February 17, 2009 — 2009 WENGER PATAGONIAN EXPEDITION RACE
MEDIA UPDATE: race status as at February, 17 2009
The first results are in! After a gruelling six-day battle including daily rain, ferocious winds and even hail, English team Helly Hansen-Prunesco was the first to cross the finish line at Cape Froward on February 16, 22:36 local time.
Starting strong in the glacier-filled opening kayak stretch and never looking back, the first-time competitors blew away the field as they moved methodically, averaging of an hour sleep daily, through the 600 hundred kilometres in the toughest weather conditions the WPER has ever seen.
Last year’s winners French team Easy Implant was in second entering the final section - a 155 km trek through a dense forest containing drastic ridge traverses flanked by Eiffel Tower cliff drops - having distanced themselves from the pack while struggling to keep pace with the English.
Trailing the French are the Canadians and Americans as they battle for the last place on the podium. Two days ago they were separated by only a few hours, but that’s the most current update as the Canadians lost their satellite tracking system while dragging their kayaks through a bog filled 20 km portage known as the Paso de los Indios.
2006 champion team Buff of Spain withdrew prior to entering the final trekking section due to injury, leaving only those four teams fighting to reach the elusive finish line at Cape Froward, and little doubt that this adventure race remains the most challenging physical and mental test of them all.
For further media information and high resolution images, please contact:
Philip Hale, PRISM: Tel: +44 20 7711 6872; email: phale@prismteam.com
For information on Wenger contact:
Dennis Piretra
Wenger
Tel: +1 845 365 3500
Email: dennis.piretra@wenger.ch
For 2009 race enquiries contact:
Ann Meidinger/Carlos Cortez
Nómadas Outdoor Services
Tel: +56 61 613 893
Email: info@nomadas.cl
About Wenger SA – title sponsor of Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race
Wenger was founded in 1893, in the Delémont, located in the famous Swiss Jura region. It has developed around a passion for innovation, precision and expert craftsmanship and is best known as the maker of the genuine Swiss Army knife. Today, the company produces approximately 250 styles of the famous pocket-knives, as well as butcher’s and professional catering knives known the world over.
In 1997, Wenger Watch SA was founded in the hotbed for Swiss watches, Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. In just 12 short years Wenger Swiss watches have developed a reputation for reliability, multi-functionality and performance.
Within the last eight years, Wenger established relationships with a small number of industry leaders who began manufacturing Wenger-branded products that embody the characteristics of the world famous Swiss Army knife in the footwear, tent, backpack, sleeping bag, computer mobility and travel gear categories
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MEDIA UPDATE: race status as at February, 17 2009
The first results are in! After a gruelling six-day battle including daily rain, ferocious winds and even hail, English team Helly Hansen-Prunesco was the first to cross the finish line at Cape Froward on February 16, 22:36 local time.
Starting strong in the glacier-filled opening kayak stretch and never looking back, the first-time competitors blew away the field as they moved methodically, averaging of an hour sleep daily, through the 600 hundred kilometres in the toughest weather conditions the WPER has ever seen.
Last year’s winners French team Easy Implant was in second entering the final section - a 155 km trek through a dense forest containing drastic ridge traverses flanked by Eiffel Tower cliff drops - having distanced themselves from the pack while struggling to keep pace with the English.
Trailing the French are the Canadians and Americans as they battle for the last place on the podium. Two days ago they were separated by only a few hours, but that’s the most current update as the Canadians lost their satellite tracking system while dragging their kayaks through a bog filled 20 km portage known as the Paso de los Indios.
2006 champion team Buff of Spain withdrew prior to entering the final trekking section due to injury, leaving only those four teams fighting to reach the elusive finish line at Cape Froward, and little doubt that this adventure race remains the most challenging physical and mental test of them all.
For further media information and high resolution images, please contact:
Philip Hale, PRISM: Tel: +44 20 7711 6872; email: phale@prismteam.com
For information on Wenger contact:
Dennis Piretra
Wenger
Tel: +1 845 365 3500
Email: dennis.piretra@wenger.ch
For 2009 race enquiries contact:
Ann Meidinger/Carlos Cortez
Nómadas Outdoor Services
Tel: +56 61 613 893
Email: info@nomadas.cl
About Wenger SA – title sponsor of Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race
Wenger was founded in 1893, in the Delémont, located in the famous Swiss Jura region. It has developed around a passion for innovation, precision and expert craftsmanship and is best known as the maker of the genuine Swiss Army knife. Today, the company produces approximately 250 styles of the famous pocket-knives, as well as butcher’s and professional catering knives known the world over.
In 1997, Wenger Watch SA was founded in the hotbed for Swiss watches, Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. In just 12 short years Wenger Swiss watches have developed a reputation for reliability, multi-functionality and performance.
Within the last eight years, Wenger established relationships with a small number of industry leaders who began manufacturing Wenger-branded products that embody the characteristics of the world famous Swiss Army knife in the footwear, tent, backpack, sleeping bag, computer mobility and travel gear categories
<< Back to Press Releases