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2019 Mongol Derby: RACE UPDATE - Day 8, Part 1

Welcome to the update for Day 8, Part 1: Robert Long wins the Mongol Derby

The podium. Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth & the Adventurists.

This year brought a big change for the Mongol Derby in that Tom, one of the owners of the Adventurists (the company that runs the race) took away the racing line and returned to waypoints.  What did that mean for the race?

On earlier Derbies riders navigated for themselves, from waypoint to waypoint.  This meant that riders could see certain points on their GPS, such as rivers, hills or horse stations but had to work out the best route from one waypoint to the next using the course notes (famously useless) and their ability to read the topographical map (mixed, at best).  This resulted in lots of adventure, but also presented a crazy logistical challenge as riders got lost, loster and lostest every year in various unhelpful and 4WD inaccessible locations.  Bear in mind that Mongolia really is wild even relatively close to UB and you can appreciate why for the last four years the race included a trail for riders to follow. 

This approach presented its own challenges, however.  The speed the riders could travel at increased and the event definitely became more of a race and less of an adventure, which is a good or a bad thing depending on your point of view.  It also arguably meant riders rode along looking at their GPS rather than trying to read the landscape.  So this year, back to adventure with one concession - riders no longer have the opportunity to forget their GPS or buy a really cheap crappy one; thanks to new sponsors Garmin each rider has a race GPS provided by the Adventurists.

What did all of this mean for this year's race and why am I wittering on about it?  In short, Robert absolutely nailed the navigational challenge.  As Tom said on the finish line, he made two mistakes over the 1,000 kilometre course.  Once he rode a bit too close to the river and then between urtuus 26-27 he took an "as-the-crow-flies" line over the mountains.  And that, ladies and gentlemen, is in large part why he won.  He is an excellent horseman with more experience than anyone else, that is true, but he could not have won by so large a margin had he not navigated so incredibly well on a course comprised only of waypoints.

Anyway, enough from me as Robert was interviewed on the finish line.  He spoke well and gave the impression that he had a good handle on what the race had been for him already; I'm not sure what I was expecting but somehow he took me quite by surprise.  As I said yesterday, perhaps the most impressive winner to date but as I found out today also one of the most interesting.

Robert Long

"My horse has just won the Mongol Derby. It's nothing. You just ride 650 miles on a death march.

I had such a rush.  I had a family come out and meet me on the steppe.  They followed me to town honking and waving and got everybody to come out of their houses to wave to me.  They said the horse I was riding was their horse and that he'd won four Naadams [traditional festival in Mongolia, always includes horse races along with other traditional sports] - I gave them a blue ribbon and later I saw it hanging in their car.  I had such a rush.  I only stayed at one horse station for the entire race.  The families were spectacular.

One day I rode up a hill and was cutting across (as I do, as Tom knows) and there was a woman washing clothes as I trotted up with two little boys splashing in the tub.  I asked if I could water my horse so she shoo'd the boys away and my horse drank from the tub.  Another time, it was a rainy evening and we were racing across the steppe.  It was five to eight, so I turned, splashed through the water and made for the nearest ger.  There were twin girls sitting on the corral singing nursery rhymes.  I put my horse in the corral and the vet and the interpreter had to wade their way in to check the horse. That was a rush.

When I started I was excited about riding horses, but I'm not quite that excited any more.

A little self-disclosure.  My Mom and Dad have passed away and my brother died in a home-built aircraft wreck.  I kept telling him "don't sell your horse" but he did, built an aircraft and he crashed the plane.  He wanted his urn dropped over the Tetons (Wyoming).  Up there is a meadow my Mom and Dad used to call JD's clearing, where we hunt.  In September I'm taking him up there.  That'll be my next horse ride."

And how are the featured riders doing?

A very quick report tonight - Wiesman came in 2nd, Justine came in joint third with Margreet Voermans, Sarah Brown and Jesse Byrne.  

A classic Derby finish from an absolutely cracking bunch. Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth & the Adventurists for the photo.

I think Elise has crossed the line but as the trackers are down, I can`t confirm yet... Sampie I think is at HS28, Michael Field is keeping the home fires burning at HS24 last I checked and Alanna Watt & Holly Rivett are trucking on in the adventure class in between HS24 & 25. 

Tune in for more action tomorrow!