Updates from The Mountain Zone Cybercast

Everyone has badly damaged feet. (photo: Chris Vile) Eric Billoud of Team New Zealand: [Click for the audio.]

Team Canada is the first to withdraw from Eco-Challenge '97 after team member Chloe Lanthier, suffering from nausea and exhaustion that may be related to her epileptic medical condition, decided she could not go on.

Team Buffalo Rojo Spain member, Andrea Spitzer, 29, who is a model/athlete, has suffered a medial collateral injury to her right knee and was unable to continue, making her team the second to withdraw.

Both Lantheir and Spitzer were stabilized and transported from passport control #3, Meadow Bank, by one of the race vehicles to the mobile headquarters at Kirrama station.

These are the first of the 48 teams competing to withdraw from the event. At this point, there are several other teams way back on the course who are having a very rough time and may not last the day due to exhaustion and dehydration.

-- Chris Vile, Mountain Zone Kiwi Correspondent