Mild Seven Outdoor Quest
Get Ready for 2002 Mild Seven
Tim / 21.11.2002
The 2002 course, designed by multiple Eco-Challenge champions and adventure race legends John Howard and Ian Adamson, will be the toughest Mild 7 yet and one of the most competitive adventure races in history. The defending champions, Team Hi-Tech (New Zealand/USA) includes Keith Murray, three times Eco-Challenge winner, Steve Guerney, three time Raid Gauloises winner and seven times NZ Coast to Coast winner and the 2002 Eco Primal Quest winner Danelle Ballangee. They will be chased by Team Nokia (Finland) led by multiple MSOQ winner Petri Forsman, and Team Mountain Design (Australia) that includes 3 time Australian Ironman champion Guy Andrews, he will be looking to improve on his third place from last year.
Other notable opposition includes Team GoLite (USA) which includes Mike Kloser (also a three time Eco-Challenge winner), Sara Ballantyhe (a mountain bike World Champion) and Michael Tobin, two times Duathlete of the year and double Xterra Triathlon Series Champion. From Switzerland come Team Switzerland Raid Nature (normally Team Allianz) featuring Alain Berger (World Orienteering Champion on bike and foot) and Bettina Ernst, a two time Hawaiian Ironman World Champion. They have recently won the 2002 X-Adventure Raid Series World Tour and are very confident coming into this race.
The Race Director Nick Freyer said “With so many World Champions participating, it is hard to single out the probable winners. We are very honoured that the best of the best decide each year to race with us.�
Despite the daunting opposition, Team Saab Salomon, the only British entry, remain high in spirits and confidence. They are represented by England International Mountain runners Ben Bardsley and Helen Jackson, former World Quadrathlon medallist Marc Laithwaite and Welsh International mountain runner and outdoor pursuit’s expert Adam Haynes. Ben’s comments summed up the team’s feelings “We have been ranked 13th but are confident we’ll finish much higher up the field than that. We are totally unknown to the race organisation here and it’s our first time out in the Southern Hemisphere. The biggest issue for us will be the heat, it can get up to 40 degrees and these are conditions we cannot train for in GB.�
The team will be looking for a top 5 finish, top three would be a fantastic result. Days 1 and 2 will suit the strong Kayaking teams, with over 50% of the route for these days spent on the water, but on days 3 and 4 look out for a surge from Team Saab Salomon who will look forward to getting into the mountains on their bikes and on foot.
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