This was the first edition of the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, held from 9 to 14 December. A stage race with travel by coach to begin with very different stages in parts of the country between the different modalities, kayaking, orienteering, running, go mountain biking, camel even go to the teams, consisting of 4 components, necessarily had to be mixed . Our raid in this environment was very special, unlike other shipping raids used to run. We were the Buff ® Coolmax ® ADCO team consisting of Emma Roca de Catalunya, Benjamin measured in France, Finland and Jukka Pinola Shane Sigle United States, the most international team in the race.


Our sponsor in this raid joined Buff ® Coolmax ®, ADCO (Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations) provides oil for more than one of our known: BP, Shell ... open and interested in cooperating with the sport of adventure to raise awareness of the country around the world, giving the cars need power as exercised our bodies for days without rest.

Day 1
53km of kayaking in the Gulf, with a water-filled completely transparent and only small islands of sand everywhere. The landscape was barren, but full of water, with a mosque near the coast and little else. After nearly 8 hours non-stop paddling and just eating well and drinking as they should, because with the kayak always have their hands full with the oars and let one hand means losing speed immediately. After 18h, due to lack of light, rowing and did not allow the teams had to stop at a PC to consider strategically correct to not spend that time. We stopped at an island with 10 teams and camped in the moonlight, with a constant sea breeze and a sore back and arms considerable. But we sleep.


Day 2
60km kayak in the wind 90% of the time against. A stage had to be from 8 am as much became one of 11h. If we take the previous day sails that came equipped with the kayak to build on the momentum of the wind and was at one time more than fun, in this second stage day sails were folded and correctly folded. Almost overnight just over 1 hour of delay with respect to the first teams. That night we took a bus to take us to the first desert camp. The contrast was complete, water only just sand, and in the same way, in the middle of nowhere with nothing around.

Day 3
87km walk. Dune top, down the dunes .... more than 2500m of positive difference, and I thought that the desert was flat! There were more than 15 hours of walking with a backpack full of water (every 3-4h controls that we found gave us water, thankfully), food and shelter material compulsory, sleeping and security. Boiled feet and more than one will begin to leave the first blisters. It was a hard trek, especially in the heat and the hard-soft forward. In this raid were allowed the use of GPS, the maps and orthophoto maps of Google Earth, there is no official maps of the country, and the stages were designed in places that had only water and sand, so there was no other reference GPS to set a course. At this stage we were in the lead group (there were 7 teams went to the same rhythm) and the ranking move, staying in 6 th place.



Day 4
42km trek over the desert beautiful than we had tested the day before, but this time with a camel team. Quite an experience! We were lucky and we had a very good and brave camel. Named it Pepe, but after a local told us it was camel and quickly became known as Pepita. When she chose the path of the dune that we did not like the direction to take, stopped to eat the little grass that grew in some areas, sometimes sat and did not want to continue, in some drops or rises right refused to had to go ahead and adjust to your needs to avoid overturning, be angry or would break down the legs. And although the progression was eternal, because unlike the previous day could not go to sac on the downhills or run on the plains, yes we could rest our shoulders the weight of the backpack and no problem taking all our Pepita. We won the stage, but the rain came when we were told the whole nullified, after more non-stop from 9 am walking through the desert, because there had been camels would not work and many teams struggled to move forward.

Day 5
54km mountain bike. At this stage went all out, and we are trying to give the maximum to 30 minutes of the first stage of 3 hours. Crazy! This step should have been 120km, but as the day before people had finished late because of problems with the camels decided to shorten the stage, and in part better, because we miss a step with the sun scorching asphalt at 100 %. The ratings were almost doomed and we were still in 6 th place.



Day 6
24km of trekking, ropes, 20km bike, 5km walk. Exit at 6 in the morning we escaped death sunburned in secarral of rocks and dry ravine climbed one of the most iconic mountains in the area. 6h stage with over 1500m of positive difference in a very technical field, both upstream and downstream by strings with loose rock. When we finish this section we expect more than 3 hours the rest of the teams to go all out with the bikes mass toward the center of the city of Al Ain. Upon reaching the city expects another 45 minutes before going to run the last 5km to finish. My both rest and then push hard killed me. We maintained the 6th position and open up further away from the immediate pursuers, but the time we pulled into the kayak from the early days and was unrecoverable.



The raid was very different from the calendar so far, to be staged that gave rise to fast computers can make a difference and do not count for anything the team's strategy, guidance, physical and mental endurance, and having to decide when to stop to sleep, eat to decide where to spend ...

The ranking of the top ten teams was finally:
SPORT 1 EUROSPORT NZ (NZL) 40:55:12
2 NIKE (USA) 41:15:32
3 HELLYHANSEN WILS (FRA) 41:26:25
4 ORIONHEALTH.COM (NZL) 41:46:00
5 LAFUMA-SPORT 2000 (FRA) 42:13:47
ADCO COOLMAX BUFF 6 (ESP) 43:17:10
7 ERTIPS (FRA) 44:59:53
8 SALOMON / CRESTED BUTTE (USA) 45:12:43
9 ADIDAS NATVENTURE (GER) 46:44:48
10 AFOC - FINLAND (FIN) 11 47:26:32

This year's edition of Ecomotion (the 5th) was performed in the vicinity of Rio de Janeiro. The weather we have encountered has been hot, humid and high rainfall (born 3 months without seeing water and dropped all at once during the race). Brazil is so big that every little part of it is completely different from the others.
The Ecomotion is a raid in the world circuit of adventure raids (ARWS) where the best teams in the world. This year we had to fight with Wilsa French, New Zealanders and the Merrell Orion Health, the American Sole, or Bjurfors Swedish. We had been looking forward, highly trained and heavily reinforced with a team in orientation. The disciplines that would be in the 450-mile run would be mountain biking, trekking, vertical techniques, double kayak, canoe inflatable, orientation, ... from beaches, mountains, trails, mountains, seas and more. Fran Lopez, Benjamin measure, Jukka Pinola and Emma Roca were ready to give everything.

The raid began on Sunday October 21 on a beach in the city of Rio at 23h, and quite dark and some symptoms of sleep. The 56 teams we set out to sea kayaks "sit on top" double rigid plastic for 48 km across the Guanabara Bay. When we had more than 75% of the course we had to find the PC1 on one side of the river that flowed into the Bay, but at night any more rivers and became difficult to secure the point. Along with the Swedes were looking for confirming and paddling up and down the river where it should be the PC and found nothing. We lost over an hour and a half with the final conclusion that PC1 was not in the right place. We paddle to the next PC with a bad mood and frustration evident, as this lost time as soon as we walked away from the head of the race it was our goal.

After 11h non-stop paddling we reached the end of the river to pick up the bikes. The organization confirmed that the pc1 was not in place but not currently apply any bonus or neutralization (in Europe with the system would have nullified SPORTident section). We took the bikes at position 20 and the first 2h30min with rage evident in the body. Without even saying a word and with one goal in mind of the 4, to mark a demanding pace. 45km of mountain biking were to set us up when we saw that we were already in position 7 at the end of the section.

There followed a 35km trek through the National Park of the Serra dos Orgaos where redial a frantic pace for lost time in the kayak and take the few hours of daylight we had left. The orientation of this trek was particularly difficult and if we had a night on the hard part would surely expect to stay light the next day. The surprise was that in our every pc we passed we saw that the first recortábamos distances to the point of taking the head of the race just as dark. Orion Wilsa teams and had despitado a little guidance, and the others of Sole or Oskalunga were lost. So just put the turbo and down the first 15 min of Wilsa PC5 and Orion.

The rain began to be dropped right in this transition and we did not leave until the end. Orion came before us and with the French began to pedal 69km and at night. At 50-minute section and the three teams going head to head on the bike, but the dominance of France in guiding bike night made the other 2 teams hardly follow us check your map. Orion picked up after a while a bit and we were just us and the French Wilsa. In the middle of the stage was a virtual control, where they had to answer a question, we saw the response from not just stop the bike and continue to transition, but the French did not realize that we had passed this point and had to return back to losing 10 minutes to answer it definitively separating us. Upon reaching the transition we were forced to stop 2h (same for everyone). It was raining, cold and wet well we moved quickly, prepare some food (sopinstants cold) and we slept like inside a car that had the organization on the road.

Just 45 minutes sleep and we had to get up to start a 54km trek. We Wilsa 8 minutes, so it was an opportunity to be separated from them if Marcab a strong pace on foot. And so, all the downs and plains ran and the rest of the increases were going to a happy rhythm. When we finish this trek after almost 11h non-stop and with an orientation in the jungle that Jukka drove to perfection, feet and would not stop complaining. At this point the French had more than 1h30min!
We had a great enthusiasm when the organization had prepared 4 horses for each team to carry out this section of 17km and not 2 or 1 horse as planned, well above the 4 horses could enjoy a relaxing stage (although a bit cold and not stop raining), up a beautiful trail and some wooden bridges we had to get off the horses to pass them on foot because slipping a lot. At the end we still had horse 5km to get assistance for a path around the main highway, and as always the trot was our way. At the point of support we had very little daylight, so we made a quick change and promptly took the bikes to tackle 51km of pistes of up and down hell. In the middle of the bike we had prepared another stop for 1h served us some 35minutos sleeping. We had 2 days of career and had slept only 1 hour in total, but go in front of the stage involved a series of sacrifices, among those who were going fast and just stop for anything.

At the end of the bike and to finish off the sore feet came a 43km trek with an inflatable canoe section 7km to the end. This trek did a lot of night with a difficult sector to guide, but with the skill and Jukka Benja could do well in the area losing just 30 minutes. The rain ceased and the river that we had to lose was curious. They were quick 7km with a 500m portage we did enjoy more than we thought and feet could rest for about 1 hour. When we finished the trek came a 17km special stage: go via the old wagon train with a bearing that moved over the rails. During the first 40 minutes the system worked great, at first we pushed him on foot, but we physically and final reventábamos 4 suits and all caught up as we paddled forward. But when it stopped working (the bearings were within the rails and the car was braking) reached Calvary. There was still 10km to finish and had to push with one hand a stick and chasing the rest, and when the road was curved at 4 we had to lift and carry to the end of the curve. We were hysterical, as the scheduled stage we were going to 3h and the French to play, but luckily everyone had the same problem and the times were similar for all the world.

This section, we wore a lot, and ate or drank that just concentrated the damn cart. At the end of this section was the last stop for 1h that between changes, rest, eat, claim malfunctioning cart, etc ... we could not even sleep. We went to the last section of 23 km mountain bike that would take us to the kayak. It rained so much that the wheels are stuck in the mud of the track, and we all went soaked from head to toe, also had a horrible head wind prevented us from moving well. We did not know when the French came, but certainly at a time was the time standing on the last transition had not appeared.
2h for missing dark, lay before 26km kayak "sit on top" on the high seas to reach the goal, but the rain and wind put us harder than we imagined. When we left the Bay to enter the sea waves underground and told us of things to come. It was raining, came a brutal headwind and waves were about 2 meters.

We were keeping an eye on the waves that break up the kayak and avoid a fateful dunk. The paddle was fine, but slowly in the wind and waves, until we came at night. The storm increased, and the waves were 3 meters, the wind ceased and there was lightning above. We continue to struggle to advance but the situation became increasingly desperate, the front so we would not for rain that had fallen and saw the coast or just as we enter the beach. We connect the radio asking if we could do desperate at sea with the storm that was watching us. Just could contact the organization and we understand that the pc26 was marked with lights and that we were bad for the beach. But the problem is that only huge waves were breaking and I could not see where, on rocks or sand. Finally and hypothermic and decided to go to where the waves break, and luckily we found a beach at low tide, but points were unflushed. When I touched the ground I felt a sense of great relief that filled me with joy, moments of panic had been authentic. We look into some of the houses had to the coast but we are not opened by mistrust. We went to the beach and the storm had subsided, then from there watching the lights of the pc26. So we returned to the water, much to my regret, but the waves were not as large and the sea had calmed down a bit. When we arrived at the organization pc said "thank god you're here" and they were really concerned about us, they sent a rescue boat had capsized but only out to sea. Luckily, since then the sea was calm and let us continue until the arrival, 10km later. The rain and wind followed us but there was accompanying the infernal wave. We were turning the head if we saw the lights of Wilsa, but did not see anything. At the end when the arrival of the beach in Buzios Ossos, and we had started to delight 500m triumph and the tears flowed down his cheeks. Yes! I had done it! and though a storm was about to expire, could more tenacity, ambition, experience and physical and mental strength to finish this Ecomotion 2007. The toughest of rhythm and weather conditions so far. At the end the French arrived 1h 15min after us having passed the same ordeal at sea. Both they and we had managed to free entry to the World Championship next year.

When I got in the shower and then on the bed, my body did not believe that at last let him rest and less than 1 minute struck fell asleep but full of happiness. Ecomotion had won the 2007 the most important race in Latin America and a favorite on the world circuit.

The ranking of the top 10 teams:


01

06 - Buff Coolmax
02

54 - Wilsa Hellyhansen
03

32 - OrionHealth.com
04

01 - Live Sole
05

04 - Adventure Racing Bjurfors
06

46 - Team Merrell / Wigwam
07

33 - Sundown Oskalunga
08

15 - Jungle ECP / NSK Kailash
09

03 - Atenah Natura
10

28 - Mitsubishi Quasar Lontra

This past week we ran one of the hardest raid ever made. The Raid World Championship in Scotland (www.arwc2007.com). They have been more than 6 days of racing over 22000m of positive slope and over 600km to travel by foot, bike, rowing, swimming, ...
Of the 50 teams that started in the starting line, only 5 have done all the way. There were the best teams in the world and has been a hard struggle to get to the end and at the top.
The team formed by Benjamin Buff Coolmax measure, Arnau Julia, Costoya Fran and I, Emma Roca began this adventure with all the enthusiasm and strength of the world, we knew that the rivalry between maximum and equipment would run very high hardness, but we had prepared for it and not afraid of anything.
The raid began with a prologue on the island of Rhum northeast of Scotland. He turned out 1000m swim the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean, to continue with a trek of 20km and 3000m of altitude. In this first contact the 3rd-ranked team in the first 3min. Then we learned that we are penalized for cutting a path 200m must pass in principle. Next to us was the top 8 teams in the standings, all penalized 2 h.

On the morning of May 27 raid actually started with 65km sea kayak. We suffered a great time with waves up to 2m and winds more than substantial. With our kayaks SIPRE Millennium fast forward but a little unstable, the drive not just to respond to the force of waves and we turn off the path a little lost time on each stroke. Luckily we do not overturned and the end of the section with the arms and legs stiff and in 22 th position with the team Merrell (who also suffered problems with their kayaks). We have started wearing them over with cold surges on the shoulders. We continue with a specific orientation lasted about 3 hours with 1500m of altitude. Benjamin skills were evident map and cut positions. Gradually we would climb the ladder but still would have to lose some when applying the penalty of 2 hours the day before. So from the line positions were advancing to be always among the top 10. After paddling and trekking guide came the first long-breaker: 44km with 4300m of positive difference. 15h in total were peaks, ridges and valleys and hardness could live tour, the moors, meadows flooded with water, rocky ridges of granite, sharp and abrupt slopes. The knees and legs were already fully charged after this stage. We then had a 138km stage mountain bike 100% cyclable with 4000m of altitude, which was a delight to rest our feet, but began the bad weather and sunshine greeted us the first few days gave way raid a tiresome and relentless rain. At about 2 / 3 parts of the bike ride was a pop quiz: a leap into a river of ice water and a zip. No one liked him jump, because it made sense and even wore the body by putting it in danger of hypothermia. If you are not penalized 30min would jump, so we all jumped as champions at 12 of the night when we arrived, if just to see where we were going to stop, but the water was so cold that the survival instinct made you to go out faster than a beam and where it could be (like a cat climbing more than scared!).
After this jump stupid decided to rest in a small open wooden hut until the day was done because the orientation was not easy and it llevávamos 2 days of having slept only 1 hour race. But because of cold in the cabin could not sleep very well and we could hardly rest another hour and a half. We went almost to the 4 that it was morning and finished the bike at a good pace and a little more rested than yesterday. After nearly 20 hours over it. Then came a swimming section i kayak, short but icy Loch Ness, near a castle and of course away from monster?. We did not lose a minute to go to the ravine of icy water as always situated 10km from the end of the kayak. It was a very technical ravine full of jumps, and wore quite difficult steps to the body, especially in the last jump where a "loop" of water almost engulfs us. This trek of 43 km only had 1800 m of altitude and we just 14h. After the gorge, ice cream and no forecast of good weather we stopped at a typical Scottish house where we were treated to wonderful cuisine boiled potatoes, biscuits, tea and coffee ... take the opportunity to take care of your feet and energy .... then any out of there! We lost some time into that rest but we are new. To get to the 2nd great kayak did another section of mountain biking, trekking and mountain bike again over 60 km and 2300 m of altitude. The kayak came not imagine us so long and hard as it was, especially in the cold we had at first with water and wind storms of the first lake. We spent a team that did not see who was away and then we knew it was Balance Vector (the Kiwis World Champions in 2005), what a surprise! (One of its members took considerable hypothermia). 13h were paddling and dragging the kayaks. In some of the portages we removed the bibs to dry up the kayaks and then we knew that by this action we were going to penalize 4h, a total injustice!
At the end of the kayak and feet were swollen hurt from but there was still worse, a trek of 44 km with 4100m of altitude: an up and down crazy! Ridges and wet and barely light of day became very dangerous. Our bodies do not respond well, we were dead of sleep, but as we had the 3rd party, the New Zealand team OrionHealth 10min squeeze the rods. The kayak had arrived just ahead of Swedish team, and they remained Bjurfors to sleep. In this transition was a short career and only had the 5 teams that arrived before noon on Thursday. The long and arduous trek that followed served to empty just fighting for 3rd place, we got on the ridge before the descent toward dangerous bikes. They mark an infernal pace, turn off our headlamps and we decided not to stop until the end. The surprise came when reaching the transition to get the bikes we announced that we were penalized for not wearing 4h dorsal portaging a kayak that would pay 2km before the finish. This completely demoralized us, and we were tired so we drew no desire to continue ... We knew we were more than 1h30min of the rooms, but it was not enough room to keep the 3rd place with what was left of raid. Mtb came a 24-km and 16 km trek from the Ben Nevis to top it all off including physically and morally. When we finished everything and just 2km from the finish we did pay the penalty of 4h which served to stay 3rd destro OrionHealth of American and French Nike Wilsa. When we turn came, poker-faced, sad and frustrated as we were walking up to arrival, the feet hurt like hell after 6 days without stopping for a wet spot all the time. Morally and a 3rd party were made in 7 days carrerón, 177 hours, 600km, sleeping a total of 4 hours and up more than 22000 m You repeat? Not crazy ...

