Adventure Racing 7:58:04 [3] 72.79 km (6:34 / km) +895m 6:11 / km
RockstAR with Hammer.
We planned a nicely balanced AR training route, with a paddle prologue, followed by a paddle to the North, collecting the NE controls on foot, a paddle back to base, then the South controls on and off the bike.
During the briefing, Storm mentioned that the bridge is out for teams biking to the North. WTF- biking would be way faster on the NE roads, but we had already sorted our logistics with WT training in mind, and hoped that dragging the bikes over would prove fo be slow. There wasn’t much time to change plan.
We were tied for 2nd on the paddle prologue, and paddled up to the North portage.
Magic Mike nailed the NE checkpoints, but we saw our lead evaporate as Carolyn’s team passed us by bike. We ran hard for a bit, but the roads hammered Hammer’s knee, although it hurt even more to get passed by mid-pack teams on bikes. We decided to make the best of it and rely on Hammer’s precision and solid teamwork to make it up.
We ran and paddled back. Hammer was feeling the heat a bit so he did the inner tube and diving. We ran into Race Day Rush having an excellent race, and heard they planned to bike the North too. :(
I had promised that we’d be done the slingshot control in no time as I’ve never missed it, but this time I was off and we served a 10 min penalty.
After that we biked down South, running in to get controls through some deep but very warm bogs. We had to ride hard to make up time, and some big hills took longer than expected but Hammer flew on the bike and we made the 6pm check in ok.
The plan had been to take it easy and have fun, but Hammer got full-course-fever. After that we did the controls near the SUP which I did, then hammered the Lakota trail, made short work of the low ropes, then a full on bike sprint for one last control, and made it back with 2 min to spare.
We were the only team to clear the course, first overall. There were 2 bonus CPs only available after clearing the course, but no time for them.
Race Day Rush were 70 points behind. Amazingly, they paddled their 3 bikes to the North in one canoe on a very rough day, to win their category.
Hammer left it all on the course- great strategy, nav and solid pace. We worked well together.
As always, great race by STORM, Browner and the gang.