Expedition Mata Atlantica 2000
October 23-28, 2000

The Expedition Mata Atlantica 2000 Adventure Race kicked off its third annual with tremendous success. Alexandre Freitas, President and owner, once again promised a challenging and competitive 6 day, non-stop, 450K adventure race in the rugged terrain of the State of Sao Paulo and Rio De Janeiro. The course was designed as an expedition race with few dark Zones and time cutoffs throughout the course that rerouted racers to compete in either the alternative or adventure categories. This allows teams to continue racing towards the finish line and obtain a ranking in the other category races. The grueling course, covering trails and roads of the Mata Atlantica, encompassing 222K of mountain biking, 131K of trekking, 84K canoeing, 1.5K of swimming, 18K white water rafting, 5K of coasteering and spectacular rope sections entailing ascending, tyrollean and repelling. This years race was the most competitive field ever with 32 teams competing representing countries from around the world. On October 23rd, the race began on the beautiful beach of Tarituba, Paraty Rio De Janeiro at 7AM by canoe paddling 34K. The next leg of the race consisted of a 65K trekking leg with coasteering, swimming and a 90-m rappel. Teams then transitioned to the next challenge at PC 10, a 80 K trekking mountain bike leg. Here teams were given the option prior to race start to choose either to ride an additional 16K to their support team to rest and refuel or continue directly to PC 13. 19 teams opted for support assistance prior to race start. This section was a difficult orienteering section as well as challenging for teams due to the many hours of trekking with their bikes. The mountain bike leg ended in the state of Sao Paulo and teams continued a 3K canoe followed by a 62 K trek reaching 1300 m of altitude through the State Park of Serra do Mar, which divides the State of Sao Paulo and Rio De Janeiro. Many teams were lost during this segment and as a result stopped due to mental and physical exhaustion. The first Time cutoff was here which determined the fate of many teams which would continue in the alternative Category in a shorter race towards the finish line.

After the trekking mountain bike leg, support teams took part in a community project which entailed the cleaning of a 500 m section of a highway near the Transition Area. After this trekking leg, teams began the 18 K rafting discipline with level 3+ rapids. Approximately 20 teams took part in this section of the race rafting either during the day or night. Upon completion of this section remaining teams in the Expedition Race began the mountain bike/rope skills section PC20/TA5. At this time 5 teams still remained in the Expedition Race: at the end of the mountain biking leg teams will begin another canoe leg approximately 44 K. A Time Cutoff was given here requiring teams to pass through PC 24/TA6 no later than 10PM on Oct 27. Teams unable to make the cutoff will continue in the Adventure category by mountain bike to PC 20/TA5. ONLY 4 teams made the cutoff to continue in the Expedition Race.

Teams in the Expedition race continued with a short 8.5K mountain bike Leg followed by a 19K trek/rope skills section at the Pico do Corcovado, Ubatuba Sao Paulo. Teams in the Adventure Catagory that did not make the canoe time cutoff at PC24/TA6 continued by mountain bike. The first team to reach the finish line by canoe on the Rio Itamambuca in a total time of 137 hrs and 40 minutes was Team Epinephrine. The second place team Timberland Lontra Radical Caloi (Brazilian) finished over 10 hours behind the first place team. Team Santa FE- Phoenix finished 4th in the Adventure Category and Team Santa Fe finished unranked, due to an illness which required one of the teammates to drop out.