06.04.2002
Suunto Adventure Race in Miami
The sun was blazing and the air was stifling on Crandon Beach, Miami, at
the weekend, as a large group of Volvo Ocean Race sailors, shore crew and
sponsors gathered to compete in the Suunto Adventure Race. Team Tyco
emerged victorious, closely followed by Nautor Challenge, with Assa Abloy
One claiming third place.
Despite the early start on a scheduled day-off for many of the sailors, an
impressive number of people turned up to take part in the race. In teams
of three, the competitors had to complete five challenges in a bid to win
the stylish prize, a Suunto Observer watch each. The teams tested their
skills at cycling, swimming, orienteering, kayaking and ‘mystery games’,
with only a short, five-minute break, back in the ‘transition area’
between each course.
The teams were split into five groups, and rotated round the activities. A
choice was given for the difficulty of each task – the harder the course
chosen, the higher the points scored. As with any professional event, a
complex set of rules formed the backbone of the race, such as ‘all
team-members must travel together, no more than 10-metres apart’. However,
as the saying goes – “rules are made to be broken”, but more of that
later!
Round One began smoothly for most except djuice. Their Number One team
promptly capsized on the kayak event, having been the first group into the
water; and their Second Team were late back to the transition area, thus
incurring time penalties.
At the mystery game post the ‘Nobodywantsus.com’ team – Assa Abloy Press
Officers Simon Keijzer and Josefine Lemmel, and Nautor Web Manager,
Federico Bonadeo - were struggling to untie themselves from the
brainteaser ‘Snake Dance’. Two of the competitors, forbidden to speak,
were tied together by string. The third teammate’s role was to direct them
round each other, and un-loop the string, without undoing any knots, a lot
harder than it sounds!
Controversy clouded the second round, as both Nautor challenge and Team
Spirit received penalties for drifting more than 10 metres apart in the
swimming event. Perhaps appropriately, water set the scene for most of the
mishaps throughout the morning; most spectacular was ‘Nobodywantsus.com’
(yes, them again!) triple roll in their kayak during the third round,
apparently part of a cunning plan to win, which failed to work.
Round Four passed without incident, apart from the temporary loss of
illbruck’s scorecard, dropped on the run between the slides and the
transition area. As bodies stared to tire during the fifth, and final,
round, a few injuries were incurred, indexly sore knees and a few scrapes,
though fortunately nothing too serious to hamper performances in the next
sailing leg.
Drenched in sweat, the competitors were given the ultimate task – to try
and guess the two words that could be made out of the mixed up letters in
front of them, whilst downing a beer (the easy part!).
A good feed of sandwiches, pretzels and beverages followed, giving people
the chance to get their breath back before the results were announced by
event coordinator Rebecca Rusch. A professional multi-sport athlete,
Rebecca was hired by Suunto for the day, using her vast experience to
design the course and manage the activities. Just a few of her
achievements in the year 2001 include 4th place at “EcoChallenge” in New
Zealand; 1st in “The Appalachian Extreme Adventure Race”, North Carolina;
and Captain of Team USA in the “Four Square Challenge”, India, where they
gained third place.
“I thought the sailors would be fit,” Rusch commented. “But I was not
prepared for how competitive they are!”
In the baking heat of midday, a jubilant Team Tyco collected their
watches: Nick Cress, shore-side personal trainer, Tim Hacket, shore based
boat builder and Jonathan Swain, Helmsman/Trimmer for Tyco. Swain says the
competition was stiff.
“It was good fun, and definitely worth getting up at 8am on a day off. It
was pretty intense physically, the same sort of grind as the Hobart to
Auckland leg when we were continually making sail changes.”
The third event of it’s kind, following competitions in Cape Town and
Auckland, the day offered the Volvo Ocean Race sailors a chance to try
their luck at a different sport, as well as carry out their fitness
training in a fun environment! Tonight will bring a luxury these boys and
girls do not often get at sea – a nice, long bath and a stiff drink.
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