One Water Race is serious business. Participation demands several requirements. Even at the highest level, preparation must be extensive or you will fail. And yes, even if you are super strong, train hard and build on past experiences, you can still fail.
And why is this happening? Very simple, the rules, once you understand them, let you see that the organization takes its motto “The ultimate proof of human capacity” to heart. They don’t want finishers, they just want those who come knocking on the door of the Landsort lighthouse to be exceptionally strong, applying an almost suicidal strategy, eliminating their rivals to keep the entire prize pool and, also, reaching the finish line with the last drop of energy.
We don’t know if that was, from the beginning, the main goal of the organization, but indeed, this is what it has become.
After a process where we managed an average speed equal to last year’s winner, we fell behind the great performance of teams that kept a terrible racing speed in the first 24 hours, for which we were not prepared. This year it was a longer and more difficult race so the speed was simply slower. Live and learn and you will get better.
We were not the only ones to fail, six teams made up of world-class athletes from various disciplines were eliminated one after another.
We were not the only ones to fail, six teams made up of world-class athletes from various disciplines were eliminated one after another. Is that a consolation? Of course not. This is intended to remind you that the result of the race always depends not only on your performance, but also on the level of your competitors. In this case, what I want to say is: Chapeau Team Australia, your ‘kill everyone’ strategy has been a success and we have much to learn from you.
Thomas Organder and his employees once again came very close to organizational perfection. It’s strange, but even though they put us in extreme situations, they care for us like a loving mother would take care of her children, actively giving us strength and courage for the long journey. They give to me and they care about me. When to stop so as not to risk our lives.
And when you do what you love and push your limits, the call is irresistible.
I have no regrets. The process, the experimentation, and the closeness with the many talents accumulated on other teams and among my own teammates is so worth it. And when you do what you love and push your limits, the call is irresistible.
/ Ruben, Federica, Fernando and Thiago in Team 6 – URY/BRA/PRY
Photo by Jimmy Hansen
