Discussion: Patagonian Expedition Race returns 2016.
in: Adventure Racing; General
Apr 30, 2014 12:47 PM
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FB:
Hard place to get to... most certain I've ever been that I was going to die from hypothermia (x2)... very confusing 'time credit' rules?!?!
...and I would LOVE to go back and do it again!!
...and I would LOVE to go back and do it again!!
Apr 30, 2014 1:27 PM
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z:
Yes, FB -- they run a bit of a clusterf#&% in terms of organization but the destination and experience is so compelling and raw that we keep going back.
Apr 30, 2014 4:24 PM
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Bash:
I've always wanted to do this one! The only negative I've heard was a report of poor rope safety in one edition of the race. Not sure if that was a one-off or an ongoing issue. In other disciplines, racers can take control of their own safety for the most part but we have to trust organizers to provide safe ropes. I've been stung by rope safety problems in other races (but luckily not too badly) so I'm cautious.
Apr 30, 2014 6:29 PM
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z:
I guess I have a soft spot for organizers working on big ideas in remote locations on tiny budgets . . . so I'm not going to take PER to task for the big logistical and organizational problems I witnessed in 2008. That was the final year before Wenger became involved ($), so they must've done better in recent editions. We can talk offline if you want a less sanitized version :)
Apr 30, 2014 7:12 PM
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Bash:
I'll look forward to that at some point! Agreed, I give a lot of slack to organizers who take on big challenges and offer incredible experiences. However, I still want to come home alive and uninjured. I'd rather organizers skip certain disciplines if they don't have the budget or skills to manage them safely. I only heard this comment from one edition of PER so they may have done a better job in other years.
Apr 30, 2014 7:36 PM
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The thing with ropes over there - they are not just tricks or something that is build for amusement, they are because otherwise it would be impossible to continue in the course. We have seen those "climb 100m up the rope and rappel down" plenty...
...but in 2010 the guide attached me to rope in somewhere with grigri to rappel down about 80 meters to valley - I told him that you put the grigri wrong. Mistakes happen, we woke him up when arriving to CP, without notifying the mistake the grigri is not the nicest thing to put wrongly to rope.
The thing is that the weather crushed logistics and none of the teams climbing gear did not reach the TA before monster trek started and folks at CP where the rappel was, had only few harnesses, carabiners and the grigri.
It is also true that racers are very much in responsibility of their safety, ropes can be always checked but when the weather truly hits in kayaking section there... oh boy, I truly do not want to repeat the 2012 scenario with broken rudder crossing Magellan's Strait, 1½ hours behind the group after re-start.
Maybe I am such a cry baby when I complain about it... but that was quite scary crossing, knowing that the Chilean military ship went to another direction, we did not received replacement kayak (rudder was broken since beginning) that was promised to us night before restart and we never got it - instead we got answer "sorry, your race is over as you cannot cross with broken kayak" - we didn't accept and told to CP keeper that we fixed the rudder and continued after main group departed. The wind was hard, waves were harder - we got beaten badly, but we managed to cross and continued the race.
The thing is that when we have such an awesome race as PER, race organization should do whatever is possible to keep the racers in a race in a situation where equipment is provided by organization. The replacement kayak with working rudder was 300 meters away, and they refused to change it. We took the risk knowing that we were out of satellite phone and VHF reach, support ship going other direction, behind teams and increasing wind conditions while sea temperature was +8c.
Still, I need to go back, do the race and finish it.
There is nothing like PER in a field of AR.
...but in 2010 the guide attached me to rope in somewhere with grigri to rappel down about 80 meters to valley - I told him that you put the grigri wrong. Mistakes happen, we woke him up when arriving to CP, without notifying the mistake the grigri is not the nicest thing to put wrongly to rope.
The thing is that the weather crushed logistics and none of the teams climbing gear did not reach the TA before monster trek started and folks at CP where the rappel was, had only few harnesses, carabiners and the grigri.
It is also true that racers are very much in responsibility of their safety, ropes can be always checked but when the weather truly hits in kayaking section there... oh boy, I truly do not want to repeat the 2012 scenario with broken rudder crossing Magellan's Strait, 1½ hours behind the group after re-start.
Maybe I am such a cry baby when I complain about it... but that was quite scary crossing, knowing that the Chilean military ship went to another direction, we did not received replacement kayak (rudder was broken since beginning) that was promised to us night before restart and we never got it - instead we got answer "sorry, your race is over as you cannot cross with broken kayak" - we didn't accept and told to CP keeper that we fixed the rudder and continued after main group departed. The wind was hard, waves were harder - we got beaten badly, but we managed to cross and continued the race.
