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X-adventure

That's the margin by which Salomon Extrem edged another Salomon team, Eco-Internet, to claim victory in this weekend's race — the third in the Salomon X-Adventure World Cup Series and the first to be held in the United States. Salomon Extrem, which traveled to Aspen from Spain to compete, has now claimed two races in the X-adventure series.

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Salomon Extrem's winning time was 22 hours, 35 minutes and 37 seconds, just ahead of Eco-Internet's time of 22:36.21. Rounding out the top-5 were X-Act of Finland (22:38.04), Hi-Tec of the United States (24:09.40), and ERTIPS Salomon France (24:26.26). Extrem team members included Luis Capdevila, Monica Aguilera, Pep Olle and Eduard Barcelo. Eco-Internet team members included Mike Kloser, Isaac Wilson, Ian Adamson, and Robyn Benincasa.

Eco-Internet began the second day of competition with a 10-minute lead over Extrem, and gained another three minutes on the leaders during the day's first stage, a seven-kilometer canoe along the Ruedi Reservoir. Team Extrem then made its move during the day's second leg, a 19-kilometer trek marked by a 1000-meter ascent. Extrem gained almost 20 minutes on Eco-Internet during the second leg, turning Extrem's early morning deficit into a lead, which Team Eco-Internet would battle until the race end.

Not that it was easy. Team Eco-Internet mounted a spirited charge through the next four stages, which covered biking, in-line skating, and rappelling. By the time the teams reached the last stage, Eco-Internet narrowed Extrem's lead to six minutes despite the leaders' scorching bike run in that penultimate stage. And that's when things really got interesting.

Unlike many adventure races, this one ended not on foot, but on a horse. With one rider on horseback and the other two teammates trailing behind on foot, each team pushed for the finish up an incline, which climbed 266 meters before turning for the finish line in Snowmass Village. And it was here that Extrem found out what horsepower really means, as Eco-Internet almost stole the race from them.

At only six kilometers, the final stage didn't seem long enough for Eco-Internet to make up the difference. But with experienced rider Benincasa leading the way and using rubber tire tubes to spring Adamson and Kloser up the hill, Eco-Internet gained nearly five minutes on the leaders. But the charge fell 44 seconds short as Extrem crossed the finish line shortly after 2pm.

Race organizer Barry Siff, of MountainQuest Adventures, praised the athletes for completing the difficult course and coping with the compressed time period that turned an endurance test into a two-day time trial.

"Snowmass Village and the City of Aspen have helped us create a truly unique challenge this weekend, one that tested the world's best athletes but also let first-timers experience the thrill of adventure racing," said Siff. "You couldn't ask for a better finish, with two great teams charging to the last minute and a strong field coming up right behind them."

The next race in the Salomon X-adventure World Cup will take place in Scandinavia August 4-6.

— Courtesy of Salomon SA

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