Teams AdidiasTERREZ/Prunesco (UK), GearJunkie.Com (US) and Vaucluse Adventure Evasions (France) have arrived at PC11 and are being held at the checkpoint (PC) while weather conditions are assessed.
Meanwhile, Croatia's Ad Natura has been spotted by helicopter trekking towards PC11 and the remaing three teams, East Wind (Japan), Roadrunners Adventure (Denmark) and Perdido en el Turbal (US, UK)) are headed towards PC10.
In the past seven days, teams in this year's Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race have biked, kayaked and trekked some 315 kilometres through Chile's savage, but stunning Patagonian region. Teams must past 13 checkpoints on their way to the final.
A total of 14 teams began the race, billed as the world's 'last wild race' on Tuesday 8 February. Seven teams have retired, failing to make checkpoint cut-off times.This includes Dap Antartic (Chile), Xingu (Brazil), Joshiken (Chile), Four Continents (Australia, Czech and US), Selva NKS Kailash (Brazil), Todo Aventura (Chile, Argentina) and Dancing Pandas (Canada, US and New Zealand).
Retired racers are returning to Punta Arenas with stories of their experiences and determination to return again.
Nicolas Pivcevic, Team Captain for Chile's Dap Antartica said: "The team was perfect. I think what wnet wrong was not the preparation of the team, not even our physical conditions, I think it was something tactical. The race began a little later than expected and we can’t compare the rhythm we had to the teams in the front, but one thing led to another and unfortunately the sequence we took to take the kayak part put us in last place when we arrived to the first trekking part," he said.
“For me as a captain, the first goal was to return with an even better friendship than we had before and that everyone is safe. So we did that, so we are happy. We learned a lot from the Brazilians who were also stuck with us in the same conditions, they were in perfect shape and dancing the Samba!
“Of course, next year, we hope we will be able to do much more.”
