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| Andrew Thompson, crushed the previous course record by nearly 2 hours when he crossed the finish line in 17 hours 46 minutes. |
SEVERE CONDITIONS AT ODYSSEY ONE-DAY ADVENTURE RACE TEST DETERMINATION OF COMPETITORS
New Record Set in Most Challenging Odyssey One-Day Race To Date
Big Island, VA - The ominous beginning of the 4th Odyssey One-Day Adventure Race, March 11 - 12, foreshadowed a race that truly tested the determination, tenacity and sheer will of the competitors. Deafening rain, streaks of lightening and powerful wind gusts punctuated the atmosphere as teams and solo competitors carefully studied their maps and passports under the open-air pavilion of the Sedalia Center in Big Island, VA. Excitement increased as the rain picked up and the temperature dropped. Racers, most in high-tech weather gear, congregated at the start line and waited for race director, Don Mann, to signal the 8 PM beginning of the race. The course that awaited them is known as the toughest 24 hours of racing Odyssey has yet to offer.
Eighty-five competitors: 9 solo, 18 two-person and 10 four-person teams, started the race. Eighty-five headlamps blazed through the cold wet darkness, as competitors ran to the trail that would lead them to the top of Terrapin Mountain. The number of competitors would drop as the 24-hour race progressed, leaving only 31 individuals to cross the finish line before the deadline. A total of fifteen teams did not finish the race and 7 teams finished unofficially.
Racers had been warned during the race brief by Odyssey's staff doctor about rattlesnakes, copperheads and bear, but it was the weather forecast that competitors paid particular heed to. Throughout the nighttime trekking and biking sections, racers would encounter freezing temperatures, sleet and unexpected dense patches of fog that completely obliterated vision on 40-mph downhill runs. Those teams and solo competitors who successfully raced through the night, were rewarded with 40-knot winds and foot-high whitecaps during the daytime river canoe portion of the race. These conditions sent boats down the river sideways, and in some cases in circles, as competitors struggled to maintain control of their canoes through the rapids. Athletes who've done previous Odyssey One-Day races declare the bike climbs as the most difficult aspect of this course because of the deceivingly brutal elevation gain and loss. The overwhelming majority of competitors from this Odyssey said the river portion was the most challenging. Not hard to believe when you consider the water level rose from 3 ft. to 9.5 ft. between the time the race started and when most racers were on the river.
Odyssey staff, headed by 25-year river veteran, Joy Marr, and medical personnel made several river rescues. Team "X" was also credited with time for assisting in the river rescue of another team. The climbing crew at the canoe takeout reported that only 2 of the 22 teams had not been in the water. Despite the severe conditions, there were only minor reports of injuries and hypothermia. Prompt, experienced safety and medical support coupled with mandatory portage requirements helped to perpetuate Odyssey's excellent safety record.
Defying the elements, solo racer and ultra-runner, Andrew Thompson, crushed the previous course record by nearly 2 hours when he crossed the finish line in 17 hours 46 minutes. (The course, which is changed for each race, stays close to the same mileage and level of difficulty.) Andrew jockeyed for lead with 2-person team "D & F," Francois LeSellier and Dale Blankenship, as early as checkpoint 2 and throughout the remainder of the race, including a head-to-head daybreak launch into the paddling section. "D & F" finished 2nd overall and 1st in 2-person teams with a time of 19:06. Francois and Dale also beat the standing course record. Third overall and 1st in 4-person teams was "Sea Level" with a finish time of 19:35. Other impressive finishes included 2-person female team "Iona" consisting of experienced adventure racers Irena Sumano and Eliza McLean. "Iona" finished 5th overall and made history by being the first female team to finish an Odyssey adventure race. The third time proved to be a charm for soloist Mickey Syrop who did not finish his first two Odyssey One-Day race attempts. Mickey came back with a vengeance and finished 11th overall. Visit the www.beastoftheeast.com website for complete results and photos of this race plus details on other Odyssey events, including the next Odyssey One-Day scheduled for June 10. |
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