Elf Authentic Adventure
April 14-29, 2000 The End Is Nigh Pharmanex-Spie negotiates the Lencois, sailing to finish in Sao Luis
By Ari Cheren
Pharmanex-Spie on the dunes.
Primiera Cruz, Brazil, (April 25, 2000) Team Pharmanex-Spie maintained its huge lead over the other teams in the Extreme class and is now less than a day away from finishing what may be the most epic, difficult adventure these four athletes have undertaken. After the taxing crossing of the Lencois Maranhenses' dunes, which
required 96 kilometers of foot travel, the Pacific rim team (with members from California, New Zealand and Australia) got back in their sea kayaks at Check Point 31d to find their way through the 50 kilometers of mangroves and narrow waterways of the Rio do Alegre. First, however, they had to locate the mouth of the river where it empties into the Lago do
Santo Amaro, and spent five hours in the dark trying to do so, testing their navigating skills. At first light, they spent another hour looking for the access before finally spotting a river taxi exiting the Rio do Alegre entrance. This was likely the toughest section of the course to navigate thus far, and set them back several hours, a delay the chase
teams will be hard pressed to capitalize on. Arriving at Primeira Cruz on the banks of the Rio Peria, Pharmanex-Spie left their sea kayaks and joined a local captain to serve as crew for the final leg of the race, a 90-kilometer sail in the Bahia de Sanambi and the Bahia de Sao Jose. They are now pushing to clear Check Point 35 by 4:00 p.m. today. Doing so
will enable them to avoid a dark zone and continue sailing into the evening, extending their lead. If they accomplish this and winds are favorable, they are expected to arrive at the finish in San Jose de Ribamar outside of Sao Luis as early as noon on the 26th. Their closest pursuers, Fujifilm and Team Paul Vatine, are finishing the Lencois Maranhenses
trekking section, after which they will start the difficult paddling portion at Check Point 31c in Sao Francisco. Discovery class teams were also making their way through the Lencois, and being pushed to their physical and mental limit in the process. Their route kept them on the shoreline, where they traveled on bikes over the soft, uneven sand. Their
riding rhythm was often interrupted by water coursing over the sands and ponds that blocked their way, requiring them to do a great deal of walking and circumnavigating. Leading the teams in Discovery class is Aerospatiale-Matra-RFO, followed by Sogeres-Elf, both from France. The Discovery route takes teams to CP32 in Travosa by bike. From there they walk
the sandy trails the remaining 24 kilometers to Primeira Cruz, a section that was pounded by heavy rain throughout the day.
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