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Friday, April 21, 2000 It takes several hours to drive to Headquarter 4, and that's in a 4x4 at full speed. Yet the press corps covering this Elf Authentic Adventure was unable to both check in with any competitors and also catch up with the Spie Pharmanex team on Friday. They're simply going too fast for the organization to keep up. While the race simulation is currently only six hours behind according to race director Gérard Fusil, the time he estimated for the fastest team is currently running 24 hours behind. That is mostly because the simulation and reconnaissance trips took place in the dry season. Yet the even slower pace of the main field has dragged HQ movement back, allowing one "on-time" team to run solo off the front of the race.
By late Friday evening, the team which has led for all but five of the 27 checkpoints thus far was setting their kayaks back into the water and heading for the ocean on their quest for victory in the world's longest adventure race. Not that it's been a cakewalk for the team. Steve Gurney's feet were so sore he needed medical attention, while Cathy Sassin has been battling "intestinal challenges" for the past two days. Their bike section, which began yesterday morning and lasted for 175 km before terminating at this riverside checkpoint, was brutal. Sassin's bike – a high-tech Cannondale with disc brakes, is nearly shot at this point, and the teams will need their bikes again in just a day or two. For the chasing teams, it's even worse. The mud, which has permeated competitors' bikes, clothes and even water, has also taken its toll on their feet. Most teams didn't expect to be walking their horses early in the race and found themselves hoofing alongside their not-so-trusty steeds on foot. Many were wearing riding boots, and tore up their feet before they ever arrived at the trekking section. As a result of this, and because the trekking navigation is so tough on the outdated topo maps, six teams dropped out of competition just on Friday, while another 13 individuals have abandoned their race — leaving their teams to finish at partial strength. For one team, withdrawing meant abandoning a team member. Team 07 – Terra da Luz of Brazil – actually left their female team member, Rose Wong, at CP18 before getting completely lost looking for CP19. The only American team to miss a cut-off and be "Hors Temps" Friday morning is Loch Harris Cold Water, consisting of two Navy Seals. For the remaining teams, 14 of whom are racing in the Discovery Class, life on the trail is tough - with teams battling the heat, rain and even pit viper snakes in the grassy Headquarter 4 (yes, journalists are camped there too). Tomorrow will see Spie Pharmanex paddle 116 km into the small coastal village of Tutoia, then remount their mountain bikes for another 63 km up the beach. —Elf Authentic Adventure Correspondent
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