As the sun sets on the second day of the race, dramas are played out at both the front and tail ends of the race.
At approximately 1pm (NZ time) today, an emergency beacon was activated by the Aeropuertos Argentina team. A passing jet picked up the signal and relayed it to search and rescue officials. The team had been lost at the very start of the course and was last sighted yesterday evening heading in completely the wrong direction. Team members were rescued by helicopter near a major highway not far from the race start — all members seemingly well and enjoying the sun.
It has been a busy afternoon for officials as the harsh Kiwi terrain and weather take their toll.
Team Mara Holland (The Netherlands) was also flown out from the course late this afternoon after it decided the chopper ride out seemed a lot more attractive than the idea of staying on the course for more punishment.
For the teams at the front of the pack, the weather is potentially going to play a major role overnight. Reports of winds so intense that the checkpoint officials' tent was completely shredded, requiring that an emergency shelter be flown in and the checkpoint moved to less exposed ground.
Teams heading into the mountainous environment undergo a compulsory gear check; crampons, ice axe, avalanche transceiver, and other survival gear must all be carried. Officials are now advising that extra clothing be carried due to the deteriorating weather. The fastest teams are estimated to need over 20 hours to complete this leg, which will make yesterday's mountain section seem easy, and with snow in the forecast things are going to get very interesting.
In a surprising move, Teams Cromwell and inthepacific.com have decided to join forces and travel together through the mountains.
For the majority of teams in the middle of the field, today was spent battling the relentless headwinds. The lead teams had picture perfect conditions on the kayak leg early in the day, but by midday, whitecaps and howling wind slowed their progress to a crawl.
Even worse was the mountain biking leg, with 26km of winding gravel roads offering no protection from the headwinds. With event traffic active on the road, many teams were spotted wearing improvised masks in an effort to shield themselves from the choking dust. One unidentified competitor was overheard abusing organizers, saying, "It was the ugliest bike ride ever!"
– Chris Vile, MountainZone.com Correspondent
