The cut-off times for competitors in the Discovery Channel Adventure Race have been confirmed.
Transition 2 is the first cut-off where the teams have until 5pm today to get onto the water for the 39-km kayak leg (Coleridge canals).
The second cut-off is the transition four area where the teams must start the 47km mountain and glacier trek by midnight tonight.
The teams will be disqualified if these times are not met.
The Propeller-heads team are still in first position as it takes to the water for the 33-km kayak and 9-km raft sections.
The New Zealand team, who have been leading for most of the race, were last year's Southern Traverse winners.
Propeller-heads, comprised of Kathy Lynch, Steve Gurney, Nathan Fa'avae and Jeff Mitchell are making good time and are in a good position to win the race, which is expected to end at Lake Tekapo on Friday morning.
The Finnish Nokia team are in 2nd, followed by The Science Team.
Nokia, comprised of Petri Forsman, Jukka Pionla, Mikko Vehmas and Nicola Davies have been near the front of the field throughout the race.
Premier Adventure racers Ian Adamson, Robyn Benincasa, Mike Kloser from USA, and John Jacoby from Australia make up "The Science Team" who are wearing body monitors throughout the race.
The team was put together by the Discovery Channel, and will enable the Discovery production crew to capture the physical effects of endurance racing on the body. The results will be shown on the four hour miniseries that Discovery Channel will produce and air to 150 countries around the world in April, 2001.
Teams that have been unranked, and are no longer in contention are: Mara Holland, Boundary Quest, Orion Blue Duck, Townsville, Adventure Bosi.
Teams that are off the course are: Sierra International, Adrenaline Junkies, Subaru Outback and Aeropuertos Argentina.
The entire field, now reduced to 53 teams, is spread out across 131 kms of the course with USA team Seagate at the tail-end.
– Southern Traverse Ltd
