ARrgh Logistics!

Sarah Hearn for Merrell Adventure Addicts / 05.11.2015

It’s sport and sportsmanship as we define it to our children and it’s a heart-warming affirmation of the truly global tribe that adventure racers marry into when they commit to this soul fulfilling sport:

It’s a world championship competition and the team will put their everything into the battle to outwit and outperform their opponents in the wild territories of the Pantanal. That’s the plan and as someone who will be reporting back to you on the events, I’ve been sharpening my adjectives ready for the onslaught.

But what is actually playing out long before the start is a display of international cooperation that could redefine the charter of the United Nations and perhaps add a new chapter to the ancient Art of War.

Expedition races, by their very nature, take place in remote and uninhabited-for-a-reason places. 

Even if it is in their own country, it is never a simple matter to co-ordinate four team members to arrive intact at the start line with all the required equipment. When the destination is overseas, at least one of the super fit endurance athletes must also be an extreme accountant and ultra-logistics manager to boot. 

In the premier South African team, Merrell Adventure Addicts, this is captain Graham ‘Tweet’ Bird, who has been at the game for a decade.

While a race itself is always highlighted with a bewildering barrage of numbers listing enormous distances and times doing superhuman stuff out there in the wilderness, the final leg of preparation focuses instead on kilograms of baggage allowance, conversions of currency and legal ways to dodge international laws.

In the last few weeks I’ve been witness to Bird’s communications with what will be rival teams from all over the world as they exchange requests and offers.

A BRAZILIAN team bought the tyre inflator bombs and gas canisters that Bird cannot fly with, while he has done the drug run for required antibiotics here that the SWEDISH are not allowed to buy at home, and they in turn have ordered a couple of specially zoned wrist compasses for him to rely on. A USA team is bringing some backpacks in their backpacks for our RSA team and Graham has arranged to have made, and no doubt will pack into my luggage, four sets of special paddles for a UK team, who will swap them for some emergency bivvy bags.

Anyone with a devious mind could see endless potential for sabotage here!

Travelling with bike boxes automatically creates extra strain on transport logistics, more so when the journey of four bicycles requires check-in at five airports with four airlines who cannot agree on a standard for sports or oversize bag handling and unpredictable counter staff who flex their excess weight muscle in your general direction if they’ve had a bad day. Once on the ground, the slight absurdity of having to arrange transport for a means of transport does not go amiss as taxis and buses don’t have the capacity to carry the boxes.

Another Brazilian team graciously helped out with research and information for options and I think we finally have a transfer booked to link two flights. 

Shubi Guimraes, the organiser of this AR Brazil World Championship, has been superb, patiently answering questions and doing everything she can to facilitate the arrival of all the teams fully prepared with the extensive list of compulsory gear required for this proper adventure.

So GOOD LUCK to all the athletes with final packing and the long journey from your home to Corumba. May you all still be in good humour when handed your machetes and flare guns.
‪#‎arwcpantanal ‪#‎merrelladvaddicts

­

See All Stories On This Race