2019 Mongol Derby: RACE UPDATE - Day 2

Welcome to the update for day 2!

Today was a day dominated by wet weather, interpretative dance, sorry route finding, and many, many falls.  I'm going to start with a photograph, this time taken by @erikcooperadventurist (worth a follow during the Derby as veteran crew, but also for his general adventuring).

Thanks Erik Cooper & the Adventurists for the photo

Erik is a sharp observer, which is of course what makes his photography and his portraits in particular so good.  This is a hard race and this is why it is so tricky to win both the fun trumps AND the race itself; riding hard at the front and speeding through changeovers without sitting down for a cup of tea and some restorative noodles takes its toll pretty quickly.  It has been done by some hard characters, but I'm not sure it can be done if it rains consistently throughout.  Chafing is worse, tempers fray, riders find out their wet weather gear is woefully inadequate, horses slip and stumble in the mud...  those still smiling get top marks and those feeling a bit rough get genuine sympathy.  

Add to all of this that from today's update it sounds like the Adventurists forgot the dry bags.  Or maybe some of the riders?  Dry bags were what got me round the 2014 race.  They kept my down jacket and down sleeping bag bone dry through rivers, bogs and torrential downpours and I slept like a baby every night in my lovely warm set up.  I honestly can't bear to think about what the race would be like in this weather with a crappy rain jacket and soaking wet gear.  God save them all.  

When I went to bed last night the front runners were just arriving into HS7 with just under two hours of racing left.  I presumed some at least would push on and camp out, but it looks like conditions have overcome competitive instinct as they all relinquished that advantage in favour of a night in the warmth and comfort of the HS ger.  Wondering what a ger is?  Keep following - I'm going to write a special post later in the race.

And if the front of the field were feeling a bit rough, the back of the race is barely hanging on in there.  Taggert vin Zant rode out of HS2 on day 1 but wasn't going to make HS3, wasn't prepared to camp and had to take a carry forward.  I'll check the race rules on carry forwards as they change, but generally speaking riders have a limited number they can use in extremis before they either have to drop out of the race, or the whole event.

Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth & the Adventurists for the photo

When racing stopped last night at 8pm, an incredible 19 riders had reached HS7 meaning that racing will begin this morning with a massed start and everything to play for.  What a fantastic race this is shaping up to be...  

So how are the featured riders doing?

Elise Stable & Justine Hales
Like so many teams formed before the riders fly out, these two parted ways on the Steppe.  There's no update as to why, but Justine has ridden consistently near the front and Elise, while still up at the front had a two hour delay at HS2 while she served a vet penalty for a lame horse so it may be that this pragmatic pair are just dealing with whatever the race throws at them.  Anyway, the ladies are reunited at HS7 so perhaps they will ride out together again?  And WELL DONE to Elise for an amazing day of racing yesterday - it is no small thing that she served her penalty and caught the front of the field, all in one day.  Buggerability galore, just as I expected.

Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth & the Adventurists for the photo Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth & the Adventurists for the photo

Saffers Ride Mongolia

After losing Vasin in training to a broken collarbone and a torn rotator cuff, Wiesman was hit with the first vet penalty of the race on day 1 at HS1 when his horse's heart rate didn't come down to the required 56BPM in the time allowed. Sampie rode on, keeping up with the front of the field and Wiesman has ridden a fantastic race so far to come back from that and end day 2 at the front of the race.  Another impressive demonstration of buggering on, especially in these conditions.

Banter twins

It looks like Alanna Watt has teamed up with Holly Rivett, so my coverage will follow both of them for as long as their team lasts!  And considering they have survived two EPIC detours (one of which had to be forcibly cut short by the organisers) today, I see absolutely no reason why these two can't carry on hooning around, having the time of their lives and getting horribly, awfully lost.  Keep trucking on ladies!  The end of day 2 sees them at HS5, still smiling and still together.

Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth & the Adventurists for the photo

Sam Chisholm & Michael Field 

Another team who have parted ways, but I suspect this is a team that won't reform if only because @sammchis is at the front at HS7 and Michael Field is camped out right at the back in between HS4 and HS5.  I'll continue to cover both but separately.  This looked like a hard fall for Sam, but he's still up at the front ready to ride out as joint leader at 0630 on day 3.  Another set of top marks for buggerability here.

Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth & the Adventurists for the photo

Michael is providing entertainment galore for everyone at home, jumping quite as if he were in the middle of a hunt field at home (sort of).  

Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth & the Adventurists for the photo

He's not pushing too hard, but is very determined to finish with a clean slate (that's no penalties) which is an honourable aspiration if ever there were one.  He had a fall today when his horse slipped, he went through the front door and then he was kind enough to provide a soft landing for the erstwhile steed.  Top marks for animal welfare, Dr Jones.  I mean Field.  Last scene wandering around between HS4 and 5 looking as if there was something he'd forgotten, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it...

Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth & the Adventurists for the photo

Uh oh... hopefully more on what happened here tomorrow.  As far as we know, he's still in the race though!

Jesse & Sarah 

A quiet but successful day for this pair.  They're in the joint lead at HS7, too.

Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth & the Adventurists for the photo

Jesse mentioned that he's letting the herders pick his horses and, as they're doing such a good job, we can't see why he'd do anything different.  Very sensible Jesse.

Wildcard, Frank Winters

I am on the EDGE OF MY SEAT watching this guy - he had a fall today, but he's laughing.  Like I said when I picked him, Mongolians love a cowboy and it looks very much like they are giving him and Robert Long their most spririted animals and these guys are not just sitting, they're racing.  Effing fantastic stuff and I am loving every minute of it.  I can't lie.  I would be over the moon if Frank won.  RIDE 'EM, COWBOY!!!

Thanks to Sarah Farnsworth & the Adventurists for the photo

I don't need to say that Frank will ride out as joint leader when racing starts again at 0630 on day 3.  But there you go, I've said it anyway!

General standings

HS7 - Zsofia Homor, Sam Chisholm, Jesse Byrne, Robert Long, Frank Winters, Ahmed Al-Ghirair, Sally Conwayt, Linda Vegher, Wiesman Nel, Sampie Mokoakoe, Lucinda Kyle, Sarah Brown, Linda van Gorkum, Margreet Voermans, Elise Stables, Justine Hale, Annette Kriller, Katie Angus, Benjamin Materna, Kelsey Eliot (20)

HS6 - Rachel Roman, Naomi Crombeem (2)

HS5 - Ella Mildon, Francis Delaey, Aly van der Meulen, Anne Binnendijk, Patti Long, Holly Rivett & Alanna Watt (the banter twins), Rendel Rieckmann, Catherine Kennedy, Katie Hasse, Taggert vin Zant, Abbi Bell, Harriet Bond, Molly Paterson, Ava Drake, Esther Leenen (16)

In between HS4 & HS5 - Jacqueline Knopfel, epically lost & Michael Field (2)

Adventure class: Sam Franklin, who will ride out of HS6 tomorrow

Retired: Vasin Govender, Pip Chisholm
Out for now: Erin Nagle, with a broken nose in UB. Waiting for doctors to say whether she can ride on or not

**EDIT: there are a few riders missing - if you spot one & know where they ended up last night, let me know below!**now amended, thanks*