The field continues home. The cold southerly blast last night left
several teams stranded in the mountains, and others were held on the edge of Lake Tekapo as conditions were too dangerous to attempt the kayak leg to the finish.
At first light these teams were allowed on the lake and have arrived at the finish fresh and strong after a night of sleep. Team Geraldine (NZ) arrived at 9:54am in 6th place followed by team Outdoor Action Fourmidable (NZ) at 10:01am, incredibly close together considering the 360-km course they have completed.
"I am so glad we were pulled off the water last night...the trek through the mountains almost killed us yesterday and I was very concerned about the freezing wind on the lake," Kim Christie of Team Geraldine said at the finish.
It was disaster for Team Outside Sports (NZ) last night which, with the end in sight, was forced to withdraw. They were the last team allowed on the lake at 7pm which would have seen them arrive at the finish line in a credible 5th place, still well into the prize money.
Disaster struck as the team made its way down the shallow, braided river system leading into Lake Tekapo. Lightweight racing kayaks are fast, but unfortunately could not survive the bouncing along the rock of the river bed. With their kayak damaged and taking on water, they had no option but to drag themselves back to the last checkpoint exhausted and unable to continue. It is a tragedy that this team did not, in their exhausted state, see the logic of staying overnight at the checkpoint, able to organize repairs or another boat, and continue this morning.
– Chris Vile, MountainZone.com Correspondent
