The second day of the 2014 China Wenzhou International Mountain Outdoor Sports Challenge kicked off on April 13 near the Yandang Mountain Scenic Area in Wenzhou. By the end of the day, Team Red Bull finished second overall with a time of 7 hours, 10 minutes, and 40 seconds. Despite facing time penalties, Team Red Bull II still led the domestic athletes with a time of 8 hours, 10 minutes, and 34 seconds.
On the second day of the 2014 China Wenzhou International Mountain Cross-Country Challenge, Team Red Bull claimed second place overall with a time of 7 hours, 10 minutes, and 40 seconds.
Yandang Village is picturesque. On one side lies a river as smooth and jade-like as fine Liangzhu ceramics, while undulating green mountains stretch along the other. Morning mist drifts like white silk through the landscape, evoking a dreamy, otherworldly atmosphere. The athletes, who seem almost otherworldly as they rest here, are about to face a hellish test. From the starting point, participants must run across a pontoon bridge made of bamboo rafts. Due to the slippery bamboo surface and unstable footing, many racers proceed with caution, though Team Red Bull and Team Red Bull II, having tested it beforehand, did not slow down here. Once ashore, the summer insects on the hillside harmonize with the croaking of forest frogs, occasionally punctuated by birdsong. This tranquility and beauty foreshadow the brutality of the latter part of the course. Competitors must then run 14 kilometers through mountain trails before taking boats downstream to Pumei Village. To conserve energy, Team Red Bull entered the water in third place overall, while Team Red Bull II was the third domestic team to enter, trailing the first-place overall and domestic teams by about five minutes. They will then paddle upstream for 33 kilometers. In the latter part of the kayak event, as the river tide recedes, participants will enjoy a downstream ride.
On the second day of the race, participants had to cross a pontoon bridge made of bamboo rafts at the starting point.
It can be said that the kayaking segment on this day set the tone for the entire competition. Broadly speaking, because the first day’s race covered only 61 kilometers—and many participants, overly excited, neglected to manage their stamina—the top six finishers on day one were closely bunched. However, after completing the kayaking segment on the second day, Team Red Bull, Team Thule Explorers, and Team New Zealand Explorers emerged as the undisputed top three, pulling significantly ahead of the other competitors. As long as they avoid major mistakes, they are certain to take the final podium spots. Team Red Bull II, which led the domestic group on the first day, further solidified its domestic lead on the water. Team Red Bull II’s Pajula said, “We’ve been paddling really well these past two days. We may not be able to compare with the international elites, but we’re among the best domestically. Today, we passed two more teams on the water.”
The kayaking segment on the second day of the race spanned approximately 33 kilometers. Pictured: Urs Heinz and his wife from Team Red Bull during the race.
In today’s kayaking event, Team Red Bull II performed exceptionally well, overtaking two Chinese teams ahead of them in succession.
After disembarking at Yongsheng Dock, the athletes faced a 46-kilometer mountain biking leg. Although the 33-kilometer kayaking segment had already left many competitors exhausted, the mountain biking route proved to be the true challenge of the day. Aside from the winding paths and the abundance of rocks littering the ground, the thick mountain fog was truly daunting. In the distance, nothing could be seen clearly except an endless expanse of white mist and the faint outlines of distant peaks. At times, visibility dropped to less than 10 meters. On the surface, Team Red Bull seemed minimally affected—Stuart “Lynch,” the world’s endurance cycling champion, led the way, Richard used a tether to guide his wife Alina closely behind, and Peter “Voss” maintained a steady rear guard. But in Richard’s recollection, things weren’t so simple: “The rocks below were already slippery, and the fog made it impossible to see the path. We hadn’t encountered such dense fog in previous races, so we had no choice but to slow down—safety first.” Pajula, also experiencing heavy fog for the first time, remarked, “The thicker the fog, the more you need to look ahead. Looking down only makes it more dangerous!”
The mountain biking course on the second day of the race was treacherous, with rugged trails running alongside steep cliffs.
On the second day of the race, heavy fog enveloped the mountaintops, adding difficulty to the competition. Pictured: Urs Heinz and his wife from Team Red Bull during the mountain biking segment.
Upon reaching the finish line in Pingyang County, each team had to select two members to complete a 70-meter rooftop rappel before officially crossing the finish line. As with the first day, after the top three award ceremony, Team Red Bull II arrived at the finish line in fourth place overall but first among domestic teams. Just as the four young athletes jumped across the line in celebration, Chief Judge Wei Jun delivered some bad news: due to Team Red Bull II’s female athlete, Aihemxi Rehan, failing to use a backpack as per race rules before reaching the finish line—a violation reported by other teams—she was deemed to lack essential safety equipment and penalized with a five-minute time deduction. According to the original rules, Team Red Bull II should have received a 15-minute penalty, but Chief Judge Wei Jun explained, “Since she only lacked the backpack during the rappel and it was difficult to determine whether the backpack qualified as safety gear, we exercised discretion and only issued a five-minute penalty, hoping to serve as a warning.”
Red Bull athlete Trevor Peter Voyce during the rope descent event.
Red Bull II athlete Pajula during the rope descent event.
However, this did not affect Team Red Bull II’s lead in the domestic group. They finished the second day in 14th place overall with a time of 8 hours, 10 minutes, and 34 seconds, bringing their cumulative time to 14 hours, 13 minutes, and 49.5 seconds, also ranking 14th. Regarding this result, Pajula expressed satisfaction: “We still did well today. Aside from the exhausting start of the running segment, we leveraged our kayaking strength. In the biking segment, Aihemxi Rehan was a bit weaker, but no one could go fast in this weather.” Notably, Team Red Bull II recorded the fastest rappel time of the day at 4 minutes and 13 seconds, ranking first overall.
The moment Team Red Bull II crossed the finish line.
Although they still didn’t claim the yellow leader’s jersey, Team Red Bull achieved gains on the second day, finishing second overall with a time of 7 hours, 10 minutes, and 40 seconds. Their gap with Team New Zealand Explorers, which was nine minutes on the first day, had narrowed to 5 minutes and 13 seconds by the end of the second day. Richard said, “Today went really smoothly. Only the fog in the mountains slowed us down, but we were completely unprepared for that. New Zealand seemed a bit faster than us, but they had fewer waiting periods, so we caught up a bit today.” While changing clothes in the rest area after the race, observant viewers noticed Richard’s right foot wrapped in a bandage, raising concerns for the Team Red Bull leader. However, Richard simply smiled: “It’s an injury from November last year—it still hasn’t fully healed. But it’s not particularly painful now. As long as I keep it strapped up like this, it won’t affect the race.”
Team Red Bull II during the cross-country running segment.
Without a doubt, Richard is an optimistic athlete. Despite the heavy fog covering the mountains today, he still took time to admire the scenery: “This year’s course is different from last year’s. I saw many ancestral halls and temples. Even though the course is tough, the views are beautiful.” Richard’s optimism also reflects his confidence in his abilities: “You know, since yesterday was the first day, many athletes were still riding the initial excitement, so the gaps weren’t wide. Today, the disparity between stronger and weaker competitors has started to become clear. Of course, Team Red Bull remains the strongest contender for the championship.”
Team Red Bull II crossing the pontoon bridge.
Team Red Bull during the cross-country running segment.
Tomorrow, the third day of the 2014 China Wenzhou International Mountain Cross-Country Challenge will commence at Pucheng Community. Athletes will compete in orienteering, cross-country running, kayaking, and mountain biking, with a total segment length of 83 kilometers.