HOW WAS THE "EXPEDIÇÃO MATA ATLÂNTICA 98"

Our first event was completed in about three days. Participants had to complete a course through different check points (CP). Here are some highlights of the expedition:

THE EMA´98 RACE
The Mata Atlântica Expedition '98 takes place for the first time in October 20, 1998 at 8:45 am.The competitors all gather to check their equipment. They will be facing challenging and exciting situations for the next three FULL, CONSECUTIVE days. The checkpoints were spread along the race course. The teams had to find them with the use of maps and compasses only and be "checked in and out" by the organization at each checkpoint.
The competition started at Paraibuna. At this first stage, the competing teams had to race with their bicycles. The following stage of the circuit was completed on "Canadian Canoes" in the branches of Paraibuna dam.
After completing this stage, the teams cycled along tracks heading towards São Sebastião, where they reached the shore and crossed the bay via ferryboat to reach Ilhabela Island. From this point on, they could only hike thorough the Tropical Tlantic forest.
Bicycles were also used to complete the remaining 26 km (16 miles) of the track.
Despite some initial miscalculation of times, the teams were still able to make the first checkpoint at the expected time.
Two New Zealand teams ( New Zealand 13 and the Southern Traverse) were the first ones to arrive at the CP1. The New Zealand teams were still in first place followed by the Brazilian teams (Quasar 31, Timberland/Vila Romana 20, Pedal Power/Can Air 18, Pousada das Cavernas 9 e Pão de Acúcar 9) but overall they were about 7 minutes apart from each other! It was a tight competition!!!!
At a certain point, dense fog covered all the Paraibuna dam area, and some teams spent up to 12 hours canoeing through the tortuous dam branches of the reservoir before they reached CP 3.
The Irada team was the first to get to CP 3, followed by the Pousada das Cavernas and Sintofarma. They were only 5 to 7 minutes apart. This was a pretty short distance between the teams, considering they had already traveled 58 out of the 220km (137miles) to the end.
The teams did not have to be reminded that preservation of the environment was essential at all times.
At 6:17 p.m. on October 20th, the Irada team was leading the competition, but it was too early to think about a winner. Anything could still happen!
During the whole night the teams continued their journey, trying to reach the longest stage of the competition. As the hours passed, so did the distance between competitors. Good strategy and knowledge began to make a difference.
At a certain point some teams roamed around for 4 hours trying to find the CP 4. They then went back to CP 3 and, although there were no designated resting areas, they decided to rest and continue the next day.
The CP 4 was located about 64 km (40 miles) from the starting point, and only 6 km (4miles) away from CP 3. It was not the distance that determined the degree of difficulty of each stage of the race, but the physical endurance of each one of the competitors.
The CP 5 was located about 89 km (55 miles) from the starting point. Although there were many obstacles along the course, the teams were still excited and had all the energy to continue the proof in their own way. They were heading to CP 6 which was located about 119 km (74 miles) from the starting point, and about 101 km (63 miles) from the arrival area.
The second day of the Expedition race was a beautiful sunny day after heavy rains. Although the organizers were still expecting two teams that fell far behind the rest crowd (Parábola 26: were stuck at the dam, and Ilhabela 32: they slept in the ferryboat at CP 2), other teams were already between CP 6 and CP 7 (a transition area) getting ready to finish that stage by bicycle.
At the CP 7 (it was located 150 km (93 miles) from the starting point), the teams were checked for all the required safety equipment. They were able to eat pizza and take a shower!!!
The teams Caloi 25 and Marcos Paulo Reis bypassed CP 6 before reaching CP 7. In order for them not to be disqualified, they were both "invited" to return 68 km (42 miles) to the previous CP. The teams were formed by all kinds of people such as engineers and businessmen, as well as athletes. They all combined their abilities of running, canoeing, biking and hiking with the spirit of adventuring and making quick decisions. The balance between determination and perseverance was a necessity.
The CP 8 was located 181 km (112 miles) from the starting point. The Sintofarma 8 and New Zealand teams were leading the competition until they had some navigation problems and had to return to CP 8 before they tried one more time to reach CP 9.
At about 00:40 am, the third day of competition, the New Zealand 13 (from New Zealand) was already crossing the finish line. Six hours later, the second team to cross the finish line was Pedal Power/Can Air (from Brazil), followed by Southern Traverse, which completed the competition in 46 hours and 39 min.
Every team depended on good navigation skills to be able to roam through the Atlantic Forest, and most of the difficulties that the teams encountered were worth the effort for being in such a beautiful sorrfundings. At the end of the competition, some teams that were not able to complete the course, such as Neblina 6, had to return with the help of the organizers.
The teams Amazônia a Pé 19 and Quasar 32 were trying to complete the competition, when the first minor casualty happened: one of its participants was injured.
The second casualty happened when one component of the Frederico Malab team collapsed between the CP 8 and 9. The participant was rescued from the forest in about 25 minutes, but the teams were not able to complete the race.
The last three teams to cross the finish line were Eco Brazil Yellow team 10, Blue team 11 and Mercedes-Benz team 33.

THE RACE
MAP
RANKING
PHOTOS
TEAMS
SPONSORS
ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT