But disqualification wasn't the only potentially race-threatening factor facing the foursome. Teammate Juliette Brown, a 24-year-old account manager, had injured her left knee two days before and was having trouble walking.

"So, you guys are the last team?" asked the exhausted PC volunteer.

"Yes, we are," 30-year-old team captain Paul Wilkinson replied confidently.

The PC volunteer wasted no time in explaining the situation. "We had a talk with Tricia Middleton (head of competitor relations) about you," he said, addressing Brown. "And we're not very keen on having you go up there." He nodded toward the towering cliffs above.

"Are you aware of the terrain up there?" asked the PC volunteer, explaining the difficult climbing, rappelling and trekking that lay ahead.

"Yes," replied Brown.

"We really, really, really don't want to have to come get you up there," said the PC volunteer. "There are only three places we can get a helicopter in."

Brown was almost defiant. "It's a muscle injury rather than a structural injury," she said. "It will be painful but it won't be a problem."

"Okay," said the volunteer. "All eyes are going to be on you."

But race officials weren't the only people who were concerned. While Brown lay down to catch a few minutes of sleep, teammate Guy Marriott, 35, admitted that she was particularly headstrong. "I am worried about her," he said. "I had to physically force her to go see the doc this morning (at PC 23). She didn't even want to see the medic."