That Sunday afternoon was different. We got on a bus to take us to the beginning of the raid. The Ecomotion / Pro 2005. The buses and service vehicles were heading to a crawl, the starting point, the coastal town of Torres
The output consisted of a rappelling a cliff about 30 feet above the beach on the Atlantic coast of southern Brazil. Only one piece of equipment rappel and the others waited below. When Said, the organizer, gave the signal, located in 55 runners began to slide rappels. The image was spectacular. Shane came down like a flash and did not give me time and appreciate the beauty of this landscape. When he reached the ground, we started a trek of 9 km, all flat. And we ran without stopping first at the canoe section. An open boat (sit on top) and 2 seats. I paddled with Shane, and Benjamin and David did together. As Shane was the best rowing (it takes years in the world of rowing and has been part of American national team for many years) and I the weakest in this discipline paddled together to make a little different levels. The paddle was in a lake. A light wind was raising small waves that did not stop surfing, and did no fun to go and more. The raid began at 16h and after 3 hours in the canoe was going by at night, the maximum rate apurábamos strong for Benja orientation had no problems. Right behind us came the Sole American team, very good paddlers. We lost sight of it made a shortcut canoe portage road and we took 15min. At one point we had to get into the bed of a river that flowed into the lake, but there were so many reeds, trees and shrubs above the water, we were paddling up a flowerbed barely see water, luckily we found a step in the thick "jungle of reeds" that night seemed to who knows what, and we could easily trace the river to take us to the first stage of cycling. When finished the kayak stage was already late at night, but the race had only just begun. The expectation among the people of the transition was incredible, we could hardly move from the people watching. We changed clothes shameless boasting and giving the odd show (you could hear giggles when we drew our pants, sweaters, underwear, ... to bring us clothes-dry cycle. Rafael and Oscar, our attendees, premiered and was very nervous but at 100x100 adrenaline so we would not miss anything, and they did great. We left the second transition, with no team had yet arrived from the kayak. We made the bike very fast, the orientation was not difficult, and were looking to catch Sole. In the 1st pc of the bike took us 20 minutes, but in the second and final BW of the first bike and first we just 1min before them. The transition was more rapid. Oscar and Rafael just could appreciate as we were, and we were not there or 4 minutes. We ran out to face a complicated step guide on foot at night and with a height of over 1000m. We try to have a very high rate at first so that Sole does not catch us and did not benefit from the guidance of Benja. We got it. They could not hold our pace and we moved forward early in this stage 2 of trekking. We spent ours to find a path going up, with the help of ropes, to the top of a hill that day was certainly spectacular, but at night ... just you saw where his feet. We were eating miles until we saw returning from a PC other equipment lights, turn off our headlamps and we continue to move at night along a track that they Pisario within minutes. We were served by very little and not to give hope and we do not rest even for a second. I remember the lights of our headlamps, were weak and short-lived where I stepped and focus much it was nothing comfortable relax, he did not let their guard down for a minute. When the day was making the body was rejuvenated and re-circulating energy. When we reach the end of the trek was not yet one, but never knew how much time was the second team. Each hill road that had to repeat path crumbled due to an error in orientation, ... always looked at whether he was a team. After a period of more than 10 hours walking, with pleasant temperatures and little daylight hours, we took the mountain bike wanting to rest your feet. The bike had a first "Repechón" that seemed to never end finally arrive to decline as expected (and I thought it would come before). The descent was a and technical bit slippery, and as always happens to me on the bike not read wrong, since an error in orientation by bike takes a long time to recover compared with an error on foot. At the end of the bikes we expect our holy assistants, Rafael Oscar and we had prepared tomato pasta, sandwiches, fruit and energy bars. We soon walking out to fetch the horses. It was hard to take a brisk pace so! Especially when the road went up, I thought the Giro Mortirolo Italy, being just a subidita. It was hot, the sun shone, but it holds up well. When we arrived we were told that the horses stopped an hour because time had not yet reached all horses. We were surprised and had a disappointment, they were hours of daylight we lost against our will. We stretch a little, we had not slept since the start of the race, but with the noise of people, the cold floor and nerves could not reconcile any minute dream. When we were told that we still retained more than 1 hour, or we could not rest either 2h whole team and the rest below. A 50min time being there was the second team, the Americans and Kiwis from Merrell. At last we knew they were our rivals!
The section was to carry food from the Nestlé brand, from where we were to a town at 19km and 1000m above, with the help of one horse per team and no one could ride or carry backpacks. We took turns to pull it and they even threw him with a cord which he got in the porta-packs. The road was narrow pass, with muddy and steep. At 30 minutes from the 30 horses are coming down looking for more teams, but the site was so narrow that passing or us or them, it was a bit chaotic and lost some time. Our horse misbehaves, but was scared at one point in the course when we find another horse died a few minutes before (then told us that he had fallen and broken her leg and had sacrificed gauchos). We were all scared. It was getting dark (the second) and daylight hours were gold. Benja orientation tuned but had the odd mistake. Every little correction we got nervous about having the second fence, but that was the race and our strategy had to do without thinking about the other teams. When we left the horse I was relieved because I hate to go with animals in a raid and you never know where you will, luckily ours was very good. The bike was entered in the nature of the Cougars, we saw not one but if the flashes of cameras that were fired by our movement. Benja not stopped in time to eat a snake in the road and front Silva saved us from more than one fall during the night. But fatigue soon arrived and took its toll on the team. We are misled by a wrong path and were more than an hour lost in the middle of a forest full of weeds everywhere, was desperate and dragging them over with their bikes up and down over and over again. That night did not end here, but it was a set of worst case: there came a violent storm with heavy rain, wind and fog. Our fatigue not helped improve the situation and we lost over a kilometer. The orientation was very difficult and we lost more than 3 hours. I already thought of that did not go out until the next day and already we could forget the podium. Everyone was silent rather than as directed by Benja. David relied on the guidance, removing stress to our poor Benja. But at night, half lost, wet to the feet and sleep was not very good picture. When Benjamin finally found the right path no one believed until we change the pc. The bikes they had no brake pads, had consumed the mud and we were already exhausted the reserve. The surprise was to see that no one had arrived yet! So that the rest was lost and conservábamos first place. It was the best gift in the raid, but much remained and did not know how many minutes was the second team, and the rain did not stop. Leave bikes at that point was a relief and start walking made warm and all I felt more comforted. The first pc we found the trek was forced to stop and we did, we stopped 2h. But there was only a tent and a small fire, the ground was wet and we we had no tent, control espabilásemos told us and then left the women's inner rage, I completely offended I asked with a raised voice your store (from 4 people) who was behind the camp, told him it was unacceptable that there was enabled a place to sleep if it was required to stop and not to follow us felt like getting wet in the rain. Relented and we could sleep warm in our bags stored in a waterproof bag in your backpack. We undressed completely to keep more heat inside the bag and could sleep 1h 30min. That was all he slept throughout the raid. When the alarm sounded and I could not believe he had spent the hour and a half! Although not at all well rested, I felt we had been there just 15 minutes. The worst was dressed again with the wet clothes out of the store, shoe lace, and all of us crippled. But Shane was the first to step forward, left the store completely naked, dressed in the wet and began to collect them. We all followed him (I was the last one out .... but laziness!). Just when we were about to leave came Merrell, who also played 2 hours of mandatory stop (between the stop of the horses and 3 pc set by the organization had to stop at least 4h). Now we knew that the latter were to 2h, had also lost a lot on the bike! We leave it wet but animated, still raining and it was not intend to stop. When we had just appeared 20min walk Oskalunga team behind Brazil. Where do they come from? I asked. It is still mandatory 1h rest they had and had not stopped where we slept. We followed and the situation was straining at times. Benjamin made his mark all guidance and sprightly rhythm. Saints assistants were waiting under an awning bored with the car full of boxes of food and clothing and cold. Were delighted to see us but not for long as it was not even 4 minutes, we were interested in taking distance from the Brazilians and not lose no time. There was no change of discipline so that without changing only took food. Marching attendance car Brazilian team followed us to control which way and how far we caught were on your computer. They unlike our 2 assistants + 1 small pick-up had 6 cars and 20 people in attendance, past what not? I would not allow, and assistance should be limited equally to all vehicles and equipment in 2 to 3 people maximum, otherwise all the country teams are favored. When we finished the trek came to an assistance organization's vehicle 2 minutes before we arrived. It turns out that our pick-up had run aground in the mud and could not pull out in time, luckily passed an organization's vehicle on the road and Oscar could go to him with the material of canoe. The Brazil team complained of this action above!
The canoe section concentrated and we did intend to get the maximum difference from Oskalunga, and we did, because we saw returning from a pc that were more than 1 hour from us. In this section I paddled with Shane and David Benjamin, was the best combination in this situation, much headwind and accumulated fatigue. Shane taught us how to carry the caiacs with lanyards and made significant progress in the stretches of portage. It was the crash of water activities. David was the bike, Benja the map and I endured as I could, always with high morale and clenched teeth. The end of the kayak was located in a town that poor man had nothing, all the houses were huge, with beautiful gardens and garages owned or piers giving directly to water, amazing. We also made a quick transition. The assistance of the Brazilian team had occupied the best place because it was raining and chose the only place sheltered from the rain and we settle for being in front of a lavatory (and of course, an aide to Brazil had to go to the toilet just when we were changing ... What a coincidence). The trek that followed we had to make the fullest because we only had an hour of daylight. So we went to pace and Benjamin chose the cut instead of following a track that later turned out that it was faster (and the teams that passed later caught because it was night and secured the way). We kept going up and down hills, jumping fences, to move for wetlands ... was hard enough, the night was falling. We were finally able to finish the stage quite well but we knew that we had 3 teams within 2h. The bike came next night was not to break the trend of the race. Our front and they were low on power and my ass I was to go to planchista, almost I could not even sit! (I was full of wounds). I remember we made this transition particularly slow and my psych took me to get back on the bike. Do not stop raining, there was standing from the second night and was not expected to stop. Nothing is more hated in a raid to do a section of mountain biking at night, wet, cold and with little light ... That ordeal! Fortunately, the motivation to go before her strength even in the worst moments and went on and off. And we came back to lose, just as we had to find a path in a delicate wine a fog so thick you could not see anyone who was more than 1 meter away from me. It was horrible, ask a man who woke up at night, we did not understand what we said in a Portuguese very closed, small dog kept barking, sleeping and we were losing front intensity ... was desperate! At the end we returned to the main road and from there look for the third time the way until it arrives, we lost an hour. The road was not of roses, was full of stones, mud, technical descents where we had to get off the bike, ... was eternal until the rafting. We arrived at 4 pm, missing 2h to be done during the day and were unclear about entering the water. As for two days without rain had stopped the river had greatly increased and class III rapids had become class IV + ... and night! We argued with the security organization that had the river and what responsibilities they had them and us, we do not get the clear water and soon came Merrell. That itself was a bucket of cold water, do not expect any team to less than 1 hour! We decided quickly, got dressed and went out to the river front Tikka (the Silva had been spent). With the strobe (flashing light used in navigation) on the front (left us blind) and the Tikka could not see anything and stones almost appeared as if by magic. Rarely have I been so scared, this is one of them. It was an hour and a half of continuous rapids, some of them dangerous, there were no breaks in the river was full of vegetation and trees on the sides, the noise was deafening ... fate of Shane, our savior! He hands the helm, driving the boat to perfection thanks to the unflushed in any faster than would have represented our downfall (Uruguai team lived the night after the worst experience of his life to the dump at night and lost his girl Luckily she was found still alive). When the ordeal ended after 10 minutes came Merrell and said the same thing as us: that crazy river have made this evening, did not know! Still half confused we moved with little encouragement to see as close Merrell, but we took a vote of confidence: 4h were still a race to finish. So began what would be the penultimate bike with a lot of energy and the belief that if passed us was because they were stronger and not because they had given the position. The bike in our favor, it was a long climb lying and did not break, we are well and I with small plate and the last gear I was eating miles without getting off the bike. Interestingly the ass did not hurt, the brain was concentrated to give all the remaining reserves to preserve the lead. When you get to change told us that they had taken 25minutes, but we were not alone. Came a 130m abseil off the snail shell that was more than impressive. In this transition Shane and his harness was not the first time in the team had a panic until I found timely. Until then all transitions are made super concentrated, knowing what we had to leave and take the material, without wasting time and joy. In this penultimate nerves we could, I was hysterical and did not want to lose the podium. 2 teams knew they were coming very close: the American and Swedish Merrell Cross, the Brazilians came further. The rappel we did concentrate a little while impressed by the height and the only rope that anchored us to the ground. When you get down with the soaking water from the waterfall (but already we did not stop raining because) we were marching towards the final stage of the bike and raid. We ran everything we could, hardly spoke, and the concentration was highest. I just read on not making silly mistakes, now please ... Upon reaching the last transition, without assistance and was waiting for us bikes that would lead us to the finish, was 12 noon on Wednesday, almost three days after starting this adventure. There was no shortage Mortirolo to finish to finish off a body that asked only rest, sleep, eat and shower, but above all to win, after so much suffering we deserved! ... so no problems with watching the bikes entered in the town of Gramado finally savoring the triumph that had both saved by not having insurance to the final. When we walked to the finish, still raining, I did not quite believe we had won the Ecomotion! It was great, we all hugged, I got away a tear and I felt very proud of the team and how we face this unprecedented challenge.
The bad news came when we were told that the Swedes came to the Cross but just 8km 1h before reaching a goal of its members suffered a mental breakdown and passed for over an hour. And had to withdraw almost at the finish! Seconds since the immediate left and third pursuers of Merrell Oskalunga Brazilians of Brasil Telecom.
I only get to the hotel I put it under the shower for more than 20minutes and I almost fall asleep. When I reached the bed clean and neat and I hardly think so. Value as the small details of everyday life after 3 days without sleep, eating poorly and non-stop walking, cycling, rowing, ... but it was well worth it!

4 Nike-ACG Buff

5 Montrail

Explore Sweden this year has been harder than ever. The formula that was followed last year with planes and 4 different locations has not been repeated due to lack of budget. The Swedish government has allocated its aircraft to rescue the victims of the Tsunami.
The raid was a genuine non-stop for a start and finish at the same place after traveling more than 600km and 8000m climb over the wildest places in northern Sweden. The location of the race was in Kitjefall the northeast.

The raid has been tough for several reasons:
• the level of the teams was very high, have been the best in the world, only missing Seagate, Nokia, and Aroca, since it was the first test of the AR World Tour World Series, falling to the World Championship in November this year New Zealand.
• non-stop profile requires more of each team does not let to rest and everyone has to take care and preserve the extreme forces in a position to get to the end.
• the time never exceeded 10 degrees and we were often below zero. Make a raid in winter conditions is very demanding physically and mentally, as there is a major bodily wear to keep the temperature and the time you get wet when the consequences are much worse than in a more moderate climate. It also has more material in the pack and often the camelback or freezing water drum. You do not say how hard they were some energy bars or powergels ...

There have been about 20 hours of trekking, mountain biking plus 20 plus 20 and 20 of kayak ski mountain! The latter discipline is the first time in a raid encounter adventure, in the 8 years and has been great!
The route of the race was spectacular, very worked. We've been through unique settings. With the Kayaking we paddled through rivers where the water temperature did not exceed 5 degrees, where each side of the river was ice and snow in abundance. So we dragged the kayak by a frozen lake! At the end of the lake occasional sinking we got scared. In our neck hung a widely used tool in Scandinavia called IceClaw hook that serves as ice without slipping out accidentally when you sink into a lake or river ice.
The parties in the street have been the easiest and most enjoyable, because you can eat, walk at a steady pace and not spend a lot of cold. The only problem in this raid was when you mojabas feet, as there were many half dry lakes, rivers and wetlands The water was so cold feet circulation suddenly reactivated.
But the situation bike is not the same, you take a lot of weight on the back, cold creek inside the body and can barely eat and drink well. Lucky I wore neoprene boots and a jacket Gore-Tex that we do not take it off at any time. When circulábamos track by track with little human, sometimes we crossed reindeer, but not one or two, but dozens! It was a movie image, and some of them running to your side or in front, opening up the hind legs and head, very funny!
With great skiing and we had a stage that was long but was well worth. Frozen lakes and mountains touring with a drop in the middle of nowhere, without people or houses around. The snow was spectacular conditions in some of the downhill skis tracing the middle of the forest was unforgettable.


From the beginning our team came from behind positions due to an orientation error, which delayed us head race in more than two hours. With the bike in the back and sinking in the snow at every step we took, we arrive at the second transition in eighth place. The stages went by and the days too. We knew that the long-distance raids favored us and we trusted it. When one day was going to finish 5th. The ski stage we started looking forward, but a snowstorm did wrong direction on a key point of a peak losing more than 2 hours! We could barely catch the Montrail team at the end of the ski and had to accelerate the pace in the penultimate section, Kickbike (bike cart) to distance ourselves from them and keep fourth place. At the end of the bike and there was only one via ferrata and a mountain stage of just hours. We had distanced himself from the 5th and 4th we were outstanding, but the surprise was greater when the end of the bike we find the third, Salomon Suisse team (winners of several Raid series) throughout the race that had held the top three positions. The climb to the ferrata was dying to see who came first and he took advantage. For two seconds the Swiss came first and we had to wait to get line of ascent until they ended up. This made us lose a few minutes insurmountable accounted for them 3rd place and 4th for us finally.
Of the 14 teams that started just finished 7. Of these 7, only 5 completed the entire route. The hardness of the race is shown in the final standings. Our team was about to get the podium, but not insurmountable orientation errors enable better outcomes. The experience was worth it though our body breaks down more than 4 pounds, lost a nail feet, face burned from the cold to us and some other respiratory infection several days after drag. But who can say you've been riding with reindeer, crossing a frozen lake on skis or a kayak, walking in water only 4-5 degrees, skiing on mountains where it never gets dark, enduring extreme temperatures and weather conditions in places inhospitable? ... very few people.


1 Cross Sportswear

2 Lundhags Adventure

3 Salomon Suisse

4 Nike-ACG Buff

5 Montrail

This weekend we finished www.nuevoleonoutdoorchallenge.com raid was done in the state of Nuevo Leon in Monterrey, Mexico. 4 days have been divided into 3 stages by a total of 36 hours and over 8000m of altitude.
The French team of Benjamin measure, Finnish Jukka Pinola and myself finished with a creditable 2nd position.
This raid was marked by the extraordinary heat (over 45 degrees in full sun and 35 in the shade ..), humidity and drop by one of the prettiest places in the country. It has also been a technical career especially in the two gullies on the second day we did some trekking and mountain biking and decreases very hilly. 34 teams participated from 10 different countries and the level of the top 8 teams has been very high.
The first day began with a short and fast mountain bike followed by a climb to a beautiful cave. Only 400m ascent over a narrow path and made him sweat all the teams! Then followed a trek of 4 hours we suffer the consequences of getting-us without water for over an hour and a half (in my head just thinking of the liquid and the intense heat overwhelmed me, it seemed he could not get to control in order to hydrate Again, that anguish!). With a short rappel and full of audience began the last phase of 6 hours of mountain biking in the desert of New Leon authentic, full of cactus, rocks, or a tree and mud houses that appeared on the planet Mars or War film of Galaxies, I wondered ... as people can live in a place so inhospitable, where I could not be or 2 hours! Watching not to puncture the btts we could not save, and 4 had to make repairs. The strong heat and hours of effort made the team feel very weak in the final and long delay in the progress but not enough to lose 2on place overall.

