British team win Patagonian Expedition Race
16th February 2010
It is not over yet, but Helly Hansen-Prunesco have become the first team in history to retain the title in the Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race after completing the final trek to the finish line on the Beagle Channel in the early hours of the morning on the seventh day of the race in Chilean Patagonia.
The British team moved ahead in the second mountain bike section of the race on day two then pushed hard to gain an unassailable advantage over the long mountain trek through the Darwin Range – and completed the race before any of the other teams had left Tierra del Fuego.
Team captain Nicola MacLeod, who also captained the team to victory in 2009, said: “This is such a special race and it’s amazing to win it again – even more so because we have come back here with exactly the same team and beaten a high quality field. It has been tough, but we were well prepared and have had a great race.
“The route this year was challenging but also spectacular and it took us through some absolutely stunning surroundings. We race hard, but we still stop sometimes to take it all in and it is obvious Patagonia is at the tip of a continent – big wind, big weather, big sea and big mountains. Everything is extreme but also beautiful.”
Many of the remaining teams arrived in Yendegaia Bay during the evening of the sixth day and had to wait until first light to set off in their kayaks onto the Beagle Channel. Air Europa Bimont, of Spain, has a large time advantage and are likely to take the runners-up place.
Source: Wenger Patagonia Expedition Race Official Site
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2 Comments
On 19th February 2010 Tom said:
Well done team.
On 19th February 2010 said:
Amazing race, amazing part of the world.