By Heidi Muller: The Expedition Africa 500km adventure started Monday morning at 07:00 at the Old Harbour in the picturesque town of Hermanus in the Western Cape. Due to bad weather the first sea paddle-leg was cancelled. Teams started with a 14km run through the town and over the mountains. They then met at T1 and started with a lagoon paddle. The wind was head-on and the front teams had a very hard time covering this section. The wind eventually subsided, making it somewhat easier for the later teams.
T2 end of lagoon paddle was in a small town named Stanford. From here the teams set out on a 35km beach hike through the Walker Bay Nature Reserve all the way to Gansbaai.
The Gansbaai church hall was the spot where the hike and also T3 ended. The day surprisingly turned into a beautiful sunny and hot day.
From T3 the teams had to assemble their bikes to embark on a 140km cycle.
LEADING TEAMS
At this stage, three teams: Merrell Adventure Addicts, Team Cyanosis and Team Accelerate from the UK were chasing each other in fierce competition.
After the cycle leg Team Cyanosis was the first team to arrive at T4, followed closely by team Accelerate and team Merrell. These 3 teams wasted no time in the transition and disappeared into the night as they went out on a 45km hike over the mountains to reach the Midway camp. Team Merrell succeeded in passing both teams and ran into the Midway Camp. This hike took them approximately 10hours. An hour later came Team Cyanosis with Accelerate another two hours later.
Midway Camp is an enchanting wedding venue called Beloftebos (Forest of Promises) . All teams have a compulsory 5hour stop at Midway Camp. We supplied each team with a big tent and mattresses. We also treated them to a pasta meal and desert. They received some special attention from the medic treating their blisters , aches and pains. A warm camp fire and hot coffee make this 5hour stop an opportunity to lick the wounds, so to speak.
Team Merrell left precisely 5 hours after the compulsory stop and was followed by the 2 other teams an hour later. All these teams are now on a cycle leg and will change over at the next transition to another hiking leg. This will take them to the rope work leg. From here they will continue with the hiking leg to the paddle leg.
OTHER TEAMS
The middle and back teams are attacking the course with enthusiasm and good spirits (?). Most of them have not reached the Midway Camp. They are pacing themselves by taking a short sleep break at transitions. All teams are still in the race and so far the weather is playing along.
At his stage we expect the first teams to finish late Wednesday morning.
Image by Chris Hitchcock
Any news from Mates? They seem to be stuck on the Leg 6 (cycle).