Updates from The Mountain Zone Cybercast

Competitors arriving into checkpoint 4. (photo: Chris Vile)

After our own adventure navigating through the night in the Australian outback, we arrive at passport control point four where each team is logged.

At this point the teams have trekked 66km all night, and we witness the first guys appearing through the fog at 5:22am. First here was Team New Zealand (!), followed by the Aussie team Dew, and then more Kiwis, Team Endeavour. Comments from all teams were that the section was extremely hard on the feet and many teams have purposefully taken it easy to this point in order to keep their feet in a condition to last them the rest of the week. Teams have also commented on the large number of Kangaroos encountered during the night, and their jealousy of the agility and speed of these animals over this hostile terrain.

This is the first water available. (photo: Chris Vile)

This was the first point on course where competitors were able to access a water supply, which was nothing more than a farm creek. With the day ahead set to be extremely hot, this water loading point is a crucial one, and the teams load up to the max. The water to most of us would be undrinkable, but with the addition of stuff to kill the nasties, it means survival to the competitors.

From here the teams trek another 36 km to reach the Herbert River and start of the 42km canoeing leg.

-- Chris Vile, Mountain Zone Kiwi Correspondent