Horrendous Weather Forces Course Change
Paramilitary Calls it Quits
Bariloche, Argentina — Dec. 4, 1999

	PC11 to PC13

At 1pm today event organizers were forced to alter the course of the race. "I have changed the course for approximately 21 teams at PC7," said Mark Burnett. "They are doing exactly the same distance at the same elevation. This slight change was made in order not to risk lives versus letting them go up the wall in these dangerous conditions."

This means these teams will bypass PC8, PC9 and PC10. Fifteen teams were able to get through those checkpoints before the conditions became impassable. To give an idea of just how bad it was up there, mountain guides were terrified that someone would literally be blown away. PC9 was completely destroyed by the wind with tents flattened and equipment blown off the mountain.

"'I have changed the course for approximately 21 teams at PC7. They are doing exactly the same distance at the same elevation.'"— Mark Burnett, Race Organizer

As a direct result of the hideous conditions on the course, two teams broke open their emergency radios to request assistance and invoke instant disqualification. Both Team Guatemala and Brazil Adventure were hopelessly lost between PC6 and PC7 and decided to call it quits.

At the back of the course, Team Tier One, composed of elite US paramilitary rescue squad members, called for rescue as well. These specialist rescue soldiers were unable to find their way to PC7. This didn't do much to impress Burnett. "It is a complete mystery to me how these professionals paid by the government for these exact conditions were unable to find an easy PC, basically on the tourist trail," he commented.

Team Tier One is not the first group of military elite who have failed in an Eco Challenge. A team of US Navy Seals faltered in a past race. Maybe the US government should be talking to the Kiwis and enlisting the help of John Howard, whose team Greenpeace appears to be unstoppable.

"'It is a complete mystery to me how these professionals paid by the government for these exact conditions were unable to find an easy PC, basically on the tourist trail.'"— Mark Burnett

The lead teams are now on the next trekking and mountaineering leg and are expected to arrive at Pampa Linda PC16 late tonight. Many of the first bunch of teams behind the leaders were today on the river between PC11 and PC13. Very few teams have actually run the major rapid section, opting to portage their two-person inflatable kayaks.

We witnessed Team Fosters Australia commit themselves to the savage whitewater but flip before the worst section. "Stuff that!" was the team's reaction as it clambered up the river bank and around the section instead. The risk of injury was just too great and with another freezing night ahead, it is not worth the misery of a major dunking.

— Chris Vile, MountainZone.com Correspondent