Patagonian Expedition Race
Those Who Know
Rob Howard / 09.02.2016
It’s said ‘knowledge is power’, and if that’s true the powerful teams in the upcoming Patagonian Expedition Race will be Godzone Adventure, East Wind and Yogaslackers.
These 3 were the only teams to finish the last race in 2013, taking 9 to 10 days to get to the finish line. They finished in the same top 3 positions in 2012 as well, and all have raced PER multiple times – so if anyone knows what to expect and how to deal with it, they do! It seems they can’t resist the lure of ‘the last wild race’ and the majestic landscapes of Patagonia.
We’ve featured the Godzone team already, and as unbeaten 5 time winners of the race they are without doubt the favourites. Team Captain Nick Gracie is back for the 5th time and his expertise will be invaluable. He’s backed up by Jari Hiatt who finished second with a French team in 2009, and who has raced with the Godzone squad in the past.
The other two team members are Warren Bates and Chris Hope are both experienced expedition adventure racers, but it’s their first time in Patagonia. It’s not something which should give their opposition too much encouragement however as this team have won their 5 PER titles with 12 different racers already!
East Wind from Japan are also led by a captain in his 5th consecutive race, Masato Tanaka. He’s finished 7th, 5th and then second twice, gradually refining his strategy and expertise in Patagonian conditions. When asked about his team’s greatest strength Tanaka’s answer is simple: “Navigation.” Throughout their competition history, Tanaka’s team has been notable for their consistently intelligent strategy and precise transitioning.
This time around he is joined by teammates Yoki Tanaka, Michitomo Yamakita and Machiko Nishii. Tanaka is seeking to replicate the teams’ previous success but despite the increased expectations for returning teams he feels no additional pressure. “Adventure racing teaches me the important things in life,” he said. He’s on a mission to bring those findings back home to his native Japan. Even after four years of learning amidst the fjords, glaciers and driving wind, Tanaka and company are coming back for another lesson.
Yogaslackers of the USA are the most experienced team at the race. Jason and Chelsey Magness and Daniel Staudigel have raced PER together 4 times already, from 2010 to 2013. This time they are joined by Alexandre Provost of Canada, who may be new to the race but is a very experienced expedition racer having taken part in numerous World Championship races. The Yogaslackers team are currently some of the most prolific expedition around the world and they even have a second team competing at the same time as PER in the World Series race in Belize.
They describe PER as their ‘soul race’ and that’s not surprising as after the 2010 race Jason proposed to Chelsey at the prize giving. Writing just before they set off for the race Chelsey said, “For 10 days we will be testing our limits, and going way beyond what we thought was possible as individuals and above all as a team in the raw, wild beauty that is Patagonia. It is a soul race for all of us, and we can’t wait to see what this beautiful, unrelenting land has in store for us this time around.”
Another U.S. team who are almost as knowledgeable about the race are Norcal Odyssey, who have competed 9 times between them. All have raced before, and sometimes against each other! The team is a merger of Odyssey USA and Norcal Adventure Racing, and is lead by Tim Kuenster. He’s joined by Wendy Welling, Mark Lattanzi and Peter Spagnoli to make up another formidable and competitive team.
Even with their Patagonian expertise these teams will all be watching Merrell Adventure Addicts. They may have no experience of Patagonia, but the South African team have been among the world’s top 10 for a long time now and are just above both Godzone and Yogaslackers in the AR World Series rankings. That racing experience combined with their survival and outdoor skills honed at races all around the world will make them a threat to the established top 3.
Scattered among the teams there are other experienced expedition racers, some with prior experience at the race. Two members of Vaucluse Aventures Evasions have raced PER before and Jerome Berruer who competed in 2012 said, “We have now many friends in Punta Arenas and we will be very happy to meet them and the ‘PER family’ again for a beautiful wild and human adventure race.”
Pavel Paloncy of the Czech Republic will be in his 3rd PER with Team Mila Finland. He’s a prolific racer, moving from one endurance challenge to the next and the team will need his experience, navigation skills and renowned determination. (They had planned to have two previous PER competitors in the line up, but both had to pull out with injury.)
You can read the full team list and bios on the race website at http://www.patagonianexpeditionrace.com/teams-2016/
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