2019 Mongol Derby: RACE UPDATE - Day 1

Welcome to the update from day 1!

On a cold, wet and shitty day in outer Mongolia, 43 riders galloped, trotted and circled off the start line.  Excited, nervous, sick, delighted - who knows, but they're off.

Sadly, as often happens, two riders didn't make the start line.  Pip Chisholm had a fall and Vasin Govender of Saffers_Ride_Mongolia also fell on the training ride.  When it was reported that he'd hurt his shoulder, his team at home had a bad feeling - Vasin broke his collarbone in a 100 mile bike race in the UK a few years ago and they were worried it might be the same shoulder.  He has my sympathy; I broke my collarbone badly 18 years ago and it has bothered me ever since.  Wishing him a speedy recovery and lots of fun in the broom wagon, staffed this year by Jess Kipp, veteran of the 2014 Derby and all round good sort.

I thought Sam Franklin rode off the start but returned pretty quickly and it isn't really clear from the Adventurists' updates, but he didn't ride very far if he rode at all.  He has a bad case of the grollies which I presume is Australian for he isn't feeling terribly chipper.  Anyway, whatever the problem is, it is bad enough to have landed Sam with a UB pass and he is currently recuperating there.

He can hold Erin Nagle's hand - she also looked like she rode off the start but returned pretty quickly, but there's no update as to what happened there.  That is, unless her fall happened very quickly - her horse slipped in the mud and fell on her on the way to HS1 so she has also taken a medical evacuation to UB where she is nursing mild concussion and a broken nose.  

Ben Materna (he of the luxurious flowing mane) did the right thing when Erin ate dirt and got off to help her out.  Query whether he regrets this now as his horse objected strongly to being remounted and bucked him off, but he still gets the Good Samaritan award for the first day of racing - GOOD MAN YOURSELF

A short note on weather.  The training days were as hot as all hell but a cold wet front has moved in.  Slippery conditions, as demonstrated by Erin Nagle, but also general misery, as demonstrated by lots of riders.  And it's only day 1.  Thoughts and prayers for those who didn't check their gear was fully functional before they set off for a 1000km horse race in the middle of nowhere - Kelsey Eliot and Sam Chisholm are wearing leaky or just plain useless rain jackets. #Smh etc. but joking aside, while this might be funny now, once the riders start to get tired minor irritations will take on a life of their own.  Chafing, much more likely in wet conditions, ends riders' races every year.  Just ask Cele Stone, veteran of the 2018 Derby who suffered days of raw flesh before she was forced to admit defeat.  

How are the featured riders doing? 

Elise and Justine are HS3 with the majority of the other riders.  Not in the front, as the leading pack of Robert Long, Zsofia Homor and Ahmed Al-Ghurair are staying with a local family in between HS2 and HS3, but up there.  

Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth/ the Adventurists for the photo

Saffers Ride Mongolia didn't get off the best start losing Vasin before the race began. Wiesman received a vet penalty at HS1 when his horse's heart rate failed to come down to 64BPM quickly enough and Sampie forged on, so he is currently snoring gently in comfort at HS3 while Wiesman is halfway between HS2 and HS3 staying with a local family.  Probably a wise decision to push on - there are 29 stations if you count the finish line and the riders have to finish in 10 days.  On a normal day, where the riders start at 0630 and can ride until 2030, three stations is eminently doable, four is a push.  Two can be an achievement on a bad day.  

Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth/ the Adventurists for the photo

Alanna Watt looks to have teamed up with another jockey, Holly Rivett.  Holly's friend @koistycassels has entertained me by trying valiantly to bet on Holly's chances (no luck yet) and is generally worth a follow on twitter.  Alanna has appeared in a few of the Adventurists' photos looking very cheerful, as has Holly so strong candidates for the Fun Trumps, I'd say.  They're both at HS3.

Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth/ the Adventurists for the photo

Team Chisholm made a few appearances in the Adventurists' social media feed today - poor Sam suffering in the wet and trying to light a ciggie to cheer himself up and he scored photo of the day, riding past a golden eagle.  Sort of the Derby in microcosm, really!  He's at HS3.  It isn't clear what happened to Indiana Field, but he's at HS2.

Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth/ the Adventurists for the photo

Jesse & Sarah also appeared in the race social media today but their first day of racing seems to have gone well, or at least without any cause for comment which is great news in a lot of ways.  You can't win this race on day 1, but you can definitely lose it... 

Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth/ the Adventurists for the photo

Wildcard Frank Winters got off to a blistering start, riding first into HS1 with the oldest competitor this year Robert Long.  Unfortunately he managed to ride out of HS1 without checking out with the vet, so back he went for a bit of wasted time.  A valuable early lesson in just how important the changeovers are.  Anyone who has enjoyed/suffered multisport will tell you that.  He's at HS3 preparing for another massive group start today, so keeping up with the best of them.  Hopefully his rain jacket is working...

Many thanks to Sarah Farnsworth/ the Adventurists for the photo

The official standings at the end of Day 1

Between HS3 & 4 - Ahmed Al-Ghurair, Zsofia Homor & Robert Long

HS3 - Sarah Brown, Abbi Bell, Jesse Byrne, Patti Long, Justine Hales, Linda van Gorkum, Frank Winters, Linda Vegher, Annette Kriller, Ben Materna, Holly Rivett, Sam Chisholm, Kelsey Eliot, Elise Stables, Margaret Voermans, Catherine Kennedy, Alanna Watt, Sally Conway, Sampie Mokoakoe, Naomi Crombeem, Lucinda Kyle, Julia Conway, Rachel Roman, Katie Hasse

In between HS2 & 3 - Wiesman Nel, HB (mystery - don't know who this is) and Esther Leenen

HS2 - Jacqueline Knopfel, Francis Delaey, Michael Field, Rendel Rieckmann, Ann Binnendijk, Aly van der Meulen, Taggert vin Zant, Ella Mildon, Ava Drake, Molly Pearson

Retired: Pip Chisholm, Vasin Govender
Out for now: Sam Franklin, Erin Nagle

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I must say, this year's photographs are looking absolutely fantastic and we have Sarah Farnsworth to thank.  Great stuff!

I should also say that this post was written entirely thanks to the fantastic race updates the crew send out from the field - you can get everything from the horse's mouth on twitter @mongolderbylive or on the Adventurists' website.