The Dirt - Adventure Racing according to Robyn Benincasa
presented by Merrell - Wigwam

Thursdays check-in was an all day affair, 49 teams went through the process of skills checks, gear checks and patience checks. Merrell/Wigwam showed strongly in all categories. There's quite a bit of chat amongst the teams about who's got the best this and lightest that, it's a stunning show of flashy gear and ripped legs.

This race is a bit different in at least one aspect; the race organization requires that each team bring their own kayaks. Acquiring a kayak months before the race start can be quite a problem, in the search for the fastest and the lightest realizing a day or two before race start that all your efforts have acquired you a high priced tug is not just disappointing it's a demoralizing race killer. Merrell/Wigwam has done quite well here, Ian Edmond was able to coordinate very fast boats indeed, Bjufors of Sweden might have fared the best with the well sought after Hypernovas out of New Zealand. As you can see the challenges of adventure racing start well ahead of race day.

There are many strong teams here, Nike is back this time without the now retired Ian Adamson, Mike Kloser has replace Ian with Chris Forne of the now defunct Team GoLite. Chris is the number one orienteer in New Zealand and in the top 50 or so worldwide. Balance vector has returned after a one year hiatus, Nathan Fa'avae has come out of retirement and teamed up with Richard Ussher (who won this race with Ian Adamson last year) and Aaron Prince (also with the now defunct Go-lite) to form a Kiwi powerhouse team.

Buff Coolmax is here with Emma Roca after her success in the childbearing competition, theyâ??re always a factor. Team Merrell/Wigwams favorite team is here, Team Bujfors, this time theyâ??ve brought Rebecca Rusch in place of Natasha Andersson the wife of team captain Mats Andersson. Team Merrell/Wigwam and team Bujfors have a long standing race dinner agreement, each team takes a turn buying the other dinner at the various races, I think its Merrell/Wigwams turn this time. Team FJS (the Swedish paratroopers) who surprised so many at last years world champs are back and this time instead of Shubi Guimaraes they've brought Nora Audra, it seems they like the luck that Brazilian women bring them. Shubi and Nora are both members of team Athena a Brazilian all female team.

In some ways this race is very similar to last years championships in Sweden. The race director has decided to use the extremely-complicated-gearbox-coordination technique. Like last year the teams have to carefully decide what gear goes into what box, they won't be seeing all the gear boxes at all the transitions. Each team is allowed five boxes at 40 kilos each. Boxes going over weight incur a 15 minute penalty (ahhh time...the ultimate commodity).

Poor gear distribution by a team can mean disaster down the line. At the bare minimum a missing piece of equipment can cause discomfort or delay. Worse is mandatory gear which will incur yet another time penalty and of course there's the game breakers like bikes, paddles, helmets, climbing equipment. Missing one of these could send you home. It's a virtual guarantee that some team will open up their box and stare in a disappointment.

-- Jeff Akens

Labels: check-in