"A Learning Curve with Dire Consequences"

Anne-Marie Dunhill / 17.02.2016

Merrell Adventure Addicts were the third team to arrive at CP 5 in Villa Tehuelches, arriving at 18:34 followed shortly afterwards by GODZone. The South African team got their stove out of their food bag, boiled water and had freeze dried meals as they stretched out on gym mats in the warm village hall.

Up to this point in the race Grant Ross said that they had not found it to be as cold as they had expected to which Robyn Kime replied, “I think that when we go into the mountains we’re going to get a real fright.” Hanno “Smelly” Smit added “You know, we’re always learning here, what gear to bring etc. It’s like we’re on a huge learning curve...a learning curve with dire consequences.”

Talking about their ride from the first trek, they said that they had slept and that it had been a long ride. Perhaps that is an understatement. When it was pointed out that the ride was almost finished as there is only one more CP on this section, (in Puesto Correa) where they will transition to a trek 76km trek, Grant bluntly said with a laugh “We’ve still got over 20km more directly into the wind, that is not almost over!”

Hanno “Smelly” Smit summed up the section quite nicely by saying, “There are always ups and downs, you have to not panic. Most people panic but you just have to back off a bit and you come up right.” At this point Robyn dumped her crisps into her freeze dried chili and the team continued their hot breakfast. All team members were well and none had any  of the eye issues that had plagued members of the first two teams into this CP.

Talking to GODZone, Chris Hope said that the team’s progression had been considerably slowed by a stomach bug that was making the rounds in the team. Chris had been the first one to catch it before the race started and he spent 36 hours before the start only able to keep down some crisps and a banana. Chris had an emergency root canal done in Punta Arenas on the day of the race opening ceremony on Saturday so he was relieved to have perked up. Then the vomiting hit Warren Bates during the bike section and Jari Hiatt was feeling unwell as they came into Villa Tehuelches.

Warren and Jari spread flat out on the mats while Chris and Nick Gracie sorted through their food kit. Sherianne Nelson, team captain of the US team PRS Fit brought over her teams’ food bag and generously shared the contents. PRS Fit withdrew from the race during the first mountain biking section when team member Dale Moomaw had to be treated in hospital for extreme dehydration and the three other teams members were bitterly disappointed to be out of the race so early when their stated goal had been to be the first US team to win the race.

Back to GODZone. The team had slept for 5 hours during the night to try and recuperate strength that the stomach bug had sapped. In CP 5 Nick told the team to be very careful of water bottles as he has been the only one to avoid the bug so far. Opening a meal of meatballs he said to Chris, “Do you mind if I go first and then you and Warren can share the rest? Sick boys can share.” When Jari said that she was feeling a bit better “being able to chill is very nice”, Nick said, “Yeah, we’re not in a rush.” Chris followed on saying “we’re in a race but not in a rush!’ Nick asked Warren if he was alright to navigate and he replied that he was but they agreed that someone else would take his pack until the transition to the trek.

At 19:06 Stjepan the race director called Camila Perez and told her to instigate a control of the mandatory gear for all of the teams. Camila went to each team member of Merrell Adventure Addicts and GODZone and firmly requested to see their sleeping bag and head lamp as well as the tent and satellite telephone. If a team member simply responded with a yes, Camila said “Show me” which meant that Jari Hiatt had to quicly unback her backpack as she had been prepared to head out.

As GODZone was leaving Nick Gracie said, You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about my wife and children on that section, it was simply so long that I had to think of the nicest thing in my life. Please say hello to them from me.”

Merrell Adventure Addicts and GODZone headed out together with Nick saying, “Now let’s race them up that hill” in reference to the next trekking section which according to the race director could be difficult. Teams will encounter the infamous turba (peat bog) for the first time in the race during this section.

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