Untamed Switzerland Stage 3 Update and Final Results
Untamed Switzerland results are final now at http://www.untamedadventure.com/SwissLive.aspx (Staffan Kallback (1st), iRule (2nd), Pilatus Aircraft (3rd)).
Commentary on Stage 3:
Huddled into the public restroom at the tiny train station at the top of the pass, teams quickly put on their hats, gloves, and jackets — indeed, any and all warm clothing — while the Race Director ran through the final pre-Stage briefing. The Bernina Pass, one of Europe’s highest and most weather-beaten mountain passes, set the backdrop for the final Stage of 2010 Untamed Switzerland. The bright sunshine had fooled racers during the train ride up to the 2,330 meter summit; while it looked mild outside, the actual temperatures were well below freezing and a frigid wind howled through the Bernina Alps. Snow and ice were everywhere [pic attached shows the icy landscape and racer Maya Meyer early in Stage 4]. One step off the train, and the racers realized their error and so a rush into the heated restroom ensued!
Teams were briefed on the specific avalanche slopes to avoid, water sources along the route, and notified about the generally good weather forecast for the day. Their tracking beacons were turned on and then racers filed out of the restroom and into the morning cold. Stage 3 had begun.
Click on either image for larger version
The sunlight was blinding, and so was the early pace led by the 2009 winner Christian Schneider. Staffan Kallback, this year’s leader, and 2nd place team iRule, were just steps behind. A start at the top of the Bernina Pass means a huge descent to begin the day, and teams took every opportunity to use gravity to their advantage. Racers improvised sleds from jackets or just slid down on their bottoms, quite literally flying down the snowy slopes of the pass; 4th place competitor Jeff Grant stated after the stage that “an absolute highlight for me was sledding down from the heights of the Bernina Pass just on my map case.” One racer, Maya Meyer, asked too much of her map case and shredded it along with the contents while riding down a particularly long pitch — she was forced to team-up with Chris Roberts, who had a sturdier map case that survived the sliding and agreed to share his 3rd Stage with her. (see image below)
After the steep descent from the Bernina Range, teams ventured into the snowy Val da Camp valley for several checkpoints. Val da Camp is a secluded mountain paradise where the only human activity was that of the Untamed Switzerland racers. Some used snowshoes, others post-holed (skipping the snowshoes to save on weight), but all the racers enjoyed the still snowfields and dramatic peaks surrounding the valley.
The exit from Val da Camp was a tricky high altitude traverse south towards Italy, using old smugglers routes. Teams negotiated several snow slides (frozen and stable, but still nerve-wracking to cross) and a web of old roads and trails on their way to the finish at the Swiss/Italian border town of Poschiavo. The fastest teams elected to bypass the confines of the road system and just bushwhack straight down. Private property laws in Switzerland permit such non-intrusive movement, so more power to the racers for their creativity!
The final checkpoint was located in the historic town square in Poschiavo, where race staff had set-up near a gelato and coffee shop in the warm valley sunshine. Compared with the windy and cold start of Stage 3 atop the Bernina Pass, this mild setting was a stark contrast and really showcased the variety the Swiss Alps have to offer.
Staffan Kallback and Christian Schneider ran the final 20 km together, becoming friends over the course of the weekend and happy to team up for the final portion of this final Stage. Kallback earned the overall Untamed Switzerland victory, too, with iRule narrowly edging out the persistant Pilatus Aircraft team to take second.
Overall Results (Racer/team and then total checkpoints obtained — ties settled by faster cumulative time on the course):
Staffan Kallback-77
iRule-77
Pilatus Aircraft-77
Hillseeker Fitness-76
Curry and Chips-63
Wijnand Jager-60
Chris Roberts-55
C. Schneider-54
Maya Meyer-52
Daneil Meyer-25
By Grant Killian
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