Q'alat, Morocco— Thursday, Oct. 8, 1998 3pm (Moroccan time)

	Team Idaho hikes [click for bio]

Trekking Toward the Atlas
[scroll down for this morning's report and audio]

Hear Team Rubicon's Cathy Callahan talk about the trekking
[click for bio]
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Despite the intense sun, heat and wind, the teams have enjoyed the experience of trekking through these remote Berber Villages on the way upward to the Atlas mountains.

"Team Aussie starting the day in first place proving just how crucial correct navigation is to this race. Taking a wrong turn between PC 8 and 9 they have now dropped down to 5th place..."

The bleak desert landscape of this morning's start at PC6 has given way to a winding lush river valley. This oasis of green borders the river and is surrounded by high desolate hills. The teams have navigated their way past centuries-old villages with children rushing to greet them in awe at these Lycra-clad foreigners.

Urban Edge's
Rodger McFarlane
[click for bio]
The day has seen some definite changes in the luck of the lead teams. Team Aussie starting the day in first place proving just how crucial correct navigation is to this race. Taking a wrong turn between PC 8 and 9 they have now dropped down to 5th place.

Team Kiwi have been reported to be suffering from severe gastro-enteritis and fever...making slow progress this afternoon and dropping back to 9th place at the last update.

Team Outback Canada has moved into first place followed by Team New Zealand, Porelle UK third and Cepos Spain fourth.

Late today the lead teams are heading into the final leg of the 80km trekking section which will then lead the way into the canyoneering. Here they will have to make their way through the Mgoun Gorge via steep narrow chasms using fixed ropes, and then ascend as high as 3500m. Seeya

— Chris Vile, Mountain Zone Correspondent

Tamri Beach, Morocco— Thursday, Oct. 8, 1998 3 pm (Moroccan time)

Teams floundered

Carnage on the Water

Hear Team SCAR's David Kelly as he emerges, exhausted from the sea
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It's carnage on the water as a huge crowd of locals, and international surfers gather to watch teams try and survive the huge seas; 90% of the Kayaks that entered the surf zone at this PC flipped leaving competitors floundering in the waves.

"Up until now navigation has not been a major issue as teams have basically been able to follow the coastline but here it becomes EVERYTHING..."

Overnight, at the hand of our trusty if somewhat loose Moroccan Driver... "I would like do drink beer please"...

Picking up where I left off — a night of driving from the coast up into the extremely hot dry desert plains of the Atlas mountain foot hills.

A waterlogged David Kelly
All teams are shuttled in Minivans and given a compulsory 10-hour break to reach the restart point. The drive is only around eight hours with the added margin put on to discourage this event from also becoming a vehicle race as teams try to restart ASAP. A few wrong turns and a lack of Arabic saw us over 13 hours to this remote point just in time to see the last teams wander off into the heat.

The trek traverses three checkpoints for a total of almost 80 km's into the mountains. Up until now navigation has not been a major issue as teams have basically been able to follow the coastline but here it becomes EVERYTHING. The race can be won or lost on navigation skills.

It was a struggle

Tactics now also become a big issue — How much food and water should be carried on this harsh trek? Many teams are leaving as if on a major expedition, carrying vast amounts of water(a necessity in this heat!) and food.

But, the smarter teams have realized that there will be a river and water sources available. The course is also littered with small villages and nothing is to stop competitors sourcing food this way. The end result meaning a much lighter load to carry and hopefully less fatigue.

We are about to leave on the first of our helicopter missions so if all goes well we will report again tonight.

The extreme weather has resulted in numerous rescues with eight teams disqualified and 47 remaining.

Disqualified are:
55 Team Urban Edge;
24 Team Gendarmerie Royale;
16 Les Normands;
22 Team WA;
21 Team Gulf Stream;
18 Team Adventure Spirit
17 Team Just Do It France
28 Team Namibia

— Chris Vile, Mountain Zone Correspondent

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