Expedition Africa
Team tactics
Sarah Hearn / 07.06.2015
The media teams conducted their own adventure race today, dodging traffic police and navigating across the Malolotja Nature Reserve to try and catch the leading teams as they entered the canyon section an hour earlier than predicted. Estonian Ace Adventure team lead the way off the first of several waterfalls and into the icy cold water without any paparazzi to document it. Ten teams slipped by before the photographers could finally get down to the canyon and capture the moments of absolute dread and hesitation in the features of some very brave athletes.
The Royal Air Force guys however, would’ve made their Queen - should she have been dot watching - so proud, as they put all their experience of leaping out of planes into useful practise as they smoothly walked along the river and straight off the 10m high ledge without a moment’s hesitation. From there, they had a 1km stretch of potholes and bum slides and everyone emerged shaking, many quite shaken.
The camera drone would’ve followed them, only it did some acrobatics itself and crashed into the cliff side, somersaulting in spectacular slow motion down the rocks, flinging the battery into the water but managing to nestle itself safely and undamaged on the banks. Good luck all round so far.
Exiting the river, teams made their way 9km down to the Komati River, bush whacking all the way in order to pick up the kayaks and paddle the 22km length of the Maguga Dam. Not too long, but with +2324m of elevation it will make tired legs under already very tired bodies.
Tactics and strategies are proving interesting in this race. Another long bike leg on Day 2 should bring the leaders into their fourth transition at around 22h00 and well into the equally dark zone where nobody may be on the river. Paddling will be only be allowed from 06h30 on Day 3 (Tues) followed by rafting.
Currently the Estonian team, Sweco, Jabberwock, Peak Performance are in the lead. Strong contenders Merrell Adventure Addicts and Cyanosis are further back.
So are the teams pushing ahead to maximise their hours of non-stop sleep available to them tomorrow night or are some being kinder on the muscles by not straining too hard just now?
SleepMonsters