PLACE
TEAM
NUMBER
COUNTRY
ARRIVAL TIME
1 °
Nike / Balance Bar
9
United States
18:19
2 °
Nike ACG Buff
3
Spain
19:05
3 °
Uvex Buff
4
Mexico
19:16
4 °
TrainingRx.com
20
United States
19:18
5 °
Team Sole
18
United States
19:29
6 °
Sprinters 44 Degrees
14
Mexico
19:59
7 °
Abarth
2
Spain
20:15
8 °
Salomon Sport City Merida
13
Germany
20:46
9 °
Newcastle Team
16
United States
21:17
10 °
Tekno H2O Bike
8
Mexico
22:47

The second day was much longer than 20 hours of stage, many mountain bike with differences of horror and some spectacular cliffs! We started with a short kayak in a lake next to Monterrey to take the outstanding mountain biking and climbing the unimaginable heat of 40 ° in full shade! We stopped more than 5 times in shops to buy drinks and fresh water to cool by me! Jukka The poor could not breathe well and was redder than a ripe tomato. Compared to Finland ...! We had to help him and encourage him to reach the ravine where he made sure that the water would find cool temperatures would be lower. Luckily it did, and his recovery was spectacular. In seventh we were after just 3rd party btt in the 2 ravines: one was down in the day, with many spectacular waterfalls and caves called Matacanes, the other called Hydrophobia, was going up cascades rise over 15m with knotted cords and night! To finish the mountain bike stage was only one who was supposed to be about 3 hours and finally Mexico were 7! For roads, panic rises worse than the Angliru and some roads that were anything but asphalt. At the end we were also able to retain second overall position and distances larger view with immediate pursuers.

PLACE
TEAM
NAME
COUNTRY
ARRIVAL TIME
1 °
Nike / Balance Bar
9
United States
5:55
2 °
Nike ACG Buff
3
Spain
6:32
3 °
Uvex Buff
4
Mexico
6:56
4 °
TrainingRx.com
20
United States
7:26
5 °
Team Sole
18
United States
7:50

The last stage was very short compared to the other, 5 hours, with an agonizing walk to the mountain Cerro de la Silla, the symbol of the region, only the moisture lost more than 1 kilo of body water. At the top was a spectacular 350-meter zip line and walk down rather than technical, to kill for real if not watched. Finally we end up with a smooth and easy btt not complicated classification and kept us on the podium:

PLACE
NAME
NUMBER
COUNTRY
TOTAL TIME
1 °
Nike / Balance Bar
9
United States
:
2 °
Nike ACG Buff
3
Spain
:
3 °
Uvex Buff
4
Mexico
:
4 °
TrainingRx.com
20
United States
:
5 °
Team Sole
18
United States

This weekend the team BUFF-ACG NIKE, with Benjamin measured in France, Jose Torres of Granada, Finland and Jukka Pinola myself, just the first raid of the season in Andalucia, the Bimbache Extrem. It was one of the hardest raids ever made since the length of the stages in bike and road journey made it especially difficult. Huelva Cordoba went traveling over 500 km in just over 2 days, of which 330 were only mountain bike!
In the 1st stage did urban orientation, a river kayaking and mountain biking 5h 9h over 3700m of vertical drop and accumulate during 15h. The position on the bike, the weight on the back and above her hours took their toll on every part of the body hurt everywhere. At two p.m. enter the first finish line together with the AXN-Abarth team. Behind came the Swedish team Cross Sportswear to 2h and the rest of the 12 teams over 5h.
After 4 hours sleep required, which flew by, we started the 2nd stage with the greatest motivation to go before qualifying. 2 hours of trekking we did with ropes to keep the mountain bike again, and not a short hours ... but 7h 9h in the morning and afternoon, almost nothing! More than 90% for asphalt!
All day we were struggling to distance overhead of 2on and 3rd team also favorites for the victory. At 4 in the morning we leave the bikes are very pleased never to see (maybe for many days!) And start a 60km trek that took more than 11h of effort. At the end "only" were 3h kayak, skates and a foot race in two hours. We 38h d'stage with 6400m of altitude reaching one of the night to Huelva 2 ½ days after starting in Cordoba.
We arrived early in the European Championship of raids with the disappointment of having lost the two most immediate rival teams by default, the Cross Sportswear due to heat stroke and AXN-Abarth with a sprained ankle. Only 5 teams entered in the line and all of them 15 hours after finishing us. Too bad. But the suffering and struggle that had clung for nearly the entire race with these two teams gave us a good appreciation for the success.
Actually the power of mind over body is reflected in every little effort in a raid of adventure, where km, hours, and the gap are performing non-stop with the only motivation to finish. This raid led to 53h of continuous exercise and over 10000m of positive difference.

The next raid is the Explore Sweden, falling for the World Championship in New Zealand raids in late May.

The Mild Seven this year has been the issue with higher level of all. Until the last moment is not known the final podium. There were a lot of money at stake and only gain prestige in the world. It is one of the best races there.
The profile of the raid is simple, it runs every day about 6 o'clock and resting in a hotel with all amenities covered. There is assistance and the organization who takes the material that you prepare the day before each named place. There are the typical disciplines of adventure raids but you do not guide the organization beacon around the circuit. The teams are 4 people, where you have to haver a woman or the man last year over 45 years. This change in the regulations motivated by the low participation of local teams, has caused much controversy and discussion and mixed teams have expressed their sincere revulsion and cessation to participate in future issues if not changed the rule. This edition has just won an all male team. I personally think it's a step backward in gender equality, discrimination against women and a lack of respect for this group of women who feel rejected and undervalued in most sports. The raids of adventure are one of the few sports where women play a key role, is considered as important as the other male colleagues and receive the same compensation shall cease to be what they are authentic is not required lead the team in at least one component of the opposite sex.
For 3 years the Mild Seven Outdoor Quest is being done in Malaysia, Borneo Island, home to the mythical mountain, Mount Kinabalu 4000m. On this mountain is held every year the World Championship Mountain Marathons and just world circuit this year's marathon was won by the Catalans Anna Serra and Agustí Roc.
In previous years, the Mild Seven had played in China, and Red Bull led by Antonio de la Rosa had achieved a commendable 2nd and 3rd place.
This year only 20 teams has been the most hotly contested issue and most beautiful of all. BUFF team was formed by Jose Torres (Granada), Benjamin measured (Ardeche, France), Michael Fargier (Nimes, France) and Emma Roca (Catalonia).
Stage 1: "First step to glory": a sprint stage, with 3 runs of 3 sports (mountain biking, and running Kaiak) and lasting 20 minutes each. There was also a special test at the end of each consisting of a wooden wall jump more than 3 meters (as in a military obstacle course). Served to warm up (for sunburn!). To test the sea and kill nerves leading to the main stages. I have seen the importance of hydration before and as a drowning only with the humidity. The teams have gone to stop, I went to the heart at 180 beats. We were seventh in the first 3 min.
Stage 2: "Playa Paraiso": This stage captured the beauty of the tropical coast and farmland on the plains of northern Borneo. We started with kaiaks to continue with a coastering (running along the edge of the beach, slippery rocks, sand and water to the knee, very technical). Then we did drag a 20kg canister from the shore to a boat in the water and then start a biathlon (2 2 mountain bike and running) that we would take turns to pick up the bike (it was a relaxing time while the other two ran ). It was followed almost 3 hours of mountain biking for a varied and technical circuit, then put a zip line for 2 hours paddling in the sea. We jumped in front of their noses a grate sea (fish-shaped electric blanket with a long tail) that left us stunned. That day and after 6 hours agonizing over just skates online with a paved road that would lead us to a hotel for lunch, recover, bathe and rest. Finished sixth. The mark of the sun in the legs and arms and made an appearance, and see what we got Isdin total factor sunscreen!
Stage 3: "Valley of Adventure": started all with the rocket in the legs (like a duathlon short distance), running downhill on a forest road with a speed ghostly and then take the kaiaks and enjoy 2 hours of a river technical class 3 rapids and many rocks to dodge. We left the Kaiak seconds to skate for a tarmac with a piece of stone that we tested our enzyme balance 4 wheels. Some relished the ground. That day ended with a lengthy mountain bike, with technical descents and a final climb 7km asphalt and 400m of altitude. Neither the Angliru ... And with the sun hit our already weakened bodies. Prior to the rise hell did a special test with a buffalo in the country (we had to be guided by a circular without being angry or stop) and we drove down the river a small piece of black inflatable tires and life jackets among legs (we were very fortunate not true). Finished fourth, with the first 10 teams to play.
Stage 4: "Heights of Borneo" at 3 in the morning we set out to climb to 3000m in the sacred mountain of Mount Kinabalu, to begin the phase point as usual at 6.30 am well above where we had left the bus. After the starting signal to 1000m of altitude were agonizing to reach the top, make a rappel and down 2000m to the asphalt to go for mountain biking. In the fall of Kinabalu we stand first (winning the special stage of mountain) and started a mountain bike down the road like crazy to keep the lead. Nike The Americans took us a few minutes and then start a downhill battle with a massive fall of the two teams resulting in the worst consequence: I broke my radio to the level of the articulation of the right hand. Consequently he could not change gear or braking the rear wheel or just rest your arm on the handlebars. The rest of btt over 2h steep paths, trails and scree was a living hell, screaming at every little bump, but we had to follow. At the end of btt half crying and laughing with joy at not to take the handlebars, do a little technical Kaiak river but my arm was complicated, I had to paddle on one side and not two as normal Kaiak. We were 30 seconds from 3rd party Americans. We could not complain and when in the hospital and x-ray before I was diagnosed with a fracture at 6 weeks of rest. I wanted to continue to finish the raid the next day and after a meeting between the organizers and doctors decided to let me continue but could not make the final rappel raid of 140 meters in the city of Kota Kinabalu. Hardly slept that night in pain. But the desire to finish, do not leave my teammates, made to pull out strength and will are not there. Doctors branded me as crazy and warned me not to fall much because if the bone is separated would require an urgent operation.

Stage 5: "Race to victory" fortunately started with some inline skates, followed by a 1h30min MTB where most were asphalt. The steep parts of the bike and I passed the land of the best possible way, with one hand many times and suffering more than the previous day. We still have a long Kaiak calm waters of the ocean to finally arrive at the rappel. In the midst of Kaiak was a foot race and a Tibetan bridge in an island paradise, amid a dense forest, with insects of all kinds that did not stop singing. Once I had to rappel up the 30 floors of the building and rappel back down the stairs because of my injury. Everything could not have (I would have liked rappelling!). We lost our 3rd place overall at the end to finish 6th. I was very happy that after the accident and was very satisfied with the team. We could have done better if we had not had the accident, but still went out lightly. When I finished I did not know anything about mountain biking and finally rested my arm as he deserved. In fact all I rested for hours of heat, humidity, sun, fatigue and pain in the fabulous hotel room.

Final standings:


1
iRules
24:17:54

2
Nike ACG
24:53:21
3
Seagate NZ
25:18:39
4
Switzerland
25:32:27
5
Nokia Adv
26:02:39
6
Buff
26:07:10
7
FVB-Haglöfs
26:19:51
8
AROC
26:33:17
9
AstaFactor
26:51:22
10
Montrail
26:54:21


More information www.msoq.com.

On 5 June, the raid team BUFF adventure traveling to the Republic of Kyrgyzstan to compete in the twelfth edition of one of the world's most prestigious raid, the Raid Gauloises. After the good results obtained in the first two races of the season, spirits were sky high and we were confident in making a good race. To do this it was necessary to fight provinentes 40 teams from 5 continents and experienced in this type of competitions.

The race did not begin until June 10. These 5 days were needed for verification of material required, the body acclimatise to the altitude and the time difference, and prepare self-handling drums and maps and road books for the race.

So looking forward, the 10th of June at 6 am began the journey that this issue had to cover over 950 km. nonstop. The first stage was a high mountain journey of almost 60 km. away. The route traced a valley of breathtaking beauty to achieve a pass at 3800 meters high and move on to another valley. At this stage, all teams were close together. The favorites did not want to force the machine while they were not, as seen in head struggled to keep a pace that was affordable for everyone.

Once the section after 10 hours, began a stretch of whitewater canoe followed by a lake, covering a total distance of 60 km. This stage was dramatic, as a French team suffered an accident on the river who paid with his life the female component. The difficulty of the river, fatigue, trees, excess water and the weight of the boat were the causes that point to justify the accident, which was a blow to all runners.

BUFF team had no trouble in the river and after a few dunks get out to Lake Issy Kul. This lake is one of the largest in the world and is famous because in it, in its deepest place, the Russians had nuclear military base in the days of the Cold War. After 9 hours non-stop paddling, we reached the point of care where we reported the sad news. Some teams left the competition deeply affected. We, after one to two hours, we decided to continue. You could not do anything and we had to move on.

The next section was relatively short. It was 75 km. with BTT. It was still dark but soon it was day and arrived at 6 am. That is, we had been running 24 hours. And what was left!

The top teams were still highly clustered and then find a shop that sold ice cold Cokes further. 10 equipment supplies are stopped without any remorse for wasting time career. In many cases, this loss of time then they win. Once supplies and under a blazing sun and we continue back to where we left assistance mountain bikes and went back to walking. This point was rather critical. The teams we had been running 30 hours and no one had stopped to sleep.

The section we initiated was 30 km. away and stood at a height of 4000 meters. Soon, the height and fatigue took their toll. Our team decided to stop to sleep. Were only 15 minutes in the shade of a bush. We passed a few teams but later the advance because they also had to stop to sleep. No one was waging the attack of sleep. The section lasted about 10 hours. After this we find the first field with the assistance, which was mandatory for 5 hours. After eating and preparing material for the next section we sleep about 4 hours. It is wholly inadequate time but in this situation as if you slept 12 hours straight.

With renewed energy to begin the next section was also walking. We had to finish another summit of 4300 meters but in the end, due to bad weather, was suspended and went straight to the next point of care after doing about 30 km. walk between high mountain pastures. In landscape this place was great. The glacial valleys were very broad and deep down a turbulent river and ice cream product of the perpetual snow of the highest peaks in the area (6000 m).

The next section was to mountain bike and was worthy of a stage of the Tour de France. We had to do 190 km Luckily the course was flat and even against the wind, we managed to finish in less than 12 hours. The bad weather caught us half step and we soaked for about 4 hours. Fortunately, the hospitality of the people kirguizstaní allowed us to warm a house and make an exchange of food to people in the country, what are the most memorable moments of the race and then not ever forget you.

With the bread, the cream and yogurt mare continued assistance to the point below where we left the bikes again and did another walk through mountains. After overcoming a pass of 3800 meters jump to another valley, but not before climbing wall, cross a deep valley using a Tibetan bridge and making a spectacular rappel over a ravine. During the tour we had to stop sleeping and attacked after 2 hours we could continue. We had 4 days and had slept a total of just over 6 hours. Even now I think I aguantásemos much.

After the trekking, we had another field in which attendance was mandatory for 4 hours. We slept about 3 and quickly went. The section we did then, everyone on the team agreed it was one of the best we've ever done. We started at 10 at night and under the watchful eye of the full moon we had to find a series of checks on horseback. The place was spectacular. It was a plateau at 3000 meters high, all grass, with a lake over 100 km. long Luza reflecting the moon. It looked like a movie. With the horses were about 14 hours and eventually did not know how to stand on our chairs. After leaving them he picked up mountain biking. About 100 km of bike we had to carry a great river where rafting. The finish line was near and and smelled. At this point we had not worried about the position we occupied in the race (a lot of work had to make the trip) but it was here where we are before fighting the second and the third for a spot on the podium.

Finished mountain biking and rafting we were seconds. The position gave wings but not enough. We had been 6 days and the body was the limit. There was only one section of 80 km mountain bike. and 2000 meters of altitude, a walk of 44 and a paddle in calm water 40. We knew that it would not sleep until the finish line cruzásemos.

With the bike had some mechanical problems caused by the organization. Transport in a mountain bike spoiled us and we had to change to one that, fortunately, are at the point of care and did not use one. The incident caused us to lose the position. Were back rooms. What's more, the next point of care, by other error of the organization, we found that we did not care a bag we had prepared. That is, we had to do 44 km with nothing to eat. Luckily, we found a house where they sold bread. Each had 1 / 2 kilo of bread and water that we collect and drinkable by the way.

When we were resigned to our fourth, we are again seconds. The teams in front had stopped overnight and had advance. Incredible! Passing that, the wake up and continue walking together. We were already very near the end and knew we could not sleep if we wanted to have option podium. We could not endure. Fatigue was extreme and had no will suffice. Stopped 15 minutes.

Once restored continue slightly crestfallen. We knew we had lost a golden opportunity. We canoes and after 40 km paddling quietly (we had many hours of margin with the fifth) crossed the finish line. / Day and a half after we had achieved. We finished the Gauloises. The first thought that comes to mind is ... at last! and ... I will not make it! Now therefore, I have become aware of what I did and as I write this account I have a feeling of immense satisfaction as an individual and as part of a team right now is more than this. Thus, the Gauloises has been worthwhile. The balance of human and sporting experience is very positive. When is the next?

That adventure on the island of El Hierro, one of the 7 islands of the Canaries, the youngest, the prettiest for a Raid, but also the most distant, neglected, uninhabited ... and windy, windy.

Two months after the Raid Extreme Hidalgo Mexico Buff ® team returned to the attack, this time closer to home and that is appreciated, less hours of travel, plus the phone works!

The formula for this raid was the same as in Mexico: a period of 12h and sleep, and sleep a 24h, and finally one of 5h and the goal.
Our times were:
Step 1: 8h 30min 3300m of altitude with the 1st day
Stage 2: 23 h30min with 6500m of vertical drop and day 2
Step 3: 3h 30min to drop the last 1500m.

The teams to beat were: Nokia (Finland), Montrail (USA / Canada), Elite (USA), Spie dit Elix (France), the Spanish of Solomon, Spiuk, Tele5 and others. The important thing is that they lacked good equipment and the level was assured.