The thing is that when we have such an awesome race as PER, race organization should do whatever is possible to keep the racers in a race in a situation where equipment is provided by organization. The replacement kayak with working rudder was 300 meters away, and they refused to change it. We took the risk knowing that we were out of satellite phone and VHF reach, support ship going other direction, behind teams and increasing wind conditions while sea temperature was +8c.
Still, I need to go back, do the race and finish it.
There is nothing like PER in a field of AR.
Apr 30, 2014 8:04 PM
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Bash:
Thanks, Tuomas. I agree that if ropes are included in a race, they are more interesting as part of the journey, not a novelty. It seems that most experienced racers are not interested in ropes as a "thrill" unless it is a particularly spectacular set-up.
The rope safety problems I encountered weren't situations where a racer could take much responsibility for safety. In one case, the rappel rope was a few meters too short so there was a jump in the dark onto rocks. We weren't informed in advance, and that isn't something you want to be surprised by!
In another case, the rope had suffered severe abrasion damage partway down a very long rappel. Thankfully, we were passed by another team on the way to the top, and they had an experienced climber who noticed the problem as he was rappelling, knew how to switch to another rappel rope while he was in mid-air and knew to cut and tie a knot in the rope above the place where it had been cut partway through. If it had been our team, we wouldn't have had all those skills, and I would guess that most other expedition adventure racers have never had to do that either.
Your kayak story is wild!
The rope safety problems I encountered weren't situations where a racer could take much responsibility for safety. In one case, the rappel rope was a few meters too short so there was a jump in the dark onto rocks. We weren't informed in advance, and that isn't something you want to be surprised by!
In another case, the rope had suffered severe abrasion damage partway down a very long rappel. Thankfully, we were passed by another team on the way to the top, and they had an experienced climber who noticed the problem as he was rappelling, knew how to switch to another rappel rope while he was in mid-air and knew to cut and tie a knot in the rope above the place where it had been cut partway through. If it had been our team, we wouldn't have had all those skills, and I would guess that most other expedition adventure racers have never had to do that either.
Your kayak story is wild!
May 1, 2014 6:18 PM
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THE REAL QUESTION, before 2016 rolls around:
What is the new race in 2015 that they are teasing on Twitter?
https://twitter.com/PatagonianRace/status/46158785...
What is the new race in 2015 that they are teasing on Twitter?
https://twitter.com/PatagonianRace/status/46158785...
May 3, 2014 1:55 PM
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mkoo:
at http://www.patagonianinternationalmarathon.com/ they have "Ultra Trail Coming Soon" ad blinking. Maybe that's in 2015?
May 4, 2014 6:25 PM
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My guess. An expedition but not a race in 2014. Stjepan is going to be on the podcast in a couple of weeks to talk about it.
http://adventureraceworld.podomatic.com/?try=1
http://adventureraceworld.podomatic.com/?try=1
May 13, 2014 5:00 AM
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It seems that 2015 is related to this:
"The creators of the world's last wild race brings another adventure that will take place in the pristine terrain of the wildest and southern most region of Patagonia. Following the trails of the Patagonian Expedition Race, the Patagonian Discovery Challenge will allow thrill-seekers to live their wildest imagination, discover uncharted territories, and trek through one of the wildest regions of the world.
6 days of journeying through savage landscapes
144 hours of being isolated from civilization
8,640 minutes of pure adrenaline rush
518,400 seconds of discovering Patagonia… and your innermost fears."
So it seems that that they are gathering group for guided trek.
"The creators of the world's last wild race brings another adventure that will take place in the pristine terrain of the wildest and southern most region of Patagonia. Following the trails of the Patagonian Expedition Race, the Patagonian Discovery Challenge will allow thrill-seekers to live their wildest imagination, discover uncharted territories, and trek through one of the wildest regions of the world.
6 days of journeying through savage landscapes
144 hours of being isolated from civilization
8,640 minutes of pure adrenaline rush
518,400 seconds of discovering Patagonia… and your innermost fears."
So it seems that that they are gathering group for guided trek.
Apr 9, 2015 5:43 AM
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Registered and going also, as Salomon Team Finland.
https://www.facebook.com/SalomonTeamFinland
https://www.facebook.com/SalomonTeamFinland
Apr 10, 2015 1:28 AM
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Awesome!
Our Facebook page is currently closed, but I will be looking to create an open page for fans and supporters.
Our Facebook page is currently closed, but I will be looking to create an open page for fans and supporters.
Apr 17, 2015 6:32 PM
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New public page created on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/TeamLosVeteranos?ref=book...
Patagonian Expedition Race 2016-Team Los Veteranos
Like and share.
https://www.facebook.com/TeamLosVeteranos?ref=book...
Patagonian Expedition Race 2016-Team Los Veteranos
Like and share.
This discussion thread is closed.