After winning the Adventure Xstream Series in 2007, C.A.M.P. sponsored Team Crested Butte must be having a difficult time swallowing this pill … in the recent race in Buena Vista, CO, the team logged their first DID NOT FINISH (DNF) in their six years of racing due to a navigation snaffu. Here's what team captain Bryan Wickenhauser had to say about accepting defeat, proving something to yourself for the sake of proving it and moving on:
The reality of the situation was tough to swallow during the dark, wet and cold (as it was snowing in May in Buena Vista!) hours prior to sunrise. It was the first time in the five years of racing as a team that we weren’t going to finish an adventure race. The big thing any team or athlete needs to remember is that no matter how good or bad the race/event was, "one race does not define an athlete/team." On any given weekend any number of teams can win. This team is made up of winners, and great teammates. We are all motivated to do well now in Ireland!
What we decided to do as a team, because we knew we would not get back to the next transition area by the cut-off point was to go ahead and nail the navigation in the Orienteering course (vs. skipping it and trying to make the cut off point to continue and incur massive penalties for skipping the orienteering course). So we did, just to prove a point to ourselves that we DO KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE with map & compass. We did it nailing all 30 points in short order!
Next up is Ireland! www.theturas.com
