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Three American Teams in the Top 10
Sunday, May 7, 2000

The arrival of the teams Tactel Ispira and Outlast, taking 7th and 9th places, respectively, increases the number of American teams listed in the top 10 to three. These finishes mark two superb performances, the foundation stone of which, in both cases, has been an unyielding determination.

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It was only 06:45, but Patrick Harper and Rebecca Rusch were already sharing a beer in front of the temple in Janakpur. Overtaken by the euphoria of an unexpected 7th place, these two pillars of the American team Tactel Ispira (45) were reveling in the moment.

"It's completely insane," said Rebecca, "I'm very proud of this position. However, I was slowed down by bad bronchitis during the race. Sometimes I almost had to be pulled along. I acknowledge that at certain times, part of me wanted to give up."

During the trek in Tibet, Rebecca and another team member had some dicey moments due to the altitude, but at no time did they ever think of giving up. "We preferred to take some time out to restore our forces, even if it meant forgetting the stopwatch for a while," said Rebecca. "Our plan of attack was very simple: always make it to the next CP. We put all our efforts into that." She especially remembers the beautiful landscape, as well as the canyoneering section, which will remain one of her most cherished memories.

As for the members of team Outlast (05), the astonishment was even greater. "When we found ourselves with Ertips, Salomon Land/Rover and Intersport at the Sino-Nepalese border, I couldn't believe it," said Barry Siff, captain of the team. "We'd hoped to make a good showing, but to finish in the top 10 is an incredible result," he added, before members of Tactel Ispira came to congratulate him. The two teams spoke about the beauty of the route, the difficult moments of the race, and their respective strategies. Billy Mattison of Outlast will especially remember the short drive between the rafting and canyoneering sections. "It was the hottest and most vicious part of the route...and yet, there was only one tiny kilometer to cover! I don't think I'll ever be hotter for as long as I live," he said.

Also very touched by the hospitality of the village inhabitants, Mattison enthusiastically spoke of his contacts with the Nepalese, explaining how he sometimes felt just like an explorer. Arriving early at the finish doesn't exclude having traveled hopefully and beautifully to get there.

Unexpected Importance: Time Management
As a possible element of team strategy, time management has taken on an unexpected importance in this 10th edition of the Raid Gauloises. Between the starting point of the canoeing and the last mountain biking section, inaccurate estimates by assistance teams concerning liaison times caused, for some teams, both drama and disappointment. It also made for interesting ambiance, reactions and commentaries.

Dave Freear and Roger Smith are the assistants for team Salomon Pilgrims from Great Britain. "We arrived here yesterday evening at around 23:00," Dave said, "and we didn't want to waste time and risk missing our team. We heard what happened to Salomon/Land Rover, as well as to other teams. Our teammates are still in the running and when you look at some of the other teams, you realize what an incredible performance they're putting in. They told us about the problems in Tibet, the snow on the trek with the pack horse, the cold and the mountain sickness. They are very happy about their adventure and their meetings with the locals. Anne-Marie lived in Nepal for two years — that was five years ago — and she speaks fluent Nepalese; that performs miracles in the villages they cross. Our team won't be long now."

— Provided by Raid Gauloises

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