Document Actions
NZ Adventure Racers Choose Sporting Draw
A team of New Zealanders competing in one of the world's toughest sporting challenges gave victory away at the finish line following the death of a competitor by a falling boulder.
In keeping with what they saw to be the true spirit of the race, the leading New Zealand Seagate team slowed on the finish line to cross equal with the second-placed Americans, in a race that continued only at the request of Australian Nigel Aylott's family and team members.
At the time of the accident, the Australian was leading the US$250,000 dollar race, but his death forced course changes and adjusted start times which the New Zealand team, then in second place, felt unfairly disadvantaged their American rivals - then in possession of a two hour lead.
"It didn't seem sporting and it didn't seem fair. We hadn't had a great race, so if we'd won it wouldn't have felt like we'd deserved it," Seagate captain Nathan Fa'avae said.
"We would have crossed the finish line first, but that's not the style we like to win races in."
Mike Kloser, the captain of the American Team Nike ACG, said that the tied race reflected what he described as the adventure racing spirit.
"We feel honoured to have been able to cross the finish line together, especially in view of Nigel's death."
The Primal Quest adventure race starts and finishes at Orcas Island, in the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington state.
It comprises 17 legs, and includes mountain biking, ocean kayaking, mountaineering, river paddling and carrying gear.
New Zealanders, traditionally dominant in the sport of adventure racing, also finished in fifth and eight place.
