Turas Adventure race
Media Release
The Turas -Stage 2, Day 2 – Top Teams Stay In The Lead While Others Struggle
Schull, West Cork, Ireland
The worlds top adventure racing teams are battling the elements in the
inaugural Turas AR World Series which making its way today from Schull,
West Cork along the Beara Peninsula to Gougane Barra. But boy, have been
having a tough time of it!
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A small craft warning issued overnight last night, forced a change in
today’s kayak section of the race forcing Race Director Con Moriarty to
take a close look at the originally lengthy kayak stage, and shorten it
to a 35km route lee-side of the islands in Roaringwater Bay, Schull.
Teams however, encountered worsening conditions while out paddling which
heavily penalized the back end of the field. Four teams found it
particularly tough and UK team Cam Racers had to be rescued from the
water. Team 23 Cam Racers UK member John Cunningham and Tarquin Cooper’s
boat capsized while on the home stretch. “We just got hit by a big wave
and went over, there was nothing we could do, we tried to self-right the
kayak but it just wouldn’t work so we were just getting colder and
colder and we had to be pulled out” said Cam Racer’s Tarquin Cooper.
They will continue the race but are no longer in contention for a podium
finish. Jim Kennedy of Atlantic Sea Kayaking and kayak stage manager
said “the safety of the athletes is held in highest regard at all times
and any crew who are not able to continue due to physical or equipment
breakages will be rescued.”
As the teams spread out across the field there could be up to five
stages in operation at any given time. Seven of the top ten teams in the
world are participating in The Turas, Team Orion Health (NZ) and
legendary adventure racer Richard Ussher’s Team New Zealand Adventure
Sport, along with team Buff Coolmax (Spain) and Wilsa Hellyhansen
(France/IRL) are in the lead followed by Salomon Crested Butte (USA),
Peak Adventure (AUS) and Sport 200 Vibram La Fuma (France). According to
Con Moriarty “the course has been designed to challenge the leading
adventure racers in the world, after day two it is obvious the standard
of the top teams which has set them apart from the rest of the field, it
will be very interesting to see leaders emerge from the tight group of
seven teams in the lead.”
While the seven teams in the lead have finished the portage section and
are now competing on the orienteering section of the stage, eight teams
were still battling the elements on the portage section against
worsening weather. Some of the teams on the portage section are already
effectively ‘out of the race’ already as they did not make the cut-off
time for that stage. They are allowed to continue their journey but will
not be in contention for a podium finish. World Series Director Geoff
Hunt commented yesterday "I’ve yet to see teams in the lead in bad
weather, it seems as though the less competitive teams are always
contending with the weather while the top teams manage to race ahead of
it!” Let's just hope the weather stays behind the top teams!
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