II Patagonia Expedition Race 2005
French Triumph
The team of French athletes won the demanding challenge of the II Patagonia Expedition Race 2005, which took place between February 10th and 20th, and requiring them to cover close to 660 kilometers over the rough geography of the Magellanic region.
However, Salomon Russia- the team of Russian athletes- arrived sooner to the finish line at Cape San Isidro, Saturday, February 19th at 14:21, but as a result of being disqualified during the first days of the competition, they were unable to accept the trophy.
The French Team La Clusaz Raid Aventure arrived a day later, Sunday, at 12:33, becoming the official winners of this version of the race. The final period of the competition was set for Monday, February 21st and the awards ceremony took place on Tuesday, February 22nd.
According to versions by the organizers, the last leg was one of the most difficult. The runners began an arduous journey through the Raúl River basin that feeds southeast from the control point of the Silva Palma fjord (PC7), with 11 kilometers of turba - a type of low-growth vegetation that grows above accumulated organic residue in swampy areas - , and which was then interrupted by deep ravines with up to 100 meters of depth.
In this area the runners descended to the Raúl River, passing extensive forested areas that at times became a labyrinth of fallen trunks.Perseverance and patience were key at this stage.
The 20 teams in competition then returned to the turba, constantly interrupted by small ravines, until the 24th kilometer of trekking. The next 16 kilometers were over a mountainous cord, where they had to call upon all their judgment and navigation experience.
The cord consists of rocky edges, parallel ravines and some ravines that are perpendicular to the principal edge of navigation, some up to 400 meters in depth, at altitudes of 700 to 900 meters on the hills and with peaks of more than a thousand meters.
Finishing the mountainous sector, the runners followed the Oro river basin over long disturbances, again interrupted by ravines.
Fourteen kilometers before arriving at the Strait of Magellan, at PC8 Brunswick, they passed a sector of ropes where a rappel line of 100 meters was installed to negotiate the boxed in Nodales river. Then they continued on over turbas and some forest up until the sea.
At 7:50 on Saturday, the French team began its journey towards the sea from the next to last control point at Brunswick. The North Americans Fukawi and the Canadians from the team The King’s Own Calgary Regiment passed by this place at 16:40.
They followed the coast for 8 kilometers due south, to finally climb 400 meters to the Cruz de los Mares at the Froward Cape (PC9), the furthermost continental point on the planet. The Russians left that day at 9:00 from the last beach area to climb to the Cruz de los Mares. Alternatively, the French arrived at this point at 22:10 and they rested in order to leave at dawn on Sunday for the finish line.
The Russian team had begun this last leg of 25 kilometers in their crossing kayaks at 11 am on that same day and they managed to arrive at the finish line at 14:21. This team had been disqualified the second day of the competition at PC3 at the Perales ranch, since during the kayak leg they strayed farther than regulation permitted, losing visibility between their two craft and thereby risking the safety of their crews.
Menetue-Optimum Nutrition – the final Chilean team in the competition – exited at PC8, first thing Sunday, February 20th arriving at the finish line the following day.
More information at:
www.patagoniaexpeditionrace.com/es/index.htm
veronica@torresdelpaine.com |
