"We promised we will sponsor the last team," said Ernesto Rafael, who has been serving a steady stream of competitors since Team Red Bull-Playstation [go to Team Bio] stopped in on their way to fifth place.

For their last-place efforts, Worldview received a free round of soy milk in aluminum cans, which they sat down and slurped heartily, as outgoing Rafael watched expectantly. That Rafael opted to "sponsor" them was no minor detail; the only other team to get free treats was local Team Sabah 2000.

"They're a special team," Rafael said.

Indeed, while most teams were busy redefining the phrase 'last legs' on the 19-kilomter death march from PC 22 to PC 23, Team Worldview was particularly relaxed and jovial. "We know we're last," said Paul Wilkinson, who raced Eco-Challenge Australia 1997 with teammate Guy Marriott. "We don't have to prove anything."

Juliette Brown "We'll be happy to finish. Any place is fine. Last place is great."

"At least we know we're not going to drop any more places," added Andy Read, a 34-year-old training consultant.

But in fact, the team does have some Eco-skeletons in its closet. Wilkinson and Marriott capsized their boat during the final ocean leg at Eco-Challenge Australia 1997 and did not finish. "We did Australia and we ended up coming out 15 kilometers from the end," said Marriott. "We just don't want it to happen again."

Worldview, whose members all work for the same company, was nearly disqualified from this year's race at the PC 14 cutoff. One of the last teams to reach the passport control successfully, they beat the designated time by just one hour. So far, 29 teams have dropped out or been disqualified from the race.

Though laughing easily and seeming lucid, Worldview has suffered its share of bumps, bruises and blisters. Limping team member Juliette Brown, 24, hurt her knee during the jungle leg. At Ernesto's, it was thickly wrapped in cloth.

More than four days behind the winners, who checked into PC 23 on August 25 at 9:10 p.m., Team Worldview will have no trouble making today's noon cutoff at PC 23. To finish the Eco-Challenge Sabah 2000 officially, Worldview must reach the finish line by September 1, at noon.

"We'll be happy to finish," said sparkly-eyed Juliette Brown, 24, who had injured her knee the previous day. "Any place is fine. Last place is great. Just to finish is an achievement."


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