Lapin Kulta are with the leading teams ...

Rob / 30.04.2002

The good news is ‘Ski’ Sharp and Anna McCormack in Anglo/Finnish team ‘Lapin Kulta’ are doing well – 4th place at the time of writing. They are with the top teams towards the front of the field and with so far to go, and so much still to happen, any of the top dozen teams are still potential winners.

They were last reported through CP22 on a trekking stage with a chasing pack including former leaders VSD-Eider, Ertips X-adventure and Nokia Adventure (all among the race favourites). They are chasing the leaders Team Parallax, who are a checkpoint ahead and approaching a big downhill Mtb stage. (Lapin Kulta appear to be around 3 hours down on the leaders, but the exact times through CP’s are not being made available.)

Also not known is the penalties situation. VSD-Eider definitely have a 2 hour penalty, but maybe the reason they’ve slipped back is that they’ve taken it already. 40 teams were penalised at CP6 for trying to sneak extra food, kit or clothing in with their bikes, against specific instructions, but we don’t know which of the other top teams were caught. Or if Lapin Kulta got a penalty.

The lead pack is very much as expected, though one of the clear favourites the French team Spie abandoned early after the worst of luck. We, at least, expected Lapin Kulta to be up there, and no one is counting out the third pack of teams which includes some proven big race winners in Pharmanex-Endeavour and the Spaniards in Team Buff. EMA Brazil are doing well too and of all the teams they might be most used to the tough conditions.

Take a look at our regularly updated weather map and you’ll get a clear picture of what they are facing. Today the humidity is down to a mere 58%, but it’s been much higher and the forecast ahead is for frequent drenching thunderstorms and daytime temperatures above 30C. Dehydration and the condition of the racers feet are the main challenges, but at least in this race the discipline changes and checkpoints come thick and fast (relatively speaking).

As yet the lead teams have taken little sleep so rest and night time tactics will play a big part in the days ahead, as will penalties, and the huge climb and final paddle right at the end of the course. There’s still a long way to go and all to play for.

(Of course everything may have changed by the time you read this! So check the race map. This report was posted 11.45 BST. Tuesday, April 30th.)

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