, and working together as a VERY cohesive unit, forcing the rest of the field to make mistakes trying to close the gap.

The heat continued to have a dramatic effect on teams as nearly every team member suffered at one time or another from heat exhaustion.  Race organizers were seen all over the course handing out cold FRS energy drinks to teams trying to ease their suffering as temperatures continued to hover over the century mark causing racers to suffer as they tested the boundaries of human endurance.

Yogaslackers/Gearjunkies a top team from Oregon, finally succumbed to the heat, and dropped out of the race after the 100 mile bike leg where they made a navigational error that cost them over 4 hours, and much needed energy.

Teams were now heading into TA #4 at the end of a 39 mile trekking leg through the arduous Sierra Nevada mountain range. Columbia/Vidaraid arrived at 3:30 am and left an hour later with over a 7 hour lead over Sole/GRML and defending Champions Tecnu who were 9 hours back in 3rd place after suffering from severe heat exhaustion on the first day.

Team captain Paul Romero of Sole/GRML would later remark, "Did you see the Spanish in the canyons? They run like gazelles. They are amazing."  Sole/GRML stayed in transition for over 4 hours needing some extra rest from the effort they had put out in the heat.

4 hours later Tecnu came in and found out that they needed to do the 45 mile bike leg in under 6:40 to make a mandatory race cut-off or face continuing on in the race unranked. As one of only 4 full course teams, they transitioned in just 26 minutes determined to make the cut-off despite race organizers estimate it would take over 8 hours. The race leaders Columbia did it in 8.5 hours. Tecnu would run that leg perfectly, working together and getting into the TA  just under the wire in 6:14.

At TA5 teams were greeted with hot food from race organizers, and a cold river to recover in as a respite from the heat. Teams left the transition area with uplifted spirits and headed out on a 15 mile arduous trekking leg to the ropes course near Utica Reservor. Team Columbia/Vidaraid was already many hours ahead in the lead, and on the latter stages of the canyon section which would take them 11 hours.

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