Down Under Teams Dominate on the Water
Despite Being Ripped from Kayaks
Checkpoint Three — Dec. 1, 1999

	Jane Hall

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Australia and New Zealand are the first teams to reach PC3 and dry land after an epic day of paddling. Team Aussie arrived 15 minutes ahead of the Kiwis, Team MapInfo.

The leading pack into PC3 — all very close, within an hour of each other — also included teams Fosters, Rubicon, Greenpeace, Halti, and the local favorites, Team Condor of Bariloche. Paddling into the river mouth and a chaotic crowd of thousands, team members were forced to abandon their trusty kayaks and take the plunge into the freezing, swiftly flowing river.

"Paddling into the river mouth and a chaotic crowd of thousands, team members were forced to abandon their trusty kayaks and take the plunge into the freezing, swiftly flowing river...."

Laden with full gear bags, the teams were forced into the turbulent river, no easy task as they battled the current and edged their way 200m across to the official checkpoint waiting on the other side.

Many teams have spoken of the beauty of the lake and also the size of the waves and the wind as the day went on.

Members of the Kiwi Team Greenpeace were exhilarated at the performance of their kite-assisted boat, although they were also luck-assisted. With the power of the kite dragging them sideways out of control, almost ripping Captain John Howard from his kayak, a harness strap broke at the last second, saving the team from disaster.

This is the first major transition point of the race, where teams must change equipment for the horse trek leg through the night and tomorrow's foot slog into the mountains. In full public view of thousands of spectators, competitors stripped off the wet clothes of the day, changing into warm clothing for the cold night ahead.

With no time wasted, the Aussies and Kiwis were introduced to their horses and rode off into the setting sun...

The temperatures have dropped considerably and so for the majority of teams still on the lake, hypothermia is a real concern.

— Chris Vile, MountainZone.com Correspondent