Elf Authentic Adventure
April 14-29, 2000
Pharmanex-Spie Sails to Victory
Sao Jose de Ribamar, Maranhao, Brazil, April 26, 2000
By Elf Correspondent
Arriving on the flat sands of this picturesque coastal town, the racers of Pharmanex-Spie put an exclamation point on their commanding performance in the 2000 Elf Authentic Adventure. Sailing yesterday from Primeira Cruz, 90 kilometers away, with their local captain Jose Ribamar, adventure racers Cathy Sassin, Steve Gurney, Tim Grammar and John Jacoby
arrived at around 5 :45 p.m. and were greeted on the beach by a throng of supporters, race organizers, media and film crews. The four appeared drained but jubilant to have completed this mental and physical test. From the very beginning, this course, the longest in adventure racing to date, presented extreme challenges, and even through the final leg,
the winners were constantly tested. They were sailing smoothly in decent winds when a media helicopter flew so close to their boat that it nearly capsized them. As a result, Ribamar, a young fisherman from Primeira Cruz, was spooked and refused to put his sail back up for some time. Steve Gurney, pointing out that the team has fundamental sailing skills,
said language was a barrier they had trouble getting around, making it difficult to assure Ribamar they were comfortable on his boat. He said charades and other non-verbal cues helped, and while Ribamar was not looking, Gurney rigged and deployed a tent rain fly to act as another sail. This allowed them to pick up some speed, and eventually Ribamar relaxed
enough to hoist his sail up, and they took advantage of evening breezes to arrive at the finish here in fine style. As the sun set on the beach, Philippe Mercier of Elf Aquitaine paid tribute to the four racers and their outstanding effort over the last 12 days. "What these four people have accomplished is fantastic," said Mercier, as the team celebrated
with champagne and hugs all around. He also underlined the international flavor and qualities of the race, and the strong media contingent covering the event, which provided excellent, broad coverage around the world. Gerard Fusil also saluted the success of the four racers, who, standing on the tidal flats in the failing evening light, realized the meaning
of their accomplishment. Fusil too noted the high level of expertise of the international field of competitors, a precedent that will certainly make this race one of the premier events in years to come. He said in the end, the Elf Authentic Adventure was more difficult than he himself thought it would be, in large part because of the heat, rain and
flooding, but certainly he was happy with the success of the event. Said Steve Gurney of the authenticity of the adventure: "In this race we had to understand Brazil, and get a feeling for how the people think and how things work here, allowing us to understand them and work with them, which was quite nice."
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