Ups and Downs

Carrick Armer / 11.06.2017

The end is nigh, and the race is won.

After the flurry of activity at the end of the kayak, the three lead teams headed out onto the final kilometres of biking, punctuated by a climbing and ropework section. All three teams were on a charge, but none more so than MDK.

The Russians arrived at the climb stage only two minutes up on the Estonians, but were a little better organised, and set off very quickly to complete the climb-jumar-abseil activity. Even with one minor issue, a team member having forgotten to punch the checkpoint unit before the abseil and breeding to run around the hill to get to the top to punch, they were the fastest through the section and soon haring off out onto the road again for the final couple of CPs.

Seiklushunt, close behind them, had a couple of small problems belaying the climb, first a discussion with the staff about about what was in the mandatory kit list (a belay plate, it turns out, wasn't), and then a water stop slowing them down a little, but they rallied and continued strongly. They'd held the lead at intervals during the race, but a minor mistake on the coasteering and having to go back for a dropped pack during one of the paddle portages had cost them too much time.

Team Sweden arrived after others had left, more refreshed having slept a little, but more concerned about whether it was possible the fourth place team could catch them. Their navigator was understandably annoyed that two small mistakes on the coasteering had cost them so much time and the lead. 

All three teams pushed hard, but at the end neither of the chasers could catch the flying Russians. MDK Russia-Ukraine Adventure Team, to give them their full name, continued to push hard all the way to the finish, to take the well deserved title of AR European Champions 2017. 

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