Primal Quest athletes descending on Tahoe
Primal Quest starts Wednesday or Thursday on the South Shore. The endurance racers do not know the start date or time, or where they are going for more than 450 miles.
This nonstop, unsupported race attracts adventurers from as far away as New Zealand.
Before the race begins, participants receive a sparse schedule and comprehensive packing list. Course details, including the start time, are selectively released as the event progresses. Coed teams of four will have to use advanced navigation skills to determine their route while trekking, mountain biking, flat water paddling, river paddling, ascending and rappelling, and caving.
Barton Health has donated all the supplies and will offer medical expertise throughout the course. Approximately 35 doctors, nurses, and medical personnel from across the United States are volunteering to provide care 24 hours a day.
Participants must carry their own food and gear. At each transition area, teams may seek medical attention and collect personal supply caches and equipment. The racers do not know the number of transitions or where they are located.
Eleven teams will be participating in the event. The first teams are expected to finish in four days and the course closes on the ninth day.
Doesn’t sound very “primal” when you have 35 medical personnel available 24 hrs a day. Couldn’t these medical personnel be put to better use giving free to low cost medical attention to those without insurance coverage? In 9 days, these medical people could do a lot of good, instead of wasting time on these 44 “contestants”!
I must agree with Steven.
Not too primal….
Barton is donating all the supplies? I assume this is medical supplies only…not feeding all the support group, gassing all the vehicles etc.
What is the entrance fee for this event? It must be huge.