Patagonian Expedition Race
The Monster is Unleashed
Anne-Marie Dunhill / 17.02.2016
The first day of racing on the 2016 Patagonian Expedition Race proved to be an interesting one for several reasons. The sheer magnitude of the second stage, 272 kms of mountain biking, looked daunting on the course profile and morale sapping in reality.
Five teams had headed out quickly from the race start at the Faro Dungenes but they quickly spread out along the wind swept beach. To their right were sheer cliffs and to the left, off shore oil rigs dotted the horizon out at sea. Although several younger teams were originally in the lead pack, Yogaslackers quickly took the lead and battled with East Wind to maintain their position. Both teams were racing together towards the end of the stage and into the transition at Estancia Los Pozos.
This transition was in a vast working ranch (10,000 hectares) with over 4,000 sheep and an lone armadillo who appeared to scurry across the road whenever a vehicle passed. Wild life is abundant in this barren windswept land; yesterday we saw skunks, hares, foxes, birds of prey, vultures, nandu (an ostrich like bird) and of course the emblematic guanaco.
The first two teams pushed each other hard throughout the trek and it was East Wind who entered transition first, followed closely by Yogaslackers. Dan had been carrying his backpack throughout the trek, as well as Jason’s. Arriving at Estancia Los Pozos one of the team said, “Wow, that wind was like...not awesome!”
While Jason was quickly transitioning, he explained the reason for this. He said that he has a bad hip and that when the team needs to move fast on foot, someone else needs to take his pack. He sustained a hip injury two years ago and continued racing. The damage is severe enough that at age forty he will need a hip replacement; “I’m racing two more races and then I need a new one” he said.
There was a distinct contrast in the way in which East Wind and Yogaslackers managed their transition. East Wind remained silent except for the occasional brief response to questions from the Japanese media crew. Yogaslackers communicated with each other throughout, calling out reminders and confirmations of gear choices; for example Chelsey made sure that everyone had their gaiters. What was striking was the “please” and “thank you” in every exchange.
Yogaslackers’s transitioned more quickly then East Wind and left Estancia Los Pozos eight minutes ahead of the Japanese team. As they were heading out past a sheep pen containing several hundred wooly creatures, Martin, the check point official called out a reminder, saying, “Guys, stay on the official road.” Yogaslackers shouted back, “What, no funny business?” To which the reply was, “No, not yet!”
The team is known for their creative route choices in this race, to the extent that the race director Stjepan Pavicic told SleepMonsters prior to the race, “When I plan the course, I have to go into Jason’s brain. I know how he thinks and I know that if I put a high mountain in, Jason will go straight over it instead of around it.”
The team has come to Patagonia this year determined to de-throne Nick Gracie’s team (racing under the name of GODZone this year) who have won every time they have competed; each win has been with different team mates of different nationalities and the outcome has always been a first place podium.
Such a win would have huge historical significance for the race as there has only ever been one adventure racer from the United States to set a foot on the first place podium; adventure racing legend Robyn Benincasa did so as team captain of a Kiwi squad at the first edition of the race in 2004. It is still early days in the race but it will be fascinating to see how the race plays out for the three teams, Yogaslackers, GODZone and East Wind, who are back again this year to shake up the 2013 podium.
No matter what their aspirations were coming into the race, nor their position after the first trek, all teams have been struggling through the night on the monster 272 km bike stage from the Atlantic. It was a cold night and snow has fallen at the relatively low altitude at CP 6 where teams will be trekking when (if) they finish the mountain biking stage in the tiny town of Villa Tehuelches. The freezing night time temperatures coupled with the high winds yesterday and occasional sudden downpour will already have tested the mettle of each team.
The 2016 edition of the Patagonian Expedition Race is truly underway and the monster has been unleased.
SleepMonsters