We started on Thursday with inline skates, we were concerned only Edu and Jose did well in this field, but fortunately were only 30 minutes and the most that we lost about 8 minutes the rest were insignificant for the remainder still stage. Then walk to leave the bikes and started a journey of ups and few drops inhumane. Both David and Jose helped me intermittently, during the bike ride and advances to Elite, Montrail and Nokia. This effort was noticed at the end of the stage. After the bike started walking a very pronounced decrease in the technique of dodging rocks and ankles was instrumental accompany get away and not waste time nor the head.
The next test was a rappel when we got the latter. Soon we direct contact with the ocean and the truth, just see the sea state we heart sank, huge waves, high winds and low confidence in this medium we choose a priori a difficult obstacle to overcome. Entering the water with the kayak was not an easy task, that of Elix and we turned to go despite the precautions also cooler than we continue paddling. An open kayak, plastic, hard seats and no moves without stopping ... dangerous, but also entertaining and thankfully quick!

The French Elix bypassed the PC, instead Edu saw him and went perfectly with the Nokia mark right behind us. At the end of the stroke, and the waves were smaller, but equally dangerous, Nokia suffered a spectacular dunk.

At this time we were the top finishers and started walking again uphill and dry rocky trails, up the sun eternal but not to harden. We went up with Nokia and eventually also joined us in the American Elite. Finally we both got beat and the penultimate third PC.
To end the day we had to fill some water jugs with a "scoop" typical of the island, Edu and I performed the test while David and Joseph were recovered. Then began the descent and although we lost a little PC to last even in third position of the first 20 minutes, but with rooms for 25 minutes.

The next day was expected moved, tension and equipment were arriving not let me sleep as much as needed ... not easy to disconnect from the competition you know someone if you rest if you dream of running? ...

7:00 a.m. in the race again, the stage of the second day was 24 hours non stop. A quick step guide was the first challenge and all the team ran as if there were other tests later. After a trekking bikes we drop the second but then we got lost and we are going ahead Elite and Spiuk. There was no time for discouragement, there was still a lot of race.
The bike was very demanding and as not much wind, then another cave trekking and rappelling including up to the canoes.
We were 2 hours paddling eternal, with no wind but lots of waves to reach the underwater orientation.
With two elite teams ahead and Nokia started diving, the beacons were very deep and were barely visible, Edu marking the way forward to find the mark, David and I were looking for and to find Joseph to mark the submerged control. At any time a team has to empathize and share the work to get a good result, once again worked perfectly.
In case you missed it, the wind kicked up again and kept us from moving forward, the coast seemed unattainable and it took us to our inexperience in open water rowing until we saw others progress more rapidly near the coast, eventually got healthy and Montrail saved with the right behind us.

We carry food and drink and we trekkking launched without delay that lasted all night. After 3 hours of slope and the little water that we had put us on the verge of abandonment as happened to the Spiuk. Elite and Nokia were ahead of us and Montrail were close behind. When the moon peeped reached the top and began the descent, tired but very excited at the same time as we had passed the worst slump of the competition and were still in third place as well.
We arrived at without stopping bikes and continue on to the PC on which we would find a surprise Elite had jumped the PC thus earning a disqualification ... now we were seconds. Montrail, behind us, remained a constant threat so that we could relax for a minute.
To finish the stage, difficult to digest a cherry, we had to climb by bike to a port of 1200 meters of altitude, it was already 5 am when we crown the top with the shadow of the dream that we won, forcing us to talk about anything -of course-you will save, not to fall asleep. He had finished the bike and now it was down to the starting point for a quick and direct route. The Montrail we reached the halfway but the cry of "to them," Jose took us off the fatigue and we again invaded the competitive spirit, our true engine, and we were no longer up to 100 meters from the finish, that Joseph was launched into a sprint with the Americans and managed to win in tenths of a second.

Stage is over 24 hours, we were second and the remainder to the next stage was to rest, eat and enjoy the island at this time could not ask for more.

Our strategy for the third day to keep second place and you could try to win the stage. Knowing just a big mistake Nokia could unseat the.
The teams went in order of ranking in 2 minutes, Nokia were the first and then us to a test in which David and Jose had to row to a point and return to shore, Edu and I then we had to zip line down to that point and come back to the place of beginning. Then skates, played once again suffer, but we were able to hold up well the pull of Nokia and only lost a few minutes, and there was only a trek to the finish.

The final trek was 1000 meters of elevation for a beautiful way, I was strong and got a rhythm very good at that we got to move quickly and soon we reached the Nokia, with whom and would continue until the end.
The next PC consisted of cutting a log into three pieces, José behaved like a true woodsman and in a flash plasma shook off work, we shot into the goal and Nokia behind us. We fall back on a stretch of particularly complex for orientation due largely to the fog until we found the right path to the goal. By entering together, we knew that we had taken the two minutes that go out advantage, we only had to wait for the third came after 8 minutes, we had won the stage!.

Then, euphoria, excitement, satisfaction, ... we won the stage, were runners up in Europe, the team had worked to perfection. We were happy!

With our friends / rivals share the hours on the island of El Hierro. No farewells between us because we will soon be together again in the gap in some of the most beautiful corners of the planet.

On February 22, 2003 raid team consisting of Emma Buff Rock, David and Eduard Rovira Barceló moved to Mexico with three Spanish teams (Meridiano.com, Traps and Arnette) to contest the second edition of this raid that since the first highlighted by the participation of the strongest teams in the world.

It was the first time three runners came together on the same computer to run a race, but on occasion had been measured before other teams in national competitions counting their shares for wins.

This time the competition came too early as the planning team training. Emma Roca was in the middle row of the most important competitions of ski mountaineering, David and Eduard Rovira Barceló were not the best time of the season because the weather conditions where they live do not allow to train the disciplines that are usually raids carried out in the adventure.

Although the conditions were not favorable, the team's morale was high and had really wanted to get a good result in this first competition of the year.

After a first few days of acclimatization to the altitude and temperature, the competition began on 27 February from Tecozautla population. The first phase was scheduled to run for the winning team of about 12 hours. As usual, the forecasts of real-time organizers and the first team were different and the American team Montrail won in just over 9 hours, followed by Spanish and American Traps Elite Adventure.

The stage began with a quick but hard mountain bike section, which as usually tends to happen when the output is mass, caused a serious error of orientation in the first teams that had arrived where the next sector should not be scheduled canoe Zimapán in the lagoon. So, the best teams had to perform an impromptu paddle sector local boats with bikes and swimming in the components of the equipment did not fit into the boats. This allowed them to cross an arm of the swamp about 200 meters and reach the place where the organization had scheduled the change for the next test.

The next section was a demanding canoe trip in the lagoon of Zimapán. Fortunately for runners for the wind blew and within the expected time the teams were presented at the dam that holds the waters, where two of the components had to climb, with the help of a yumar and crawl about 40 feet a rope that allowed them to reach the lead ropes after rappelling from vertigo for more than 200 meters, on the other side of the dam and gorge at the beginning of the next section.

Meanwhile, the third component was to row a mile up to a pier where a hard climb began walking with a heat of injustice to the top of the ravine. From there he crossed to the other side by a massive zip line over 200 feet long and 500 meters to go down and reconnect with colleagues at the foot of the dam after a descent through a service tunnel with a spiral staircase more than 1500 steps.

Once together again began the descent of a ravine that was a trap for many teams. All agreed on the physical and psychological strength which marked the descent of this canyon that a priori had to pose any difficulty.

The ravine began with a chaos of rocks and huge blocks which hinder progress. The thick vegetation also favored progression at all. After gaining meters an hour under these conditions the river flow and amplitude was winning until the runners were forced to walk for water. The difficulty came when the mud and the mud caused everyone to sink to above the knees.
It was at this point where each and every one of the runners began to crawl with the help of hands and arms which water snakes. Adaptation to land is central to all raids and it is in these situations where the logic, intelligence, drive and experience are at the service of performance.

As the teams were crawling through the water, the flow increased until there came a time when no one touched the bed of the river and all runners must overcome to swim a length of over 1000 meters. It was during this stretch that most teams were the effects on your body from cold water. An island in the middle of two sections of swimming witnessed shaking, screaming, fires, careers without leaving the site and each and every one of the strategies that each person took to try to warm up and face the next leg of swimming that no one knew a priori the distance I had.

It was on this island that started the actual screen career. All the favorites made it through with some other trouble unless Meridiano.com equipment and Buff. Both lost more than 1 hour trying to overcome one of the most critical components of cold that both teams never remember having been in a race. The loss of time and physical and mental exhaustion suffered led them to fall beyond the tenth in the final outcome of the stage.

Once past the ravine, the teams reached the final section of the day, which corresponded to an easy stretch of mountain biking. On the map there was no difficulty getting dark but not a surprise waiting for all teams. Each and every one had a great number of punctures and many were left without the possibility of spare parts. Under these conditions all the teams reached the finish line already thinking about the extreme hardness of the next stage.

The second stage began in Zimapán and ended in the beautiful scenery Thermal Tolantongo caves. This section began with a hard mountain bike had special element to cross a mountain made of a lead mine removal. The workers were spectators luxury race discourse of this tunnel of over 7 km long and 400 meters of vertical positive. The runners I passed Zimapán population towards the lake of the same village where boats resumed at the point that left the previous stage. From there followed in the same direction as the previous day, fortunately downwind again to reach the other end of the swamp after sealing several controls that were in different branches.

Leaving the swamp was a sector-oriented trekking corridor leading to a service point where again begin another lengthy section of mountain biking.

This section was nearly 120 km long in the night beating three mountain passes extreme hardness burned forces all runners. Throughout the period, the rate that prevailed at the top was very hard from the start and it paid less strong in this section. Only American Team Montrail, the team of brothers Torres and the Spanish team Meridiano.com managed to reach the next section in more or less good condition. Meanwhile, the team spent the entire stage Buff beating out teams and flying a very unfortunate due to three consecutive punctures. Thus was fourth at the beginning of the last section, which should be a downhill trek to later trace the source of a river of hot springs to Tolantongo caves.

In the end what should be an easy section was more complicated than the predictable over the map and jumped several surprises. The first was that the Torres brothers' team had difficulty finding the path down which led to the start of the gorge. At this point were overcome by Montrail, which eventually end up winning the stage and relegating to second place team in the stocks.

The second surprise was very helpful for Buff since the team of Antonio de La Rosa at not finding the way down to the section resigned and returned to the checkpoint where they left the stage. This will penalized with a lot of time and left them with no options to fight for the overall classification. Meanwhile, Emma Roca team found the way, spent the beginning of gully control and more motivated than ever ascended the ravine to the finish line, getting the third and tracing many places in the overall standings after evil result of the previous day.

After only American Buff Adventure Elite Elix and the French were able to complete a stage for many will be remembered as the toughest of the two issues that have already been made of Extreme Adventure Hidalgo.

After this grueling stage 24 hours non-stop, there was only a stage in 4 hours that runners, due to large differences in general, were taken as a mere formality. Thus, after a short section of skills with ropes and a mountain bike section with two mountain passes in small dish, each and every one of the riders, from first to last, received due recognition of the Ixmiquilpan inhabitants, the town where the Extreme Adventure Hidalgo ended 2003 and where he compiled dreams fulfilled, consummated surprises, bitter frustrations and desires to repeat the experience in Hidalgo or wherever the next raid adventure.

The final classification of the stages and the general was as follows:

 STAGE TIME PLACE TEAM PLACE PLACE 1, Montrail 
 USA
 9:26:03 CEPOS SPAIN 2nd place 3rd place 
 9:27:19 ADVENTURE USA ELITE
 9:57:25 ELITE 4 ° PLACE ADVENTURE U.S.A.
 10:02:18 ARNETTE SPAIN 5th place 6th place 
 10:03:58 ELIX France 10:24:37 
 7 ° PLACE MERIDIAN RAID 
 10:45:45 SPAIN TEAM PLACE 8 ° ARGENTINA ARGENTINA 
 10:55:43 9th place CANADA YUKON 11:02:28 
 10 ° PLACE 11:39:25 FINLAND NOKIA ADVENTURE 
 11 ° PLACE DIABETES CANADA PLACE 11:50:00 BUFF 
 SPAIN 12 ° 13 ° PLACE 11:52:05 
 SALOMON MEXICO CITY SPORT 12:41:25 BALANCE BAR 14 ° PLACE USA
 16:16:25 15 ° PLACE BLUE ADVENTURE TEAM MEXICO FRED 18:00:00 USA 
 
AQUA GYM MEXICO NT NT 
 
 
 NT ASI MEXICO SPORT ULTRA AQUA G. MEXICO MEXICO NT 
 
 toad LIVE BIKER BANAMEXMEXICO MEXICO NT NT NT 
 
 MEXICO CAVES Tolantongo EXPLORE MEXICO HIDALGO MEXICO NT 
 
 LA SALLE KAMIKAZE MEXICO MEXICO NT NT HIDALGO 
 
 
 
 NP MEXICO EXTREME * NT
 N.P. not finish Not submitted 
 
 
 
 STAGE TEAM PLACE PLACE PLACE TIME Montrail 
 1, USA
 21:53:48 CEPOS SPAIN 2nd place 3rd place 
 22:31:22 BUFF 
 24:09:22 SPAIN ELITE 4 ° PLACE ADVENTURE USA
 28:09:14 ELIX France 5th place 6th place 
 29:40:20 MERIDIAN RAID 
 SPAIN 33.40.20 PLACE DIABETES CANADA 7 ° 8 ° 
 39:40:20 PLACE CANADA YUKON 
 41:40:20 9 ° PLACE CITY SALOMON SPORT
 42:23:21 MEXICO BLUE ADVENTURE 10 ° PLACE MEXICO NOT AVAILABLE 
 
 NT FINLAND NOKIA ADVENTURE SPAIN ARNETTE 
 N.T. ADVENTURE 
 ELITE U.S.A. N.T. BALANCE BAR 
 U.S.A. N.T. TEAM FRED 
 U.S.A. N.T. AQUA GYM MEXICO ASI 
 N.T.
 AQUA ULTRA SPORT G. MEXICO N.T. LIVE MEXICO BANAMEXMEXICO 
 N.T. MEXICO BIKER 
 N.T. toad MEXICO CAVES Tolantongo 
 N.T.
 HIDALGO MEXICO EXTREME N.T. MEXICO HIDALGO LA SALLE 
 N.T. MEXICO KAMIKAZE 
 N.T. ARGENTINA ARGENTINA TEAM 
 N.T. EXPLORE MEXICO MEXICO 
 
 N.P.
 
 * N.T.
 N.P. not finish Not submitted 
 
 
 STAGE TEAM PLACE PLACE PLACE TIME 
 MERIDIAN RAID 1, SPAIN 2:01:42 ELITE 
 2 ° PLACE ADVENTURE USA
 2:06:15 BUFF SPAIN 3rd place 4th place 
 2:11:47 Montrail USA
 2:12:17 ELIX France 5th place 6th place 2:16:25 
 SPAIN 2:21:00 CEPOS 
 7 ° PLACE CANADA YUKON 
 2:29:51 8 ° SALOMON MEXICO CITY PLACE SPORT 
 2:45:53 9th place
 DIABETES CANADA 2:51:18 10 ° PLACE MEXICO BLUE ADVENTURE ADVENTURE 3:06:11 
 
 NOKIA Finland 2: 04: 43 
 
 2:08:03 MEXICO CAVES ADVENTURE Tolantongo ELITE USA AQUA GYM 2:15:19 ASI 
 
 MEXICO MEXICO 2:32:35 2:39:26 BANAMEXMEXICO 
 LIVE SPORT ULTRA AQUA G. MEXICO 2:48:31 2:52:02 
 
 ARNETTE SPAIN TEAM FRED USA
 
 BALANCE BAR 4:05:52 U.S.A. EXPLORE MEXICO MEXICO NT NT 
 
 HIDALGO LA SALLE MEXICO MEXICO NT NT 
 
 toad KAMIKAZE BIKES TEAM MEXICO ARGENTINA ARGENTINA NT NT 
 
 
 HIDALGO MEXICO EXTREME NP
 
 * N.T..
 N.P. not finish It was presented FINAL SCORE 
 
 
 
 PLACE TIME TEAM PLACE PLACE 1, Montrail USA
 33:32:08 CEPOS SPAIN 2nd place 3rd place 
 34:19:41 BUFF 
 38:13:14 SPAIN ELITE 4 ° PLACE ADVENTURE USA
 40:12:54 ELIX France 5th place 6th place 
 42:21:22 MERIDIAN RAID 
 SPAIN 46:27:47 PLACE DIABETES CANADA 7 ° 8 ° 
 54:21:38 PLACE CANADA YUKON 
 55:12:39 9 ° PLACE SPORT MEXICO CITY SALOMON 57:50:39 
 10 ° PLACE MEXICO NOT AVAILABLE BLUE ADVENTURE 
 
 NT FINLAND NOKIA ADVENTURE
 N.T. DIABETES CANADA MEXICO CITY SALOMON SPORT 
 N.T. BALANCE BAR 
 U.S.A. N.T. TEAM FRED 
 U.S.A. N.T. AQUA GYM MEXICO ASI 
 N.T.
 AQUA ULTRA SPORT G. N.T. MEXICO.
 N.T. BANAMEXMEXICO LIVE MEXICO. MEXICO BIKER 
 N.T. toad MEXICO CAVES Tolantongo 
 N.T. EXPLORE MEXICO MEXICO 
 N.T. MEXICO HIDALGO LA SALLE 
 N.T. MEXICO KAMIKAZE 
 N.T.
 
 HIDALGO MEXICO EXTREME N.P.
 
 * N.T.
 N.P. not finish No Show

At 13:41 we finished the raid Mild Seven in Sabah. Specifically we have been running alongside the city Kota Kinabalu on the island of Borneo in Indonesia, close to Vietnam and Philippines. The country is "shabby," reminds me of the Chinese settlement of Lhasa, I guess because they have a direct influence of Chinese, Thai, ... Also similar to Vietnam, but most poor people live in shacks and deplorable metal Uralita however the Vietnamese live in bamboo houses, clean and well done. There is dirt in Malaysia, there are very rich and very poor. I would not ever live here, but has a very good thing: it has a enviable nature, flora and fauna that dazzles everyone. The hotel also among shrubs are placed 3m black snake with a yellow circle, incredible. No horses or cows, buffaloes and dogs only thin. People are rather quiet, not very nice, I guess because they can speak more than Malaysia and few speak English.
It is very hot, with a terrible shame, sticky humidity. Every afternoon it rains for hours and instead of cooling even more embarrassment because it increases the humidity. Seawater (South Ocean Chinese) must be at 28 º, incredible, it seems that you horns in the hotel spa, but I love you even when wet heat!
The race itself went well, being a team at the last minute without knowing us we can not complain. Romain, a professional kayaker for 30 years, a piece of bread, but has been meager as it was not much accustomed to walking and mountain bike race. Nicolas, the manager and organizer of the team for 35 years, and very little to say, he needed a little training and know-how with the team has lacked a little size to the first 3 days, the The last perfect, talking too much and likes the air conditioning in the room, we had some fights psychological but in the end remember it as fun (especially the fall which was the last bike and still see him laugh half of his body with mud and the other not). I was particularly lacking in quick transitions, but was a good thing to listen to people and knew the criticism to improve fit, but sometimes the head was rolling too silly and was in a great dilemma. Benjamin, 31, told him that, in the last comment and best of all. I love the way they do and run raids, it's simple, nice, friendly and practical, to work while he watches, listens, laughs, jokes, ... know where, for trains, is strong and direct phenomenal (although in this race we could do this with delight). There was good chemistry, your girlfriend can be happy and proud of it. Not mind at all to run back with it, RAID is a good as any.

