Wilson's Adventure Racing, Multisport & Triathlon Sanctuary

There was the case of the bike that broke into half. A rock Lobster cromoly frame, to be precise. The ensuing hike that followed for the affected team was mercifully short - only 7 km to the next CP, most of it uphill - where most participants would have been pushing their bikes up on foot anyway.

I queried the China Jump guys as to the nature of their bike disaster. “I had just gotten back on the bike after the abseil when my bike just fell apart. We had a unicycle all the way to the next CP.” Greg Shand candidly recalled.

As to the general trials and tribulations of the first day of the SAC, we were at a loss, at least until our hunger was satisfied, just before the briefing for the second day commenced....

We are sitting – by the light of our headlamps - on plastic stools, together with other teams from Singapore, our transition box the dining table, eating a late dinner cooked by our support crew Kangwei. Maggi mee, instant soup, and an interesting mush consisting of baked beans, corned beef and sardines in ketchup. “Whack us on the mountain on the first day to widen the field, to sort out the Extreme and the Adventure teams.” Someone quips as we waited for the briefing to start. True enough - the 12 Extreme starters at Mesilau have now dwindled to 7 at Tambatuan. Lee Yung Ming of S&M 2 gives a more succinct assessment of the difficulties of the first day: “Siong-alingam”.