Nineteen teams of eco-adventurers headed into the Patagonian wilderness in an extreme-endurance environmental multisport race designed to protect one of the most remote parts of the planet. Teams from Croatia, New Zealand, Great Britain, United States, Japan, Russia, Brazil, France, Denmark, Czech Republic, South Africa, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Finland, Canada, Spain, Australia, Colombia and Chile will fight to reach the finish line.
The racers will compete non-stop through 581km of one of the world’s untouched, great wildernesses. However, the kayak, bike and trekking race is so challenging that fewer than half the teams are likely to complete the course.
This year’s annual race begins in Punta Arenas and travels down the coast of Peninsula Brunswick, home of the Huemul Conservation Project, toward the ominous and unexplored terrain of Tierra del Fuego. First, teams must cross the Strait of Magellan, reaching Dawson Island, an area which has not been accessible to the public until now. They will then portage their kayaks across the island’s lakes and scrub until they reach the inviting tails winds of Canal Whiteside, completing an 85km kayak portion. The route then passes through Karukinka Natural Park, owned by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), home to emblematic Patagonian wildlife including guanacos and Andean condors, as well as pristine forests, snow-capped peaks, glacial lakes and the infamous peat bogs. Teams will leave by bike, along the flat wind-swept plains of Tierra del Fuego before reentering through southern Karukinka. They will then travel along the very first trail in WCS’s natural park, constructed by Nomadas International Group (NIGSA), which will for the first time allow the public access to the remote wilds of Karukinka. The route will then require teams to cross a profound river with ropes in order to reach their next challenge, a 142km trek through the 2000m, glacier-tipped mountains of the Darwin Range. Finally, the teams trace the shores of the Beagle Channel in kayaks, at last reaching an area worthy of being the 10th Anniversary finish line: a deep fjord alongside a magnificent, towering glacier.
Race founder and director Stjepan Pavicic said: “This year is very important for the event and we have created a spectacular course that will certainly test the competitors to their limits.”
“The route will lead our teams through and bring exposure to many natural marvels that have remained pristine and untouched by mankind, – but it is also important to understand, as we enjoy its beauty, that we must conserve it and protect for future generations.”
Competitors range from 23-year old cave explorers, to deca-Ironman champions, to hash race runners, all of which are either joining forces or preparing to outlast each other in the cold wilds of Chilean Patagonia. Many teams return with new faces, and new tricks up their sleeves, hoping to overcome whatever Patagonia has awaiting them. Teams identify the unpredictable weather conditions of Patagonia as their biggest fear. Only time will tell who has truly prepared accordingly.
To kick off the 10th Anniversary of the Patagonian Expedition Race, the organizing company, NIGSA, has also announced their new event, Patagonian International Marathon, which will be held in September 2012. NIGSA is calling on athletes from all nations who dream of competing in wild nature, for the inaugural Patagonian International Marathon, whose route will boast stunning views of Torres del Paine– designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and Biosphere Reserve in 1978. This will be the first event of its type connected to Chile’s most visited, beautiful park and participation will support the mission to focus world attention on the conservation of Chilean Patagonia.