1st day: swimming + kayak + kayak race on foot + + roller / race biathlon + 7h30min
One day, long and hard for the 1st, novelty, nerves, inexperience. Just as we took the kayak started farthest from the beach where we had to do a little porteig have lost more than 10min. In race walking in the forest then we have a good pace and we have recovered in time many advanced equipment (among them was the fact that Cali dust!). Because the trail was very technical people have been stranded (not believe the clumsiness of people in mountainous environments, paved, wet, slippery ,...), and R is a twist that has been scared, but could continue. Then came a short rappel and coastering has recently marked differences. We came to 4rts kayak kayaker but only with a good team to have 2 teams advance. On the beach we left the hotel and I kayak and B have made rollers for asphalt (lucky it was dry and had not opened the tap sky Malaysia). In R and N have a biathlon (running and with a mountain bike), in the end we only waited about 3 min. And to finish the day, not expecting it and had a race over 6km of sand, rotten water, mud and exhaustion! Finally the sound of 6 drums have entered 6ens goal at the 7-8-15min 9ens (together). It is a pleasure to know and end at noon you can eat, quiet dinner, do some spectacular massage, sleep, relax .. Luxury in a full career. You see everyone talk to raiders that interests you, talk and laugh together ... but go to sleep because Dora the buses leave at 4 and 6:30 starts a new phase, but not whistling, but as a rocket!

2nd day: foot race bike + race + biathlon + + + advskill kayak 7h
Just start there is a drop in "road" to the legs as stones, and followed a path of forest, but the teams are too close together and we are all in a row without being able to move and remove differences. 4rts arrived at the bike transition but we will move forward slowly and 2 teams. In these races you can not miss even a second! It is an easy bike and soon come to a run that we did not expect was to be a canoe by local conditions but the river has aborted. do not change benefits for R has become a "Pájara" on the bike and now it had gone well back into the boat. We run a total of 9km down a paved path and a path going up the river that crossed phantasmagoric bridges without railings, holes, unstable ... R has recently died and 4 teams will advance, is dehydrated and I think also very tired. When the race begins just a biathlon double what we expected for asphalt and tough, with small "mortirolos" broken-leg. 18km of the ramps are more than 15%, 2 and 2 current cycle. A just as you can, because there is only one zip (and while we retain the end we do not discounted) and kayaking, and rested a fun part of the race, but long. Leaving the kayaks and run towards goal. We have 8ens.

Day 3: RACE + + kayak + mountain bike course advskill + / skate 7h
One day short but intense and you have time. The race is on the beach, rocks, ... quickly and we look forward, we 3ers to get the bike but not quite recovered our friend R. The bike is short but full of surprises: 1st R frightens us when it collides with a pickup that he crosses the middle of the track (but rubber!, Although placed under the car only has a few scratches and bruises) are a 2nd "Mortirolo" of 20% which leaves us with "ko" and also the end of the ramp in R plays (today is out of luck!), then 2 teams will advance, and it's a shame because the kayak is close and causes we accumulate 3 teams in the transition and the beginning of the next stage (we have to wait another time without being subsidized to the equipment before entering the water and make a slalom kayak). The river is wide and start rowing easy, tie the 2 kayaks with a stretch longer than the first day (which did not work) and let the rhythm is very good (but R "desfunda" a bit) and 2 teams that have entered the river first we remove too many differences, but to get loose in the open sea boats and equipment to take us 15 minutes! The rowing course has lasted over 3 hours, but it is clear that rowing is not our strength, without making eternal! On top 3 teams will advance more and N to not knowing paddle makes R has to compensate by making the boat go fast and straight. At the end finally there is a rowing adventure skill as always catch the team in front of hm and wait for the "patosos" end activity: crossing a bamboo bridge and use the bamboo boat that left us to fix a hole in the bridge. Finally it became a race of only 5km from the hotel, combined with a 10km skate. N and I do the race, first I get to pull the rubber but the minute I realized that it can not hold my pace and put behind using such. The rollers are the B and R Remer because the ankle is still "screwed" the 1st day of trekking, but were slower than us and we have to wait more than 5 minutes to get to goal. We just 12ens the worst day!

4th day: foot race bike Mt.Kinabalu + + + kayaking advskill 7h30min
We save a lot Dora 3am to go to the 3:45 bus to the legendary mountain of Borneo, the Mt.Kinabalu over 4000m. We have over 2000m of vertical drop from 6.30 to have been eternal! I took some Pájara not eat from breakfast at 3:15 and the body is empty! Fortunately N is now plethoric and pulls us to different times me and R. At the top we get 8ens but with the summit and rappel down from over an hour to 3 teams have advanced to the bike and we 5ens much difference with the advanced, among them Montrail, that we have in front of classification within a minute and today went well we should get them a minute before goal. The downhill mountain bike nearly all of pujadetes but with some breaks, the tireless legs that helped me to B and N plethoric behind. We have pedal at a good pace, not relax, R and B & W responded helped us a lot. After the long walk and bike to 3h 1h30 'glad we got to the kayak, but also distrustful of last Montrail appearing at any time. We have an exceptional kayak, I have rowed and B as ever, even faster after the 1st dump has gone smooth as silk. No cap is as bad as ever and R has been phenomenal. 1 km to reach the end of the kayak we saw the arrival of the globe, we looked back: no. We left the boats that have accompanied us for 4 days massaging my ass, back and arms, bequeathing us their hands and bored us more of a morning. We went across a bridge from where we jumped into the water and then we run the river 500m to finish. Well happy and holding hands we come triumphant, probably for having advanced two positions overall. Today we have 5ens, the general 7ens! We can be more than happy knowing that we have not trained specifically warned at the last minute without knowing us before.

I've been good to me, is not a typical raid, but stops every day and are testing trial, with power requirements, low technical and butt every day. But with 7 hours each day was coming the resistance of each. The team went well, although sometimes I felt anger at not being able to go faster down the form of R, I think is a winning team who were strong men and women are going to whoop it up without fail in no time. N charged me a lot, talk too much and think a bit more than it is, and to raid with people not accustomed or trained in bike trek and quite well, but still lacks a long kayak!

It was a good experience because we had a happy ending because I met a raider and exceptional B.

Of course I liked in particular:
- Organization and logistics
- Place
- No support system
- Awards
- Professionalism
- Think of the corridor rather than the benefit of the organizers

Not liked:
- Circuits little too fast and technical
- Little Adventure
- Very strict rules and with little time to neutralize
- The last day we went out too Dora hotel
- The food at the end of each stage was very repetitive and not very nutritious, it was pasta!
- Lack of a stage direction
- I can not find a good girl equals a man over 50 years.
- The adventure skills have been too short and have been a cap for the teams that were not the 1st.
- Should a helicopter be medicated for emergency evacuations.
- There should be a part of powerbars powergels and some fruit in assists.

This year the EcoChallenge (EC) has developed into a tropical paradise, Fiji Islands, an archipelago in the South Pacific with more than 300 islands. An independent country since 1970 after more than 98 years as an English colony. Thanks to this influence ALL peoples, are more isolated than English as a second language, was impressive, you could communicate seamlessly with any resident Fijians in the village hidden in the jungle or in the most remote island in the ocean.
In this paradise setting this year we began a career of more than 8 days in duration, with 81 teams from 23 different nationalities. Each team consists of 4 members that at least one must be of opposite sex, BUFF-AXN our team consisted of Sergio Rodriguez, David Rovira, Jose Torres and Emma Roca. Jose is normally a part of Red Bull team raids, and 5 EC carries on his back, but this time we ask you to come with us and accepted.
Mark Burnett, the organizer of the EC, warned us that this year would be different, that it would not repeat the quick raid 4-5 days last year in New Zealand, this year the EC would be a real Raid Expedition.
Each team before you had to prepare several packages that led to the organization: a package with MTB + food for 2-4 days + bike clothing, one rowing, the other with an inflatable boat (called packraft) + meal for 2 -4 days + water, another with personal clothes + food + different material (called gear box). We had no information on the race, or stages, or distances, or maps, we could not make any strategy to prepare packages for the organization because we lack much information. We just knew we had to be in front of the hotel where we stayed on day 10 at 22 pm, to go where the next morning would start the race. And the raid and started that night because we had 10 hours on buses on roads Fijians steep, winding, not sleeping, not eating and barely fit into the narrow seats they were. We arrived at 8 am on day 11 in the town of "Navucini" shredded, with a square back and sleepy.
After all the honors received by the Fijians and the presentation of each team, Mark gave us a few instructions, the map to reach the next point and warnings about personal safety and orientation at night. At 9 in the morning he was leaving the EC 2002.

1st stage: Trekking + + trekking bilibili
We trace a stream for an hour to get into a forest that leads to the village where we started building Saumakia with our machetes a "bilibili" a rai of bamboo and cord which formerly served as a means of transportation on the river Wainimala. A PC2 he arrived first, but it's only been running 2 hours. We seem authentic expedition, and in less than 1h we have assembled for 11 am the boat on the river with us, more than 40km of river with bamboo as a single oar. When we took over 5h in the "bilibili" we see that we do not move and improvise a paddle in bamboo sticking Petzl helmets bearing holes (bring them up as a binding material) greatly improves speed. At ten p.m. and hateful left the boat to continue overnight trek in the jungle and sleepless. This walk is accompanied by the rise of the river and falling Sovi a ravine which leaves us dry socks, feet wet and take hours no one to dry! at 7pm we arrived at the bike, it is night, we took 36 hours non-stop and finally we find dry clothes and food. During the night we lost a bit in the jungle and bilibili was heavy and slow (interestingly not many teams we have played some American green bamboo and heavy), but we are at the top of the sixth race and unless we the first 2h. We slept 3 hours.

Step 2: MTB + + inflatable canoe trekking
When we get seem new and unused and we started with 12 bikes at night from the people Waivaka energetic. We make the best partial paths and keep ahead of the fifth team. More over the bike 9h leads to whitewater kayak, but we have to walk more than an hour by a dirt track with the sun boiling attacked us at 10 am. The inflatable kayak is a boat handy and fun individual who gives us the first stage of pleasure in the 3rd day of race: 4 hours of navigation will be individual Navua river laughing and resting your feet and legs were broken. Passing the few peoples that are near the shore where people ask us (speak perfect English) and some leads peeled fruit and coconut milk to the canoe and water to the neck! kindness is amazing. The joy of the stage just feet soon and return to action. Will be more than 10h hours jungle walk, crossing rivers (or not) with weight in the back and skin-deep weariness. It's nine o'clock at night, we got half a village where sleepwalkers are sleeping we report the first 4 teams: Spie (France), Nokia (Finland), Montrail (USA) and Mazda (South Africa). Do not fall into the temptation to continue and go for the first time since the first body is more tired and is now when you need sleep. Rested for 2 hours. They look like 5 minutes fly by!

Step 3: + strings + trekking trekking, swimming
When we got up we say they have already gone before the 4 teams but we do not get nervous, we get into the jungle by a narrow path marked but complicated. At 5 hours we found a second village and surprisingly 3 teams before returning to be asleep!, Here we do not continue in his sleep and night trekking, we just have to front the American team Montrail. The day he wakes up and the light, spirits are at 100x100, is the 4th day of the race and continue ahead. A few hours after sunrise catch us from behind Nokia and Spie, we all together to hunt the first team. I've been sore legs for wearing the same clothes on a wet and unemployed people to seek a sarong, seem more rare than a pink cat. Just 200m from a waterfall that must be overcome by strings (with ascenders, helmets, harnesses up ,...) we have a river full of huge blocks of stone. Start the war: the three teams accelerate the first step towards the ropes and take the 4 lines set up by the organization. It is stressful and we finally got the first ascent us. Vuwa Waterfalls receive us with enough water and not to leave the tonic we mojándonos. Reaching the ropes 1st gives us an advantage over half an hour about the equipment back and used to accelerate a bit and come over as soon as the next CP. To do this we have to swim, walk on mud and almost desperate to move along the river that creates the waterfalls we climbed. Each stage is endless, harsh and inhumane conditions (wet, cold, hungry, sleepy, tired ...). We arrived at Packraft, a CP with food, new socks and inflatable raft to trace individual to serve another river of the many that exist on this island "aquatic". When we arrived at CP Montrail just left, we moved quickly before dark and went out to less than 30 minutes early. at 2 o'clock to ascend the river above what it would look a little boat inflatable child (packraft) we meet with the Americans looking for the creek that we must continue on foot. Between the two teams will look and just getting dark when we found, bingo! Fold each one of us our "small boats" and we start to walk, and not by water, following a creek at night with a few backpacks that weigh more than 10kg now each. The dream haunts us, water bores and encouragement we leave off (still and go first!). 5h are walking through a mud, logs and water that leaves us exhausted, both the Americans and us. Just when the stream begins just not open a path through the jungle we have to use the machete, then decided to stop, remove the awning material required and we expect them to be other teams that opened the path or is made the day. Montrail also. Slept 5 hours!

Stage 4: trekking
While resting our bodies and brains is a new team to fight in the first place: GoLite American, but decided to go hear is them who find their way, and so, when we get up 2 hours later at 5min following the path to achieve them that have opened are left speechless. Soon after we board the team behind Mazda. 4 teams we're back in the fight for the head. Finally we left the jungle and we are odious a track, trail, river, ... people going through a dream: the people are so friendly ... We look forward with impressive food stalls, without wanting anything in return, just our mere presence. We found bananas, mangos, coconut milk, pancakes, fried meat, potatoes, lemonade, ... seems an appearance after 5 days lead-based energy bars, freeze-dried, water and salts. We entered and it is great and because we expected a lower 10h trekking the unbearable heat of the sun and a drop a little spicy. At this stage other foot before reaching the bikes accelerate the pace (5h had slept over the other teams) and choose the right path by taking over 5 hours to seconds. We surprised a prominent and Navy, where people start cycling stage. Already more than 9 in the evening. 1h and half asleep.

Stage 5: MTB + trekking + rappel + sea kayak
We do not know when the second (we learned later), but we decided to rest assured that is a tough mountain bike stage. When we get has not yet reached the second computer, it encourages us. The MTB-depth we do, we are well! then we say that we have also done the best part, I guess because they are motivated in first place and making it half the night (more cool and pleasant). Korobebe reached the village, people are delighted with our arrival and the organization encourages us why we are becoming more hours chasing pack. The trek that continues, it becomes a little stressful, long and hot. David increasingly sore feet, but is making good progress. To finish bore bamboo jungle 1h it give us an open path with a machete and reaching the last rappel waterfalls, the Falls Sauvione. We are so tired we do not have the strength to get well the descender to the rope, but they help us and everything seems easier. From these falls see the sea, we are encouraged! After rappelling cliff is 1h. We went fast and focused. At the end of this "little" hiatus water (there has been no drop in the entire raid ...) we went down a track that will lead us to the sea, the city of Lautoka, and we were shocked when we drive and we collected lead directly to the sea kayak, a surprise reason for not further lengthen the race. This time in the car immediately eat and sleep when we wake up sleeping seems to only have 5 minutes and 1 hour has passed!
The sea kayak awaits us, it took more than 1h to organize it all, look at maps and change clothes for the first time we see our personal belongings! I can finally change my pants, underwear, socks ... We are running 6 days. Too hard, there are still 120km sea kayak, and other surprises we do not know yet. We left just after dark, people from the beach, we fired euphoric. We are too. When the night is more dense, dark and deep sleep is inevitable, so hard to stay awake! impossible! so that the kayak is double and the pair hit awakens you spade for conversation, I scream, you get wet, ... prevents the kayak from sinking due to poor rowing. It's already 3 am when we reached our last PC, there is an impressive wave outrageous costs us closer to shore. When the sand floor start to mourn for the tension built up during the night with the wind and waves up to 3 meters (a dark, tired, hungry and sleepy all looks worse than it really can be). We are tired of rowing and decided to stop to sleep an hour. Round I fall into bed, covered with a blanket and happy to be on land.

Stage 6: sea kayak trekking +
We woke up at 5 am, the second team is away, we know not how many hours (after 7 hours we knew that). David gets up and sees he can not do any step, your feet are completely infected and swollen, develops a fever and the pain is unbearable. We were white, can not walk! later we were told at the hospital in Nadi that David caught an infection from a bacterium found in the waters of the island and needed 3 days of immobilization in 14 days of antibiotic. After waiting over 5 hours to see how it evolves, we see that it gets worse, are the second and third team. We despair, we started to mourn and decided to leave broken-hearted. Health comes first and can not do anything to respect. If there had been only paddle would be no problem, but ahead of us over 13 hours trekking around the island and then back to target in sea kayak (10 hours).

The dawn of the seventh day was the hardest of all, especially when you first highlight, but the raids are like that, the sport is, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose and more in a raid there are so many variables at play that you never know if you can fail. On this occasion a medical problem we won the title, but not the confidence to be among the best and winning 2 of the 4 disciplines of the Eco Challenge. We won the discipline of MTB and trekking, both longer than the 4 that had (and whitewater kayak sea kayak). We are left with the sour taste of the competition but proud of the role performed. Seagate won the New Zealand made a dramatic comeback from sixth position, followed by GoLite American and Australia's Pacific Air also rallied from seventh position. They finished just 10 of the 81 teams that started the race and was named as the most difficult made to date. Hopefully next year the Eco Challenge because it is tender and true survivors were found and the next I do not know that you can find if not more affordable. Sometimes you think because they punish both the body and finish a competition as the limit, is not an answer. Masochism ¿? ¿Spirit of personal? search limits? a little of everything and nothing in particular. Is it a philosophy of life to taste a few, crazy? can.

