The Ordos Challenge
Team Seagate in China
Nathan Fa'avae / 03.09.2012
Day 1: 60km kayaking, 22km MTB, 18km desert running
Day 2: 35km desert running
Day 3: 5km horse riding, 95km MTB, 2km desert running
Day 4: 19km canyon run, rope skill, 43km MTB, 20km kayaking
Day 5: 33km MTB, 10km kayaking, 1km city running
22-teams gathered in Ordos for the inaugural adventure race with a massive $250,000.00USD total prize purse.
Due to heavy rains prior to the event the first day was cancelled due to a canyon section of the Yellow being considered to dangerous.
The race started with a 60km followed by a quick mountain bike blast to link the Gobi desert.
Kiwi team's led after the first stage of racing, although many teams found it to be very grueling with members dehydrated after the desert leg.
After day 1 as teams arrived at the tent camp, the front of the race was led by former and current world champions, with New Zealanders leading the way. Team Seagate captained by Nathan Fa'avae and including Chris Forne, Sophie Hart and Trevor Voyce narrowly led close friends and compatriots Adventure Sport NZ (Richard & Elina Ussher, Stu Lynch and Braden Currie) with reigning world champions Team Thule (Martin Flinta, Jacky Boisset, Mimi Guilot, Per Vestling) in third.
The first day of five fully tested the teams endurance, speed and navigation skills as the race traversed the wilderness in a kayak for 60kms, mountain bike 22kms and topping off with a baking 18km desert run.
The lead was so hotly contested, four teams finished together in just over 19-hours. Team CO USA (Gretchen Reeves, Jay Henry, Travis Macy, Jon Brown) caught the three lead teams in the final 2km of the run. Despite the teams finishing together, they are separated on time as the teams started the days racing at 1-minute intervals, which teams were credited back.
"It's not a wise way to start a race, especially when the team numbering is random" says Seagate Captain Fa'avae "we are number 3 so we started 2-minutes behind Rich and the other Kiwis, given the desert run is a giant game of follow the footprints, it's inevitable the chase teams will catch the leaders, essentially gaining time for nothing, which is what has us in the lead at the moment".
Seagate and Adventure Sport NZ were also credited 3:30 and 4:00 minutes respectively when 40km into the paddle the lead boat stopped the teams and instructed them to turn around as they had led them the wrong way, only to later tell them to turn around again and carry on. The Yellow Brick tracking device capturing the exact delay time.
"Basically the top 4-teams at present have all gone the same speed over the course, but due to a few random things, there is a leader board. You may as well say the race hasn't started yet and there is sure to be a few more random things happen.” adds Fa'avae. "Being the inaugural OAC there is always going to be curve balls."
Asked about the team "we've all had some ups and downs, the desert run was brutal, fast pace, heat and taxing. We're all healthy and happy to be scrubbed up and looking forward to a hot meal. We'll continue to go out and race steady and take each day as it comes."
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