Teams Cooperating on Navigation
Two More Teams Out
Bariloche, Argentina — Dec. 3, 1999

	Clambering

Team USA's David Kelly
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The hellish trek between PC6 and PC7 saw the lead teams actually join forces for this 38km leg. Team Greenpeace and Atlas Snowshoes/Rubicon shared the challenging task of navigating through the dense scrub and unmarked terrain. Rubicons navigator saying that "eight eyes and minds are definitely better than four."

"With the ability to choose literally hundreds of potential routes, Greepeace and Rubicon have nailed the navigation perfectly...."

Teams Sierra Nevada and Argentina also teamed together to navigate this frustrating part of the course.

Mark Burnett, the man responsible for setting the course, said he could not believe the accuracy of these first two teams. Trekking through a myriad of canyons and thick impenetrable bamboo, the progress can be excruciatingly slow.

With the ability to choose literally hundreds of potential routes Greepeace and Rubicon have nailed the navigation perfectly and taken both the fastest, easiest and most direct path down to PC7.

Many Teams are getting lost on this leg with reports of Team Outback Canada spotted by helicopter literally miles off course. Team Halti(Finland) were also lost for at least three hours but managed to arrive in 6th place...these guys are world champion orienteers, proving just how difficult it is out there.

From PC7, the teams access their gear boxes to retreive the technical climbing equipment, ropes,crampons and ice axes for the 1st of the mountaineering sections. We witnessed this process as Team USA, well rested from a few hours of sleep, checked off each of the compulsory items they will require for the leg. Race officials force them to lay the contents of their packs out to make sure safety equipment and first aid gear is present. The team is then given the once-over by event medical staff before it are allowed to continue.

Also this morning two further teams have been disqualified. Team Croatia missed the cutoff deadline at PC3 And Team Belgia (Belgium) missed the PC6 check-in deadline by 54 minutes.

— Chris Vile, MountainZone.com Correspondent