The longest race ever made, non-stop with more than 1000km long.
Days before: a cluster of work to do between materials, food, maps, GPS, ... all the hours we can take advantage of dedicated only to organize it, are the worst days of the race, and in addition you get a sick of eating, sleeping and talking, the body takes pounds and laziness ... The city is a real chaos, with excessive noise from the horns of cars and motorcycles. Crossing the streets is a test of skill and risk in the hands of a few Europeans. There are so many people walking the streets, bicycle, motorcycle, car, that an ant would suffer stress.
Day 27: The raid began at 1300 Bac Ha, playing with the Chinese border. M'emprenya begins at noon because you lose hours of light and very hot. The women dress with red, orange, yellow and blue fluorescence are due to fry! have also involved the legs and head. The boys with a kind of black velvet that there must still make more heat. In the daylight hours but are not on the street without an umbrella (as in could have bought one!). We well covered with sunscreen to burst start slowly for the first 100km of trekking. Many teams like Buff, Ertips, Ema, Eider, Spies, start running, I think it's crazy. The heat attacks and begins to make the long trek, starting at 4am for the P to be changed socks, wearing silkskinz and have caused injury to the toes. I also bring these socks but when I was fine but the left ankle as a result of a twist from the previous day, is weak and because I have been twisted several times and makes me very badly, I walk more concentrated than never do the gesture of pain. The Jeff comes with a camera around with us in the organization. Soon to begin the trek, we find the Spies team, with its latest addition due to an accident of one of its members outside the hotel, a very tired and Vietnamese dead on the floor, dehydrated and heat stroke (start too fast). And with it comes the night by a storm in less than 30 minutes remain completely soaked and I'm bold as it tremble. At about 12pm we decided to stop sleeping in a house beside the road. Now the real raid is starting! The family of grandparents there wakes up (the Vietnamese were to sleep a maximum at 10 and is removed with the first hours of light, 5am), leaves his bed and we are preparing a green tea (typical Vietnam and after all I could see). Eat the food freeze-dried when it comes to the door Buff, but the house is small and go looking for another (Snif), we totally change of clothes (in a thermal spent parts completely dry) and will stretch over a few rods Bamboo heights of land (the bamboo used for everything!: pipes, roof, walls, floor, bed, props, ...). I can sleep much myself, I'm middle of the gm and R very close, the woman of the house a minute to stretch us and we will look for a blanket to cover all as a mother. In the subconscious because we are deeply grateful.

Day 28: At 3am the alarm sounds, the first thing I notice is the crotch scalding, what guidance shit pants! I wear a cream but so far I have left is the chip that would be phenomenal. At a time when I'm ready and I hope (which I have to do quite often thereafter) Camelback fill them. We started the trek with wet clothes before the storm at a time but once again becomes dry, which heat the 4am! When you get to day control of where to cross a river pretty pissed at the Ertips 1h30min have to stop and not far from there, then we see that 3ers. The trek continues along a river that makes me endless time ago that I put my pants red heat (very sexy) because the pain is unbearable scalded, but I sold some older and every 2x3 I ' ls I have to go up. I am sick hurts the entire body, especially the feet and ankle, and also fall asleep. What disaster early! I ask a GM to anti-inflammatory and seems that after a while I find better. The ankle I have quite made the powder was twisted several times and I do not like is inflating (what bad luck! Watch it bend it to me just before taking the plane!). We are at the Lapin Kult and later move to Nokia with whom we most abominable and unending trail of 15km before finding the bike. The neck where we stopped to make a cocacola I would have changed the socks and had been much better. But I with hiking pants with the legs covered with wounds Gasser and boil it with your feet and make a horrible evil! I get tears in the middle mountain bike with all the photographers overwhelming. When I remove the socks out the boiling water and feet are white, wrinkled, yellow nails and plants Socarrimada! We stayed an hour to eat and rest, Nokia launched, reaches Lapin and Buff. We also finally leave, but just when the download stop at a village to a rice (as fast as I can to understand). We made the night on the mountain bike and we have to make a mountain pass shorter than we thought and to 11pm just 95km from the pedal. We decided to stop us sleep between 1am to control pockets of the bikes of other teams, because there are still hours to get assistance.
Day 29: We wake up at 12pm and we set up the 12km trek to the canoes. We re-joined the Jeff, is a tired laugh, keeps tripping the camera to take good plans, I suffer much by his ankles because I have made the dust! Drop down to the river I fall asleep very, P also with me. As always full of rain and we paste. Feet hurt me, it seems as if tread on fire (and will be a feeling that arrossegaré entire career, as I believe them to me I trek to the first scorched). Finally we come to the canoes, the GM of inflation, the P talks with the press, and other prepared food warm. We are 45min before we start. A canoe and P 2 with PM and with the other three. I take 20min and sleep, but the canoe moves a lot and I find it difficult. We take turns sleeping while the other turns. At about 11am just 70km from the canoe and only 2 km separate us from the support! we very happy in 5th position, Nokia is still asleep. It is very hot, I m'angoixo much, just eat less and sleep (I just think that after I spend with her during the raid and now can not be! Also feel reaching Buff without being true), the The team as always is delayed by even leave 30min later than scheduled time, the P has to heal the foot when we had to leave! (I find that they must heal before but there you go!). I also liked the doctor very overwhelmed because I did not cure the crotch and makes me the "tapping" the ankle because I think it's too late! (Also anxiety that comes close is Buff and all time lost is time they come, and we lose a lot further to go!). 50km mountain bike to start on dirt roads that make me smile again and enjoy the bike, I am strong and I am in front of the R, I call that slows the pace but if it were not for me would stop! In a cross section of a mighty river with a small platform of reeds; fun. The bike's just getting dark when just a smile. A laugh that quickly breaks down when we call the "boudriers" for the zip line that follows, with the assistance they thought? which birds were after? It makes us angry and we know that a penalty is a serious, fortunately we do not make us leave them and return assistance to 8h of hiking there. do the zip line and the bridge with Tibetan Morros and thinking how many hours we can fall (later know that 5!). after the string section begins a trek with a difficult target to increase between wet rocks, slippery and water that makes the night a great penance. We are in the wrong way to go and wander around lost 2 hours to finally find the cp and with assistance from local people before. I while ago that I sleep on one that I die ... 2 hours later we decided to stop at a house that we open the doors, there are several dogs that emprenyadors not know that they had done and where only one species platform for me to stretch myself exhausted, without food. I fall asleep at once from the deafening noise of the frogs around 45min and I wake up with cold, I take the thermal blanket, I come to Pennsylvania and dogs barking all bad given birth! I prepare a lyophilized and I hope others will wake up.
Day 30: 3am when they are already starting to walk again, a harmless trek of 50 km that is proving to be forever a much complicated, many paths that do not appear on the map and contours that can not be interpreted. At 5am the day is long as going down a path that leads to a great people. I'm very funny as the houses were coming from the Vietnamese girls and boys go to school for the great nation that is more than an hour walk! We bring together children of all ages and just put behind us as if we were the Pied Piper of Merlin, and every time we turn, especially the PM put that smile as descosits. We accompany them almost 2 hours and arrive at school but we continue, let me cross a river's feet as new, still feel it boiling and we stopped to eat a little, as long as the P and PM takes a lot and lose about 35min. Finally we end the "harmless" trek along a trail "as" and find local Samsa canoes that lie ahead. We miraculously quick transition and we are on the bamboo platform, balancing weights, and I prepared some food, some also take the opportunity to sleep and let the current take us down, we passed a large gap between the mountains and to my surprise happiness of the ordinary just because we happen to back up the 12km of river upstream cp, this poor boat! The lean as we move forward or not the three, but when you finally reach the cp is already dark, we have an average of 3 km per hour and have been 21km of local canoe! This cp penalize us 1h 30min But we are, as I always put my nerves because often I think that Buff is about to arrive, if it is he who Lapin is also longer stop and get off at before they make the trek. The first 60km stretch of track that is sold as usual, but the Jeff joins us again and a very nice children we will laugh a while. A section that we feel a river in a town that sell the Finns to turn off front and back so you do not have the means to the good way too easy. Je, like child's play. We decided to stop walking and sleeping in houses that are just before a climb that goes into the jungle. As always sinks several times at the door (the Vietnamese have are strong) and then open up giving us his bed and green tea. We stop and I sleep a total of 2 hours of fable, now every time I sleep better and I take 100% of hours of rest.
Day 1: at 2am we walk, how weird is not it? And we paste a 30min storm deunidó, I just talk to people making noise and moving trees. The forest becomes a pool that seemed harmless, slippery with mud and water and rivers full of leeches! ECS! The GM at a time is 6 to leg, clammy are some things that slip everywhere and have no compassion for the penitent raid. How long after the storm depths as fish are left but the heat makes us dried, but afternoon, I grab cold and I put the blanket on for survival and something done. When we are doing the day after a local cp and help us find the path that climbs up, up to the next. As always end up with endless track, feet and tempers boiled fell. The team itself is a little touched, and feet are all wrong. Finally we reached the mountain bike and the first thing I do is soak your feet in the river, the other with the help of Jeff blisters heal a little, I currently do not have no one, but if I scalded the feet. Leave on for 50 km mountain bike, the first 20 are very fun narrow trails and crossing streams, where a P falls and s'emprenya because the hope there is some tension in the team, I guess there are tired and sore feet. It flies the bike, like the others, and we fosquegi 30min before the canoe, life time to build a catamaran with bamboo. While riding the canoes take shopping rice, bread and cookies for the long canoe 30km. At 6pm we started the canoe, they prepare the food, but decided to put out the little light that is all "butt", the PM barely put the paddle into the water and the GM is desperate. When you eat a little dark, I accidentally spilled the cocacola m'emprenyo and pretty (as becomes important at times when a mere cocacola was tired) and looking at remem not hit anything, GM and P After a while to get put to good powerful lights in the town and see where we are better. Son of a 40km canoe for a quiet river, with some current and 2130 come to the assistance 2, 1 hour ahead of schedule. This night, so this support is nice, eat well, I do not like to shower first, I just cleaned over and quickly put me to sleep. 3 hours sleep and therefore we 4h assistance.
Day 2: leaving care at almost 2am, very lively and keen to accelerate the pace, but suddenly to be walking when the P starts to go slower, stops, is not good. At 2am I vomit all the support and remove water, dust is so made that we decided to stop sleeping in a house 50 meters away from the path pral. It is a very small bamboo house, sleeping with the cattle down and a couple with a child sleeping upstairs. As always wake up the staff, this time at 4 in the morning and kindness past is present: we give her space, woman and child go to another house (at that time I did not see, but I I realized the next day and was too tired atordida). At 6am I wake up nervous and watching the raid is slipping away, I emprenyada, now had the worst! What anger, I can not sleep. I ask the man of the house if you can make rice and begin to experience one of the most beautiful of the raid: he tells me good morning, gives me a tea, tell me where is the toilet, all with signs. I sit beside him for a while and are still, silent, living the moment, then he begins to prepare the rice for him to repeat it before you remove the other. Around 6:30 the mother with the child reaches about 7 years old, come with food of the people. While the man cleaning the rice several times and then boiled with little water, the woman manages things from home, greets me and see all that we, especially the maps, with which we dwell for a while. Then the man took a knife and has low down on the chickens, and kills a woman from the top gives the pan of hot water. All they do with a naturalness and simplicity that surprises me, I am captivated by the whole scene! while women just rice and chicken husband were friends of the people coming to see us, who are these newcomers? Getting dressed! They are very white! The very funny and we are looking at our feet and we are surprised that as we continue walking. It removed the fellow, but P is still quite zombie, you start to see really bad, I despair a little but there is good company to minimize. We eat chicken fried rice accompanied by 10 new arrivals. The P almost does not prove anything, I'm a little take-in a bag after you hungry. Seals of that fabulous hospitality at 8 o'clock, they give 200,000 dong, but do not want to leave them in your pocket, the sun sink, I and P as zombie nervous. The first 10min spent a good pace, but then P decreases to the toilet, and no longer move or the three. At the moment arrives Lapin, imagine how we had left behind with the times we had lost to P. come to control us and wonder how he sees and says if we pay P but Q himself said proceeding, or half an hour ago when we stopped to control Q and for all, there is a house with tiles blue tiled floor and all of it offered by your bed so lie on Q, and there is. A return to the GM and control that P leaves and later the PM to find a motorbike. Then we sit, talk and decide to continue, we have passed the worst! Worth over! For the sponsor, for us, for the movie, because if we do not like oysters bored, and wanted to know what is the route of the famous Halong Bay. Let P crying, I also want m'entren with an overwhelming Calo throw up the mountain. After a while when we have a village where the road construction which makes walking difficult and also makes an unbearable heat, the Jeff unites us down a very happy and very red truck! Take a fast-paced and never stop, we passed forest (the only door Jeff silkskinz socks and black shorts and a tired laugh, the local remain impressed, that this is Tarzan?), Where we need to neck water, hanging houses to the forest where the wood work (a beautiful dark brown wood), a trialera of large rocks and wet it becomes very difficult to go fast, and just as dusk come to the village where the control before but stop sign in a well of water to refresh us, laugh with the locals, stop at a bar in a beer (which are already suffering the m'atacarà at night is already over), and finally we control. Here we took leave of Jeff, we've had a great time with him. The night attacks and are also the PM believes the "boss" of the fleet and continues to talk and send me starts to load very, lucky that the GM is on my side and we put together both the walking Sea well. I see that he too falls asleep and decided to start conversation because if we do evil, the path is narrow and full of rocks, and I am speaking of her daughter Manu, the love that we are well, and so we pass the without realizing that while we are on track to reach the cave. Now the PM and R are dead sleep, while we let "the juice". All of this night was amazing, full of people waiting for people, many of the morning, allowing us to guide and going over from one town to another, great! We arrived at 11pm the previous control rooms of the cave and tell us that we do there boudriers penalty of 5 hours. We decided to sleep, eat, do Rons ... and 4am the alarm sounds.
Day 3: We wake up perfectly, we slept more than ever. Buff is also sleeping, I'm glad for them, were very well classified. I am waiting forever finally left for the cave, accompanied us on camera in the organization. enter into very dark at night and see that huge, full of Bat fun and uncomplicated, a step with plenty of water, a small Tibetan bridge, was the first ... pm in front but so slow that I get nervous, the advance and bring me the baton. On the tv occasionally calls me to stop or slow down the pace so you can record something together! GM is behind me no problems. After an hour we left the light of day, how beautiful! I think. When we arrived back we are in control Buff, I am super excited and happy I 5min with them, I tired but encouraged, to David's embrace and we kissed, I put goose bumps, I am more happy to find it! This encourages me and saddens me when I turn on my computer, what can we do! To our joy and feet take the bike to get assistance. 85km we expect that will be heavier than we think. First start with a very nice track but then breaks down to make way for an endless Ruvé Paris-where to find a small piece without stones is impossible! Luck of the double suspension mountain bike! But with the backpack on the back is a little unbearable. The PM is tired, slow and more s'estimba crossing a river to me and to others makes him very funny but nothing is quiet, nervous and tense. After 5 hours we arrived at some endless assistance with one inhuman, the same as the 1st attendance. We showers, fix the bags to my surprise (and after discussing it also GM) there is nothing to eat, the B improvise some Chinese noodles, and sleep, but suddenly starts to rain, so that almost removed the whole camp! It rains but it cools, moisture increases more and more unbearable. I can hardly sleep, not because they are having, but the heat. Buff comes and I see quite proud, I am with them for a while and then I eat something at the bar of the camp, where I think I put dog! But I hope that duck skin is brownish, harder than the meat of the chicken more flavorful and darker). When I finish I'm ready to leave and the other three never ends, I am desperate because I wanted to bike the day and may not be, it takes 1 hour more than necessary to finish and we are in total about 5 hours assistance . reach the canoe after walking 2km under one killer, and our happiness with the 17km there were replaced by local canoe inflatable canoe as it sank, long live! We will go faster! I'm with both R and M together, leaving little to discuss as we look to the R and laugh. The canoe is faster than we expected and we reached the quarter-6pm mountain bike, we aim to make the most of the light, as always waiting for the PM, and output to a track pral. is not easy and I are wrong, it's lucky day! I think, and they come to waste time in attendance! PM falls on the mountain bike to pedal could not get the time and s'emprenya like a monkey, we look the other coast and we hold ourselves laughing. being done at night and I curse because I do not like cycling first and second night we are going to a place that Pimp so stop to appreciate its beauty! Luckily not a paved road as the last bike and get to the end of the control cycle crossing rivers of all sizes with a few stones on the roads and stopping in a ditch 15 minutes to rest a bit and we do not sleep on the bike that is very dangerous. This time they stop to let ko GM's insistence that the PM will not let me hoarse as sleep! Take and eat a little. When we get to control the Lepin sleeping, the two Englishmen have destroyed my feet! Anna, the English is very nice, I like very well. Left before them (as I despair / I as I am to wait, increasingly, is a senile dementia is increasing!), But now when looking for a house to sleep, we fall to sleep . Piquer strong as ever at the door until you wake up and offer his bed again, this time no one is sleeping on the floor and we all cross the sea of well (because I am always playing with me! Hope not snore too! Neither I noticed, I fall fulminada). Son of 12pm.
Day 4: We get up at 2am, even with his body, unlike other raid I have muscle pain, it hurts a lot if I have nothing but sleep. I wonder ... has been the rule, as always, I advance without notice, what crap! Luckily I tampax and a few hours but then I can go shooting I'll have to look urgently included! And where?? If you're in the middle of the mountain? Women should be! We go a long way right, I do not happen to me nothing more than a freeze-dried food, and the last thing I have more Poulet curry, a bad taste in my mouth that is not me I draw a good time. The counselors are already tired of so many days, must be vigilant all the time maps and also if they are ignored and not have to miss, but tonight a way to have jumped Esguerra and for the second time we lost a major (the first 2 h after the zip line and now of 45min), we will roll downhill to rectify having risen very high, very angry but you have to accept (the Ertips end we realize that that was the first mistake here also losing the first place, and also lost Buff 1h). is the day and my feet never stop moving, we get after stepping stone wet forest and many leaves in a rise endless since we have raised in an atmosphere of fog, there are a lot of trash on the floor, how strange so high! But then you see a Buddhist temple on top of the mountain as we climbed, packed with pilgrims of all ages with a fog so thick that provides a unique environment in mysticism. After we see that cp 5ens, Lapin has not happened, even to sleep before the climb, and we warn that there is a hellish descent of stairs over 1000m of altitude. I despair for my female problems ask seller a beverage that is in the middle of the download if you have understood, but I do not know how to understand me and say flax is! My wife and my salvation! You do not know enough to let me relax. Follow down and feet above the PM noticed that his legs hurt and also of R, the GM and I go down over the last relaxation, amazing women with Vietnamese grandmothers to rise, not tenable or right and scales that are ahead are endless! Few men, but in gral. many people up. When we look down from the many souvenir shops for tourists pilgrims a frozen delight that very happily. We forward a bit and see many people looking at PM, we get worried and see who is sleeping like a log sitting on a fence. We pixem laugh. Follow the trek and we lost track a bit down but to recover it once the bike ... the sun and I feel it sink a foot burning as always let me baldada, stop in and eat a delicious cp "wild fruit yogurt avec" and a gift of the many pens that I have on the children to find the path, first select the color blue. We arrived at noon and the sun is so strong that we are taking Dehydrating and heat stroke, desperately looking for somewhere to rest and hide us from the deadly sun. Ask a local for the people and closer to a cocacola and leads directly to his house, and GM PM s'emprenya despair, R followed the local people did not go to close, but then comes home to a local super cool and the GM take a motorcycle in search of fresh beer and cocacola. Everything that follows is the second best experience with local: while we wait for the GM as we talk with them and teach us a well which miraculously comes out very cold and clear water, amazing for a moment, the truth is moments that are unique, small details like the cold water by dropping a hot neck, creating great sensations. We pull into mats that are typical to all the houses (made of straw and plastic), I fall asleep only 5min but it seems an eternity and feel of fable, the people of the house while he prepared rice and invite as green tea. GM is coming with the bike and the local (reminds me of a heavy, has a genuine super grenyes), is delighted, enjoyed it pipe, takes cocaine, beer bread and a dessert of sugar. Lunch and kings, accompanied by about 10 people including a soldier. We take some pictures there and take the address to send them from home. We say goodbye and face completely renovated since the last hike of 65km trek is that we are already finished. The only attack us but we are already quite refreshed. The day continues and eventually come to the city that leads to full sea kayak at 5pm, we have gone through all mines where the miners when they take off their "supermotos" well down the Black River the valley to wash in water that is already quite black. The GM will do more harm than ever to his feet and sees the black river to get to where you begin kayaking, I'm the best that I am trying to find four ice cream to encourage them a bit monotonous by the way that leads to the of water. but can not get to find them, after a while we bring a girls bike and give us a plastic bag, and the lame ... is full of ice cream! We are left speechless! The wonder is that they owe me and they say nothing, then consider the Vietnamese hospitality and sympathy in the most exponential, are outstanding (not opinion is the same in Hanoi, where tourism has damaged the sensitivity and kindness Vietnamese .) Delight the ice and for a moment forget the sore feet. At about 6pm. reach the kayak, the first is that we all "walk is over! Feet rest!" but then we ask "how many hours of kayaking we play?" and ask the first team there has completed the 120km in 16h (Eider), patience! Afternoons in 1h30min completed and while the whole issue comes Buff (I'm very excited to see them, have advanced the Lapin and are very animated, I eat them because the fine has not there - at the end explains that the driver did not stop in time to make sandwiches in the control-and superanimats before we leave). We very calmly, as always on my mind too, I think once we get started the sooner finished better! Finally at 7 o'clock we go, I and R and M both together (perill!). Soon to paddle to catch Buff, not too fast, and 2 million have problems with a large ship (which we take fright all). In two hours of paddling we can no longer sleep over that attack and the kayak becomes even more unbearable, as the monotonous movement and night to make a cocktail Somnífero total fatigue. Buff 30min ago it stopped and we are looking for a beach stop, we find the cost a bit but finally found a place acceptable. With the kayak is very uncomfortable to sleep, because everything is wet, cold and tends to the ground is very hard. When I'm fully awake we are a local violently do not know what they want, but I'm scared of dead sleep, quickly rises and GM to talk to them, I go back to sleep right away (after telling me that premises were very angry because we were sleeping on the beach and not at home, and perhaps seeking our money and material, the GM took tea with them to explain what he did and that in two hours and there would marxàvem a survival blanket, so they left him a typical sleeping mat).
Day 5: We wake up at 2am and still the monotonous paddling a river that has no charm (also at night) and two hours later as we go back to sleep, we decided to control and stop 1h addition, these that stretched in a disgusting paved platform next to a boat that sells fish and makes a noise quite unbearable, Buff gets, the more guys that are burned in the "princess", oh David, I would like at this time and everywhere else we have come across change team! Lepin leave the newcomer to the control (bad, because the Finns are animated at once!). I chose to sleep, but there is a dog who plays both the barn barking in the distance makes me get up and get some stones to attack him emprenyada well. I seem to shut up and get some sleep, sleep and other marmots! We get up when it is day and not want to change the rowing, it becomes more enjoyable and therefore fall asleep. The 2 M do not know what to discuss and R and I laugh, then we see that the GM has closed the tap and rema conversation slowly and silently behind the PM, in the wrong direction in some follow in a storm in the open sea (as we left the river) and R jumps and grabs the baton of the situation, after a while because we are the famous Halong Bay. It is impressive, dozens of small mountains that appear suddenly in the sea while climbing escarpadament set foot on any visitor, the stone is very abrasive and tide raises the water level in just 6 hours an alarmingly. People who live moves ships (except of course the tourist), fishing, eating and trades on the water. everything is different, exotic and beautiful, the number of small mountains that are becoming all the Bay in a maze where we map the fate of the controls, though, are each about 4 hours each control. The sun attacks but leaves us a break from time to time in the clouds. In a control, we find that just goes to Buff, we decided to eat ham and whip of France and the rest we still give you the control that does not say that, also take an energy drink made of ginseng for I fall asleep and see if the truth is that the remaining 7 hours just like a rose, I guess that also influences the desire to finish. At 1730 we arrived in the harbor of Cat Ba (after a last pixada emergency on the 2 kayaks), a real fishing port, a poor little "shabby" but with the charm of the sea everywhere. On arrival off the feeling is of finally being able to sleep, there is physical but psychological fatigue, running not qualify you tired at the end, as also suffer. David had hoped, but has left the hotel, I tired and not knowing what time we arrived, but there are all the team, press, Eider, and others, all clapping and happy that just this Raid Gauloises 2002. Even Bruno's friend, Mai, her husband and her friend with a tray of fruit splendid fruit that we fulminate. Without much hope we get to the hotel, I shower (I have that feeling of pleasure that always accompanies me when I do a raid and the first shower in many days) and m'estiro to bed. Is the most desired sleep incessantly, and with David in bed next!. Before the hotel but escaped to a rice buffer. They are very happy and his 6th place at the end Lapin Kult has 5 (1 Eider, 2nd Nokia Ertips 3rd, 4th Pharallax).
Day 6: I get up at 8 after sleeping 12h non-stop, I am fine but a bit depressed by the result of our team. Fine with lunch and then I go with the team and the TV cameras with a beautiful wooden boat for the Halong Bay, a great day, looking to get more than 10 teams and choosing fresh fish, well, alive, and then boat cooking it. A wonderful day that I thought not before.
GUSTAS ME YOU? TO MAKE A Voyager ?????? What time are my heart ... ... ..
An attempt to raid but frustrated with unique experiences and in the raid that make you fill the hole a little more experience of life itself. Too bad but it has to suffer so much. I do not know if I still wanted to do another one of these features, but what they know is that I want to run with either choice.

