Aveyron Adventure Race
Morning on the Tarn
Rob Howard & Anne-Marie Dunhill / 26.07.2013
On the first morning of the race teams were arriving at St. Rome du Tarn at the end of the kayaking stage, paddling in through the early hours and into daylight on the sluggish waters. All the teams were using the same kayaks, provided by the race, and they arrived at a broad stretch of water below the town where a local camping site was serving as the Transition.
The support crews were established here; gazebos and tents up, gear boxes spread out over a wide area around each vehicle, and kitchens ready to provide hot food and water when the teams came in. First to arrive were Averne Outdoor, who have been at the front since the orienteering stage yesterday (but they do have 14 hours of penalties for missing that whole stage), and they came in at 01.47, well ahead of Raid Nature 46 who were not in for another 39 minutes.
Teams then arrived at regular intervals through the night and morning, but not all of them made it. There were several more withdrawals during, including both Lafuma Rose who had been racing at the front, and the visiting Czech team, who had been at the back and have been struggling since the outset. Others to withdraw were Raid Nature 46-2, 7 Lieux d’Aventure and Team Lafuma, who were also well up in the rankings. (It is striking that of the top 9 teams on the orienteering stage yesterday, 6 have now withdrawn.)
Of the 3 teams who attempted all of the orienteering yesterday only Raid Quechua are now still in the race, and they arrived at 05.53. Fully adjusted rankings including all the options (there were some on the mountain biking stage yesterday too), are not yet available but it looks like the top ranked teams are probably Raid Quechua and Team Chauds Patates. (Updated rankings will be available later today.)
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