David Ogden
International Adventurers
The 65K paddle to the mainland via the island of Eigg started later than intendedat 0820 by the time they passed the second of two checkpoints Orion Health had taken an early lead powering along at 5knots . Balance Bar Vector and Team Sole were fighting for second place travelling around 4.k knots, while Nike were in 7th Place travelling at 3 knots Team Halti were further back but catching up at 6knots.
It appears there were 2 early casualties team Sleepmonster/Inov6 capsised and recovered and Team North Face had a collision prior to the startwhich put a hole in their boat had to paddle hard to catch up.
Around Midday Orion Health reached the main land and turned North into the wind to head up to Lock Morah Narrows, Team Balance Vector were in close attentance with Wilsa Helly
Hansen, burfords Adventure racing and Sole not far behind.
Team Buff/Lake district outdoors had a structural problemin one of thier kayaks a and were picked up by rescue boat and transported to the mainland and continue unranked after the five lead teams had passed.
Teams at the back of the race were forced south by winds and current and Team Cancer Research were help back on course to join the North Face as tail end Charlie. During the night
some teams took to the beach to head up to Morar it being a very long and tiring time for the back markers. Team inov-8/intellident capsized in Loch Morar and went to a local farmhouse for help as one team member had damaged fingers from the prologue.
The Micro Navigation section (CP3) during the portage into Loch Nevis saw Balance Vector snatch the lead Meanwhile Orion Health and Balance Vector and the leading teams had to serve their time penalties at the end of the micronavigation course, this allowed a new leader to emerge Wilsa Helly Hansen.
Once accross Loch Ness the teams began the long trek twisting and undulating to the tip of Loch Horn, which started by heading SE to tip of loch Nevis where
all but Wilsa Helly Hansen had navigational promlems. Aberdeen Asset Management actually heading down to the Loch side. Team Balance Vector moved fast after correcting their
error to chase down the leaders.teams are not expect to reach Transition 2 until tomorrow morning.