Just arrived in Sao Paulo as we receive the suffocating heat that accompany all other days. Santarem, a fishing village north of the country welcomed us to begin the raid. It seemed an Ecuador, with shops very simple, unpaved streets, people are barefoot, but fairly clean. It was not a tourist, and noticed, people do not bother you but you looked curious. The hotel where we were, the Amazon Park was like the Yak and Yeti Nepali, when they found out is a very different reality to the hotel, where there was even air conditioning in the rooms! I went to buy some pants and shirt in the village, but was so "Quico" everything that I did not find any weight.
4am Sunday: begin moving towards the exit: 4h 15min bus + boat, sleep on it and experience as you navigate in large hammocks stretched cotton. It will reach you but not to disturb parents move from one place to another. All 4 rest after 2 days of pre-competition stress with preparation of material, maps, acclimatization, ... 2 days always like to save. Pascal Michel, Dom and I have started a raid that do not have any idea of good and bad that we provide.
Start: 300m swim Tapajo a tributary of the river, do not have all the waters are completely brown and I know that there can be any type of animal not identified (ANI). With shoes, backpack and xaleco it swims better than I thought, but m'apreto xaleco well and makes me a wound to the chin (1st brand that will reach many ...). then take "local canoes," some old wooden boat with a sail and very low to be going all the while removing water (to finish the race tell us that not all computers have the same boats and therefore did not suffer the problems we had ourselves!). We begin the 12 km crossing of the Amazon (its width), at first everything is going well until a wave does get more water we can draw, Pascal called "the water" and jump scared (I am a heavy blow to the leg with the edge of the canoe  hematoma in quadriceps ...). Only the candle stands, and we taking away from the water to bring back the waves. At first we thought that we must return to shore to empty it and the race is slipping away because your hands are far from land. But with patience and praying that the waves we leave in time to empty the boat, we can recover it!, While from within the water of the Amazon do not have any, but I know there are piranhas do not know how many! Back onto the boat after losing more than 30 minutes and after a while we go back to the same, so we decided to let one of us in the water (weigh too much!) Until the boat leaves area driven wave. In Michel, after soaking up a long time up to the boat and we put ourselves right then to minimize the entry of water. Let's smooth sailing and suddenly jumps ANI some on our side, we do not see it and scare us, the latter again is a huge dolphin! It's great just to see it was worth having in the boat. We had left the 3ers of CP2 and CP3 to reach the 25th, 1 hour after the first but glad to have arrived! (Not very clear when seen swimming the river minutes before).
Start a "patejada" 8-hour introduces us to the full heat of Brazil, pfiu! We pass dry lakes, beaches and eternal paradise, stuffed crocodiles and fish in the sand, forests full of moss hanging from tree trunks on the ground, with leaves hanging ... many advance teams to bring a good rate (we are playing down to earth and we like it!). Before reaching CP4 we crossed a river at night, what makes me funny! But there are more teams and I hope I was not chosen by ANI. Before entering the water sit for me either tie the material, and suddenly a small brown snake begins to go up the leg. A guy from another team takes me and says it is poisonous!
CP4 is the food, drinks and our boxes of the bike. We put them to ride with the energy of Michael and I are ready in 20min. Let's 13th, but Pascal is not good, has great stomach problems, possibly a virus, does not accept food or drink. We do not know if it can continue. Saddens me. After waiting more than 1h30min decide to continue, but not all have. We expect 80-km mountain bike at night and on the main track with lots of sandy beach. Once we did not in P 1 hour ago, and we are done paying the 2x3 poles. At 3am we decided to sleep in the school of the people we meet along the road. In a class of primary fulminats let us down until 5am. There is a chicken overnight gives the rod. When we wake up in the morning, we realize that we have strayed from the path 4Km, lucky last night we decided to stop! Ask the local Portuguese with my super if you can take P to health which is about 40 km from where we are, but there is nothing to do, no one wants, everyone has a job and place that they say is very far (after we realize that the car does not use it, just see bikes and motorcycles, and people not moving much of its people). At 11am we arrive at CP6 which is also the first point of care. We 35ens.
When P is removed and stayed out of the race. I hate to think we could have done well, but there is nothing to do. We stayed vaguejant for the fabulous support (for the first time drinking coconut water, very good!) And in the afternoon with M even going to look to see us leave the CP8 60km mountain bike. Along the way are many places to stop and see how we make flour, while talking with a drink Coca-Cola (for warmth!) And invites us to a typical fruit (5min language is insensitive to the strong sweet flavor that is). At night we are all having dinner and decided to camp in M D and I continued the race classification adventure race, shorter and beautiful ... and how beautiful!
We get up at 2:30 am and with the assistance of P we take the long walk that leads directly to the jungle and CP7. We need a map and some of us lose at 1am, but OK. We are no longer in the race, no stress, but "deunidó" the pace that we walk! We crossed a river, hair, brown water, as provided below with ANI. In D was its frantic pace, but walk slowly when crossing rivers, eating, ... but it is a piece of bread (in M are sometimes desperate, I find it a bit impatient and demanding, but worth a lot). We find many burnt areas and small houses of wood and leaves in between. After 6h CP7 where we get to cross a river. On the other hand I change my socks because I sealskinz been fatal, in addition to shoes and hurt me in the left knee started to get a little annoying. While I change my water and ask a local, I see a coconut shell dry and we offer them, delicious! People are so nice! We started another walk and a more eternal jungle deeper: many trees, some tall, plants, butterflies, small snakes, lizards, spiders, birds, some monkeys in the trees, crickets singing with a very industrial branches and leaves that move can not see why ... Together ecosystem brutal. When we put water in the drums back adrupte CP11 we passed an impressive heat, we feel a strong noise in the leaves are giant ape! Do not come to see as they walk by the undergrowth, but the feel and it is terrifying. For a time I pass by. Finally go long (buf!) and we continue the walk to the dry runway. Then ask the locals and we were told that possibly spider monkeys. We arrived at CP13 at 4h30min after more than 11 walking and walking. Finally we see the blue sky and the birds fly! Take inflatable kayaks quickly because it gets dark and there are still 60km of river with rapids. We arrived at night because of CP14 (is 18:04) and do not let us go down the river unless you do a "portage" 3 km. We decided to stop, eat and sleep 2h.
At 20pm we decided to get up and do 3 km endless, fortunately royal pay 10 to 2 local and help us bring a canoe, I was in front with the oars and the front marking the way. We are 3 people for 2 canoes and this makes the portetjos. Finally we reach the river, back in the water is black as night, I do not have any. In M will face the sun with the canoe and the emergency light and I am still behind in the D with the paddle before. The first miles of ass I go to D, I find it difficult to control, brake to maneuver, and even the D falls twice in the canoe, but slowly I took her hand. We arrived to find CP15 and firefighters who speak a long time, there are also NPC team with Sarah sleeping, eating and when they leave or do not say goodbye. Locals speak of the ANI of the river and warn us that we stay stuck in deep water because there are ... anacondas! I do not have all around and about the material we required only a small Opinel knife that he would only tickle! We warn that we will find below two dams and a waterfall before CP16. We eat a little and return to the river at night of course. In a small currency with M's fast, easy, and makes us behind, but suddenly I see the light disappears emergency, the canoe and M!! Immediately afterwards I'm jumping in a waterfall 5m middle of the night and jumping on D of the canoe, I get it right and keep calling in D is taken from the water, I also holds for xaleco. When M is coming to the shore of the river left, but no dump could stop safely, stop and call us quickly to the right. The feeling I had was total loss, the canoe has been placed on end and have flown! I look back and let me see what Life is not quick, it's a waterfall! In light of the moon is only white foam and very high, perhaps 5 meters or more. All 3 remain pale, takes to react. We look below that and our surprise is to see that there is another fast, maybe a great class 4 "Callús" in the middle. If the turn of the M or D had not stopped I do not know what would have happened if they had swum following the fast. In D lost the oar but miraculously found embedded in the rock of the 2nd great fast, get a rope to retrieve it. At this time a Brazilian team that reached 5 and PC10 is the question that we have passed the last before the shock. We help them cross the river with our canoe after the "portage" from 2do fast. We appreciate it very much and meditate: no security in this raid! If something comes to pass in the river ... only Brazilian team have crushed us would have helped? We continue to the river but a little bewildered at M is scared, and that the water and the master is not scared until a while ago. We spend another quick and simple do not see in the next course, now some noise piped water alert because we temporarily. We begin in the middle of a river portage some Liat, we use lanyards and we are a good time. Once we put the canoes on the shore, we decided to stop and sleep until 5am leaving the light of day, 3am and we are shattered physically and mentally. M and D and I still have the waterfall head. A pass.
In the morning we wake up with cold, we just slept on the canoe covered with a blanket of wet and survival. When D is very weak and vomiting cam (the night before and drank lots of water was very stressed). When M is the one that does look good, sleep like a log until the shaking gently on a bed. Now the day things change, are the rapids, rocks, life ... quickly pass the area with a fast start and a professional control almost flat part, tedious and boring 4 hours or more to get assistance. In fact D is dust, it's very hot and almost can not put out, I no longer feel it behind the arms. In M sees the league and two canoes with cordino and pulls us, the better. From time to time to scream makes in D because Remi albeit weakly, it becomes still endless. We arrived at CP16 without waiting for it, because we need a map of the river and thought it was straight to the support and is making a big loop in the middle is where the PC before a waterfall, this it is great! We made quite row dust after 15pm. We portage the last major, the heat makes us stop every 30 minutes, D is KO. We all have an enormous desire to get, and finally at 13pm see the beach from the end of the canoe, we do not believe (we wanted to be when we come to breakfast and lunch). Leaving the canoes on the beach and go directly to the shower, my skin the more wrinkled than a dried fig and I'm whiter than milk. Then we will eat in the restaurant improvised by the organization where you can eat for 5 royal you want. Phenomenal eat and sleep a little, seems a paradise situation now compared to last several hours. Arrives at P and we talk about everything, buy beer, eat again, but now our sausage and cheese, laugh and talk cheerfully. It rained the first day that I get a table and chairs and to continue the conversation and dinner. Half the camp is currently flooded with water but in a short time everything returns to normal.
I'm very comfortable with this team, even when we run out we are going well and I'm finding good. I am experiencing a raid in a more relaxed.
Thursday, we wake up at 5am, breakfast in calm. I has been the rule, as always, do not let go none. At 9am we start in a 100km mountain bike and I am in D has been spewing dust and made camp again. With a bike 5h completed quickly, as if we were in the race! All the last P sometimes we call it slow down! They are the 15pm, we finished the race. We decided not to take the canoes to reach local target is very small for the ours, we have a bad experience the first day and are 80 km to get water. We stayed in a large ship until the next day to march with the press on arrival.
The last night before reaching the hotel does not sleep very well, and I'm nervous, I have no sleep. I am a little sad for not finishing the race in competition, as he believed we could do well. But I'm glad to know that I'm in good shape with this team and I can very well go to the Raid Gauloises Vietnam. I loved the jungle and I promise that in 2002.
We arrived at noon on arrival, a beautiful beach without people cheering or public, is the arrival of raids saddest I've seen, and the organization while arriving at the hotel eating equipment! Not the first but there should be about! I do not like this detail. We eat a little and finally lead us to the Amazon Hotel where the first thing we do is go to the pool. Later in the evening we go shopping and some pizza sopem acceptable to super site. More relaxed than ever just enjoy the days that remain in a country where the heat is no longer bothers us, on the contrary, we are shown and people friendly and affectionate.

BUFF-Honda team is ranked sixth in the world's toughest raid.

From 3 to 8 September has played in Switzerland this unofficial world championship of long distance raids. The have gathered the best teams in this specialty in the world, 45 in total.
The tour begins in St. Moritz and ended in Zermatt, at the foot of Matterhorn (Cervino).
The total distances were, 142 of trekking, mountain bike 257, 18 i 3 km rafting. canyoning. The positive cumulative gap was estimated around the 20,000 meters.
These data alone and worried about the different teams. In addition, time controls were added and meteorology of January itself.

The play stages were 13:
-1. Trekking. 56 km.
-2.Rappel/Barranco. 3km.
Bike-3.Mountain. 57 km.
-4.Rafting. 18 km.
Bike-5.Mountain. 39 km.
-6.Treking. 34 km.
Bike-7.Mountain. 44km.
-8.Via Ferrata/Treking.13km.
-9.Mountain Bike.59 km.
-10.Treking in Glaciar.28 km.
-11.Mountain bike. 38 km.
-12.Treking. 11 km.
-13.Mountain Bike.20km.

