Updates from The Mountain Zone Cybercast

Team Odyssey was rescued by helicopter this afternoon off the far north Queensland coast, near Fitzroy Island on the final 50 mile sea kayaking leg.

The event's rescue helicopter crew saved all four members of the team, after they radioed race management for assistance. They were winched from the sea and returned to the Eco-Challenge medical center in Bramston Beach (Camp 3).

Three of the team members, Nate Smith and Joe Bell of Coronado, California, and Christoper Haggerty of Rockville, Maryland are all members of the elite US Navy Seals. The fourth team member, Juli Lynch of Nashotah, Wisconsin is a corporate development consultant. All four team members are safe after receiving treatment at Bramston Beach.

According to race organizers, the kayak carrying Juli Lynch, was overcome by heavy seas and became partially submerged. With two team members in the water, the remaining members tied the kayaks together forming a raft so that they could support the two stranded members.

Rescue paramedic, Paul Featherstone, who recently received world-wide attention as the rescuer of Stuart Diver, the sole survivor of Australia's Thredbo mudslide, was on the scene within minutes.

"Featherstone dropped into the water and ensured the team was winched one by one to safety. This could have happened to anyone in the race and the Navy Seals, with their experience, handled the situation very well. A squall hit them and there was nothing they could do. The whole rescue was handled brilliantly and was over very quickly," said race director, Mark Burnett.

Team captain, Juli Lynch, 37, said the swells got bigger before the squall hit. "The waves crashed over the top of us and we just sank lower and lower," she said.

"The boat filled with water. There was not enough time to pump it out. I knew once we'd radioed Eco-Challenge that we'd be found and we weren't concerned," said team member Nate Smith, 28, an adventure racing veteran.

At the time of the rescue, Team Odyssey was lying in 22nd place. On Sunday, August 18, for the second year in a row, Team Eco-Internet finished in first place to win the Discovery Channel Eco-Challenge. Seventeen teams have now reached the finish line with a further 14 teams remaining, out of an original field of 48 teams.

According to race medical director, Dr. Adrian Cohen, all four team members were suffering from exposure and minor hypothermia.

"Worst affected was Juli Lynch but she is now well on her way to recovery," Dr. Cohen said.

-- Eco-Challenge Media Release