Teams Hitting PC7
Top Three Well Ahead of Schedule
Bariloche, Argentina — Dec. 2, 1999

	Wiped Out

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The race is all go with the top three teams neck and neck at PC6: Team Foster's Australia, Team Atlas Snowshoes/Rubicon and Team Greenpeace. They all arrived at PC6, checking in and out together with identical times. Very close behind are Team Halti, Team Condor and Team Aussie.

Just in hand is news that Team Atlas Snowshoes/Rubicon and Team Greenpeace have arrived at PC7 well ahead of forecasts, after the first trekking leg of the race. These lead teams have set a healthy pace ahead of the rest of the field gained throughout yesterday's kayak leg and the 40km overnight horse trek.

First night out in the open for the teams: We caught up with Greenpeace when they arrived, the first team to Estancia El Condor (PC4). It is compulsory to stop here for two hours to rest and feed the horses.

"This now leaves more than half the field trekking in the foothills of the Andes Mountains and the top 12 teams within four hours of each other....."

At least one member of the team must stay with the horses because if they get away — you don't get another! Neil Jones was the horse man as the others crawled into a makeshift shelter in the grass to grab a valuable hour or so of sleep. Jones was philosophical saying it would be his turn at the next vet check.

	Neil Jones

Sitting there under the moonless, starry sky, surrounded by four horses munching furiously just inches from our heads, Neil pretty much summed it up saying it was "a perfect night."

Yeah pretty magic I thought, but at least I get to go back to my bed and sleep for a bit longer than those guys...sleep Eco-style...catch it when you can.

In other news, Team Croatia has just been disqualified for failing to make the cut off time they had to reach PC3 by. This now leaves more than half the field trekking in the foothills of the Andes Mountains and the top 12 teams within four hours of each other.

For many teams this is the real beginning if the race...when, for most, the going becomes incredibly tough.

— Chris Vile, MountainZone.com Correspondent