The hardness of the tour and raw weather, rain and snow every day, slightly changed course, removing part of the Via Ferrata and last trek.
Buff-Honda team (consisting of Sergio Rodriguez, Emma Rock, Mark Collins David Rovira i) debuted in a large international raid, going unnoticed in the moments before departure.
On the first day of raid Buff-Honda team is now at the place of head, near the Finnish Nokia, the New Zealanders and Americans Pharmanex Pearl Izumi and Eco-Internet.
This first stage, 56 km of trekking, took place at a very high, typical of a two-day raid. Then the cold and dangerous Via Mala river waiting for the equipment. Regrettably, more than an accident and hypothermia (the teams were forced to rappel off a bridge and enter the river to stay with the neoprene wet about two hours before they opened this section.
The third stage, 57 km. MTB was played in the rain with big drops. It was a very slow and hard, where there were marked differences with the lead group.
After completing the third stage Buff-.Honda team was in the 9 th position. From there began a steady progression that led him to fifth.
Without having yet slept with more than 30 hours of raid we expected a raft on the river Rhein, very flowing and fast with a couple of grade 3.
We left the river and continue with a quick 39 km. MTB, at night and with the help of front.
At the end of this stage we expect the first break, three hours of sleep comfort. The continued well deserved, 34 km. of hard trekking, rain, snow, wind and cold. We leave lively and good feelings. This stretch was lethal for many teams, up to 16 dropouts (including another Spanish team present in this raid, the Red Bull / Playstation).
We finished the stage in 6 th place, ahead of the Welsh team and Warche Mawn and the Swedish team Silva. Our legs accumulated more than 3000 meters of vertical positive.
We slept a few hours and left a bike at two in the morning, we expected positive slope 2000 meters, also with rain until you reach the hill of Sustenpass of 2600 meters, snow and subzero temperatures. The decline was very, very hard, the clothes we got was inadequate and some of us went really bad.
The decline of the port led us to the stage of the Via Ferrata, which was annulled because it was snowy and cold, unworkable and dangerous. Finally, the organization gave us about 10 km. of trekking and about 1000 m. of positive slope.
At noon we went by bike, we expect about 3000 meters of altitude in the vicinity of the Breithorn.
We arrived at night and slept a few hours. We left at 2 am to Mutthorn glacier, 26 km. of them strung with impressive seracs, crevasses and other alpine formations. Again, more rain, snow, cold and 3500 meters of vertical positive.
We knew that the fifth team, the Human Link Swedes were about 2 or 3 hours before us. At 4 in the morning catch them, we continue together, rest, and we relay to open trace on the glacier. We knew we had one last climb of 1000 meters, it was there that attack, the increase was frantic, the very good result, more than 1 hour difference in our favor.
We left with the assurance that the fifth position was within our reach, it was. There were only 70 km. mountain bike and finally we reached Zermatt. Between us and the end of the raid was only a control, we arrived, we did not see, seek and find an indication of the organization, an arrow pointed toward undoubtedly finish line. The desire to reach us and we drove fifths, happy and satisfied that we had completed the race.
Our arrival was a surprise to the organization, no one knew we were arriving. The answer was that we had missed a pitch control.
The disappointment, fatigue and impotence came together, were very hard times. If fichábamos missing point stayed out of the race and if we did chose to sixth place (Human Link was almost about to come and we could not at that time to and from the pitch control).
We all knew that the end of the raid were the fifth fastest team but does not consist in the rankings and on paper.
We decided to go to the point that we needed and back, so just this very hard raid content but with a slightly bitter taste of this unjust end.
For many this was the hardest raid remember, the ride was harsh weather powered by a very, very hard.
Of the 45 teams that started the race finished just 9, led by Nokia (Finland), Pharmanex (New Zealand), Eco-Internet and Pearl Izumi (ex aequo, Usa), Human Link (Sweden), Buff-Honda, Y Mawn Warche (United Kingdom), Victorinox (Usa / Canada)
 
The hardest test ever made. A challenge to the physical and moral resistance. It was an ordeal of 5 days where bad weather has made a career out competition almost impossible to finish.
 When we finished we could not believe that finally we could sleep until we wanted, eat slowly, wash with hot water, ... to finally end this nightmare, because it was. Just Monday, the first day of the race, we saw the sun, then escorted us until Friday rain, snow, wind and darkness. We did not stop up and down mountains, crossing over 2000m necks and resist very low temperatures without sleeping and eating very little. In total we were able to sleep 7 hours in 5 days, each day the pace was less but for the other teams were going forward positions.
 We started on Monday at 10.00am and ended at 3:45 a.m. Saturday. We were critical moments of sleep, we slept at any time of day and very tired now, when there was almost fuel in the body and what you ate was not enough about what you spend. Sometimes when suddenly ate an energy bar and you body notabas reacted with much more energy, but it was transient. The feet were worse each day, more wounds, more swollen, sore and bike shoes just entered.
At the end of the race seemed clear that no one wanted to repeat that hell, but as the days go see that one day come back again to suffer, perhaps masochism ¿?

I have returned. The 15th finally arrived at Barcelona airport, even with diarrhea in Nepal and many experiences under his arm. They were 33 days away from home that made me see many things and I have experienced many new experiences. But in the end just wanted to come back and be with my taste our food like bread with tomato and view Ton Castle from the terrace of the house. Too much time away from home for a competition that lasted 7 days, but all it takes advantage.
On 12 April it m'embarcava to Kathmandu, a city full of people, cars, bikes, motorcycles, ... with his charming but very crowded. We have a 7-day trek through the valley of Lamtang (photos) where we started hallucinating from the magnificence of the mountains around us (like the Shisha Pagma other countless stories and legends of 8000), all snow and an awe-inspiring aspect. Only the landscape will recharge the batteries and filled you with an indescribable energy.
On April 25 we took the plane from Kathmandu to Lhasa, Tibet. The change was radical: the Chinese invasion of Tibet had to ruin a culture and lovely people. The customs did not allow you entered a picture of the Dalai Lama or anything that was Buddhist. Tibetan houses were inserted in the Chinese metropolis "shabby" ugly, dirty and senseless, in a land over 3500m altitude where there is no painted Chinese culture. The Potala (the larger temple and all the wonderful Tibet to Lhasa, where the Dalai Lama lived with 13,000 Buddhist monks) there are now only about 500 monks, I only saw 10. Tibet, the desert, I was cold and hard to convey sadness and oppression of a peaceful people and very tanned in the mountains. I left the country hating the Chinese. Free Tibet! I thought during the race.
The race started at about 180 km from the border. I two days before I suffered severe diarrhea and fever, should be sensitive to the food, and even the best hotels out more you can trust, I learned that the vegetables should be cooked and the spicy was too strong for my stomach. The organization will set up teams of 5 to 70 riders each in a camp in the middle of Tibet to acclimate ourselves for 3 days. The day before the race several teams of 6 people because they could not leave the doctor we measured the oxygen saturation (as reflected t'havies acclimated) and if it was below a value you will not let go . It was a test. My team was perfect, all acclimatised, UF!
On April 30 shot rang out, we were at 4500m were over 827 km: 181 foot, 340 Rock, 160 in rafting, canoeing and 23 120 in hydro.

Day 0 10am - 15pm: non-stop pedaling for a track, sand and stones, not allowed to go more than 16-17 km / h with an infernal wind. Dry throat, watery eyes and heart to 100. The height was to be made heavy pedaling, very tired and eternal (we spent almost neck 5000m).

15pm - 10am Day 1: walking one-horse team (where we put all the bags) we end up not sleeping and barely eating. It was a very difficult night for me the height I am walking difficult, I found it hard to breathe and could barely keep a fast pace. We spent a pass 5150m at 2 am and I was half zombie. When daybreak sleep had disappeared but the muscles fatigue is felt. We saw the sun rise behind the Shisha-Pagma and was a gift, what mountains! We were fifth in the first 2 hours.

10am-15pm: walking and running downhill we go down from 5000 to 4000, the body and thank him every time I was better, the headache that had accompanied the night was already disappearing.

15pm-19pm: pedal bike with a hellish road to a village where we can get some sleep. It snows and we are halfway done at night. With the front is not as easy to go fast with the bike, more than one team crashes to earth and stone track. We are tired.

3am on 2 - 10pm: we wake after sleep 5 hours in a hostel, and you use your bike without having to go to breakfast at the border. Here we find the 4 teams that we had before and the race begins again. While we wait for the paperwork to enter the Nepal border to take some food! We are now in Nepal! We are glad to find cocacola means eating a little drinking, people who know English and communication, and ultimately with a friendly foreign country. At noon, after making a long quilometrada downhill mountain bike for a track that would seem the worst track could be found in the Pyrenees, the first assistance to arrive. Hot lunch! Fresh and good! For a moment forget the energy bars, nuts and chocolates that are with us always.

10pm - 15pm: 5 hours of hydro when the fast is fun but we do when we plan to pedal is eternal. The back is destroçada.

15pm - 21pm: walk and walk, even climb to a height of over 1000m. The cold since we left Tibet and now we have heat and a lot of embarrassment in September Luckily we found the water purification tablets can go drinking. At night, the organization requires us to pay for claims that there are militias that Mao can not walk at night. Take this opportunity to sleep in a house (paying of course, but so little!, Everything is baratíssim).

3am daily 3-21 pm: walking all day, with many kilometers and height. A communication error between the organization, assistance and makes us look for a point annulled by the organization that we know. There you will lose more than two hours that we have to stop one more night (all 3 teams that we had to escape to more than 5 hours).

3 am daily 4-8 am: We wake up and cabrejats disgusted by the organization and the misunderstanding of the previous day and the team is immersed in a depression, we are frustrated to have lost masses of hours apart. As of now only continue the raid to finish it, but the mood very decaiguts (we were so close to the podium ....!!). But in a raid you know, many days and anything can happen and more, until you cross the finish you are saved!
We came to support the well-heated a second time (we are at 40 ° C!) and we changed to go to the river.

9am - 18:30 pm: remem all day with the first canoe and 17pm Take the raft. At 1830 the organization necessary to stop, can not navigate at night (it gets dark at 19 pm) and passes a helicopter to check that all teams have stopped the river. We found a beach with nothing but trees and a detached house perched in the mountains that encanyonen the river. Take to eat hard, we make a fire and sleep in the sand, with only one survival blanket (not cold) and listening to the noise of the water and the music of a flute that sounds far away in the mountains. It's a magical night.

4am on 5 - 12 am: at 5:30 it's time to re-enable the organization to enter the river. Remem raft with the entire morning dodging all sorts of rapids (class III, IV and one class A), not what we saw and deunidó tired!

12am-18pm: Take care of rafting on the river and began a climb of over 700m in altitude with all material ravines charged back to a ravine that led us back to the river where we have the raft. Afternoons almost 4 hours to reach the entrance to the gorge, we passed a lot of heat (over 40 ° C), and you dehydrate a little. The gorge will recover but there are more than 10 rappels, two of them more than 50m. The arms are a little tired at times and leave me well baldada stones (as if he had become a pitched battle). Making a ravine 1h15min and we were told that it takes 4 hours (we are the fastest team of all).

18pm-18.30pm: remem permissible as long as we have to find a village near the river. Here we can make dinner and eat the dAlba (rice with lentils), the dish they eat all the Nepali and is very complete and nutritious. Accompany fish and tea typical of the country. Go back to sleep in the sand on the beach (always near the rafting) under a starry sky and the very well-filled belly. Within the entire raid is proving not so hard as I thought. The organization made it necessary to stop a lot and this has meant that we could sleep more than we thought. If you sleep, you can go faster on the day of the raid and the strategy changes a bit.

4am on 6 - 12 am: 1h30min with rafting to reach the end of the route of the river (we did a total 303 km of water, I'm pretty boring to paddle, I destroçada the back and bottom of the well-burnt rubber rafting .) We walk 4 hours and reach the last attendance. Makes a hellish heat and I drank more than 6 liters of water per person.

12am - 2pm on 7: do 130 km of endless bike, a road that crosses many rivers dry sand (fine sand that forces us to walk beside the bike). Every 30 minutes we stopped to drink water or anything you can find fresh. We are at 45 ° C. The border with India is a few kilometers. People is more Indian, Nepali is not, is much more dark and costumes are different. We note that India is playing. When we made the night the heat disappears but another problem appears: the constant falls because of the sand that suddenly appeared on the road and it does not look good with the front or the lights of the bikes. You can not go so fast and everything slows down. We want to get some! Finally we arrived at 2am in Janakpur, the goal. The people sleep, but we expect the organization and assists. I am happiest when arriving, I can not believe it. We have been fortunate to have so many things that we have achieved 6th place. The first 12 hours but more than that have arrived. We do not care, we did what we could. We are very tired, just demoralized. But you know, a raid is very long and anything can happen. There are 5 people who have come to finish, including a woman bound and is not so easy.

This year I expect the harder and less stops required, then the teams could have done more than her and who had endured better not sleep and who had done a good strategy would have won. The countries have been great and lovely people (except the Chinese). The landscape and indescribable experience again was worth it. When you return you are still dreaming every night of the raid times (even today I get tired after having dreamed that paddling down the river Sun Khosi). Living very much in intensity and then pair it with costs so few days, that's why even now dream. Now I want to come back to it!

Next raid the SPIE Batignolles: Mongolia 2001: Elf Authentic Adventure. If all goes well.

Upcoming competitions: 4 Salomon X-Adventure: Spain-France / Austria / Scandinavia / Italy. With the team Buff: I, David Rovira, Alphonse Gaston (all three of the region) and Manolo Menendez in Madrid. There are competitions for 2 days non-stop where you enter all kinds of disciplines: mountain biking, canoeing, sea kayaking, mountain gorge, Espeleo, orientation, ...

It is the queen of the competition along with the Adventure Raids Raid Gauloises. On the American continent only known this raid as one of the sponsors is the satellite channel Discovery Channel, many people see and know the competition (the people we stopped on the street for us to give us pictures and things Once we finish was impressive level of popularity that had the test in Argentina and South America).
This year was in San Carlos de Bariloche, Patagonia made the purest: volcanoes, mountains, frightening, immense lakes, impassable forests of reeds, carriage roads (none of esfaltada) ...
They join 51 teams from 32 different countries. The route was 380 km to the disciplines: kayaking river, sea kayak, mountain, race walking, orienteering, horse riding, abseiling and climbing several techniques.
As we did in the first 50min 5 and a half days in total competition, the last arrived at the 11th day had begun. The time from first to last are very different because the rhythm is different and also because very little sleep the first team: we slept in 5 days 13 hours (I was too!).
The trip was awesome landscape and hard about the weather (duríssim!), we came a snowstorm and freezing that fortunately did not last more than a day and a half, but we were well affect : cold, cold, colder, with little material (the bound and the right) and little food. But we will overcome and the last day we made a great comeback walking, came in sixth place in the second 30 hours non-stop: we went to all.
It was hard but very rewarding to get to goal position as well and knowing that there were about 10 teams that were considered the best in the world of adventure theme raids.
The test is non-stop: you decide when you sleep, eat, parents, ... every two days you are with your material so it can change the subject and there you take dry clothes, leave the spring catch and eat again. All doors on it and the weight is a major handicap. The teams are 4 people with a component of the opposite sex and at least if one leaves the team is disqualified. There is great harmony among the team members and understanding in order to reach the 4 intact to finish. It's a great experience!
This year we were the team Sierra Nevada (trade name could not be carried unless they paid twice the worth of registration) with the members: Antonio de la Rosa, Miguel Torres, Jose Torres and me.

Anna Amigo, Marga Cuesta, Erika Wellmer, Lali and I Emma Roca Gendrau with the assistance of Mari Sabater and Teresa Roig, participated in the Raid Gauloises, considered the queen of racing adventure sports this year took place in southern hemisphere Africa.
The Raid Gauloises is a competition that combines sport, adventure and nature, where teams of 5 people go to an unknown land, to meet without the aid of mechanical means, a journey through a wild, sometimes hostile, maintaining solidarity in any circumstances, to cross the finish line together. If any component is damaged or has to leave, the team is disqualified.
Raid in France was created 7 years ago, and currently the competition of adventure sports in the world. The first was held in New Zealand in 1989 and 26 teams only 16 finished the test. Since then the Raid was held in a different location: Costa Rica, New Caledonia, Oman, Madagascar, Malaysia, and Patagonia. In this eighth edition, which took place between January 25 and February 6, 1997, tests were developed in the stunning frames from South Africa and Lesotho. Of the 45 teams that started the race only 23 arrived in full.
The Raid is designed for mixed groups of 5 persons, of which at least one must be female. Our team was the only all-female to finish, another French women also had to leave. We arrived at position 22 of 45 teams in total, and for the first team arrived 35 hours later.
More than great athletes, participants should be able to withstand physical exertion and have enough experience to face all kinds of situations. We come from different fields of sport, mountain biking, orienteering, mountain skiing, climbing and triathlons. Specifically I am from the triathlon is a sport and so complete, there is a very good adaptation to this type of endurance racing. But not enough to have good physical condition, above all, it is essential to show solidarity and understanding among team members and intelligence to compete. Are vital aspects of the effort to know dose, drink a lot, be aware of the limitations and ability to anticipate and adapt. Our secret to ending was, in addition to be fit, be strong mentally and do not decay to any mishap.
The Raid takes about 10 days. The basic rule is simple: from a point and get another with a series of controls on various important places along the route. It is a non-stop running, the speed in which the mark the same groups. You can follow different routes and should know what is the best. Sometimes, for security reasons, only competitors are allowed to proceed for periods of time clearly controlled.
The specialties that were made this year were: canoeing, rafting, climbing, orienteering, horse riding, mountaineering and mountain biking. The disciplines most problematic were the canoe and rafting rivers descended for the first time sailing, strong fast, very brave and impressive water cannon (the water was contaminated by unknown parasites and had to avoid swallowing water). The fatigue was exacerbated by the weather, which was a great contrast: very cold in the mountains, hot and humid in the plains, where if it did not drink enough water you could dehydrate (many of the teams was abandoned for this reason) .
The real victory is to finish this adventure successfully and live this experience, personnel and equipment. The prizes for the first three are large but the budget exceeds it in order to participate, and long (5 to 7 million pesetas). This year, despite some physical difficulties (one of us had trendinitis was wounded and another 70% of the feet) we conclude and reach the Indian Ocean after 11 days of competition. It was a unique experience that not only strengthened our body but our mind.
It was a great chance to participate and hope that next year our sponsor again (BUFF, manufacturer and distributor of "panties" that protect cotton round neck, head, etc. ..) and we can go to the next destination: Ecuador.