Grim Sweeper Update: By noon today (June 27), the nasty fumes of the GS will reach Comox.
Yesterday in Ketchikan was the first 24-hour stretch with no racer arrivals since Team Malolo rolled into town. The lull sent everybody’s minds and tracker screens back down the course to check in on the five remaining teams:
Team Fairly Fleabag
At press time, Liam has now traveled solo for 45 hours straight. Now back in the loving embrace of cell coverage, the Race Boss and Team Fairly Fleabag exchanged some texts this morning:
TFF: “Current status: pedaling against current, no wind…”
RB: “Ugh. Tuck in for a nap?”
TFF: “Screw tucking in, it’s an hour pedal to shore at this speed. Might just drop sails and sleep
”
At last knowledge, Liam was asleep, drifting around hoping fishing charters and cruise ships dodge him.
Team Victory Oar Duff
Also reaching out via the sacred connection of a cell tower near Prince Rupert yesterday was Team Victory Oar Duff. A good thing, too—after the previous day they went incognito on the tracker, and the fans revolted. Reminder: don’t drop your tracker in the bilge.
TVOD: “Currently in Ogden Channel heading for Prince Rupert for a water top-up. All is good on Harpoon.”
Sent with several photos of soaked, yet very happy-looking Canadian servicemen.
Team Outtaspace
Last direct contact with this team was several days ago, after they experienced an episode where their mast may or may not have developed a crack. Upon further inspection:
TO: “Nothing cracking, including our will.”
Outtaspace on their Alien 21 is now tucked in with exactly 100 miles remaining.
Team Mr. X
Some big news from the course yesterday as a Garmin message lit the R2AK fan page aflame—Mr. X’s pedal drive has at least one foot in the grave.
TMX: “I will try to use these two broken drive, every step I press, they sound like a metal spoon scratching metal sheet, sharp sound, the resistance is also 3x time high”
Team Spirit of Nevetz
Sorry folks, no quotes from Ohad. He’s the strong and silent type. But we’d like you all to remember how excited you were when Team Tips Up finished—and then have a look at the X CAT if you haven’t already. Just as wild an idea as the Hobie 16, and he’s rolling solo.
Keep your eyes out folks, the endgame is near—and the real grit is showing.
R2AK out.
