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RTFM

Jon Brooke / 29.05.2004

When we left the teams they were setting out onto the slopes of mount Dinara for their biggest trek of the race. The first seven teams were very close together on the road although they had varying amounts of banked time that would affect the overall classification. Not that they would be able to calculate that though, all they knew was that their immediate competitors were very close and often in sight.

While Osiguranje had an \'almost\' comfortable lead, the others were close enough together for a number of changes in the order as they took short breaks to sleep or eat. On the way up the mountain The North face were neck and neck with the all-woman Brazilian team Clight Salomon Atenah. Ski Sharp the North Face navigator said that they first passed the Brazilian team when they found them sleeping near the bottom of the track but were overtaken again because Clight were simply climbing faster. At CP 20 however, a mountain hut before the summit, the Brazilians took another nap and TNF were back ahead, only to be overtaken once more just before the summit.

Still just ahead of the Brazilians though were Adria Lada, Salomon Opavanet, and eVent Endure, but not for long. On the descent the Competitor Guidebook advised the use of a particular track but all of the first four teams missed it and took a longer route down. Clight found it though and in the end came off the mountain in second place. The moral of the story - RTFM

While the lead group of teams were coming off the mountain the chasing teams were still heading up, but the weather was worsening with wind whipping cloud over the top. Team Snow and Rock had fallen a little way back from the first six suffering with foot problems and by the time they got to the mountain hut they had decided to stop until the weather improved. In the event though it deteriorated and with night falling a decision was made to hold all teams reaching that point until 6 a.m. when it got light.

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