Du 23 juin au 2 juillet dernier, dans le sud-ouest de l’état du Montana, se tenait la 5ième édition de  le course d’aventure internationale Primal Quest.   56 équipes étaient présentes sur la ligne de départ, prêtes à affronter un parcours de plus de 800km en montagne. Les organisateurs avaient conçu ce parcours pour faire découvrir aux coureurs les plus beaux endroits que l’état pouvait offrir.

 

 

L’équipe Archipela Kinetic, formée de Francis Lambert (Magog), Pascal Laroche (Magog), Lenora Delaney (Toronto) et  Steve Hay (Gatineau),  était accompagnée de leur équipe de support composée de Thierry Raymond (Gatineau) et Phylip Allain (Gatineau).  Après plus d’une année de préparation et d’entrainement intense, l’équipe était à la ligne de départ,  fin prête à affronter  Primal Quest. 

 

Au coup de pistolet, les équipes ont dû gravir Lone Peak (11 700 pieds), montagne culminante de Big Sky resort.  Au retour de l’ascension, l’équipe Archipela Kinetic était en 15^ième position et repartait pour les 60km restants de la première section de trekking.  Malheureusement, en fin de section, Steve Hay a été victime de douloureux spasmes musculaires à la jambe.  Après s’être rendu de peine et de misère à la prochaine transition, une évaluation de l’équipe médicale lui a appris qu’il avait potentiellement subi une déchirure de l’ischio-jambier et que sa course était donc terminée.

 

 Devant cette nouvelle, Francis Lambert, Pascal Laroche et Lenora Delaney ont rapidement fait de laisser leur déception derrière et ont refocalisé leur énergie sur  la nouvelle tâche à accomplir: finir le parcours complet et maintenir leur position actuelle malgré leur statut de « non-classés » et un co-équipier en moins.

 

Pendant les 4 jours qui ont suivi, les trois coureurs ont accompli exactement ce qu’ils souhaitaient.  Se hissant et se maintenant avec brio dans le top 10, les kilomètres  ont défilés et ce, surtout à pied, en vélo et même en « riverboard ».

 

Malheureusement, après 5 jours de course, à la fin d’un quatrième long trekking, l’état de santé de Lenora Delaney a nécessité l’intervention de l’équipe médicale.  Détectant du liquide dans ses poumons et craignant que l’enflure de ses jambes ne cache quelque chose de plus grave, l’intervenant a indiqué à Lenora qu’elle devait arrêter la course et se rendre dans l’hôpital le plus près afin d’être examinée.  Suite à cette nouvelle, Francis Lambert et Pascal Laroche ont dû mettre un terme à leur course étant donné l’impossibilité de continuer en étant uniquement deux équipiers.

 

Le diagnostic de Lenora Delaney fait, les médecins ont conclu qu’elle souffrait d’une bronchite et d’anémie sanguine.  Du repos a vite fait d’améliorer sa condition.

 

C’est finalement après 627 km sur un total de 800km que l’équipe canadienne a dû  définitivement mettre fin à la course.  Malgré les difficultés rencontrées, les membres sont fiers de leur performance et l’expérience a été très positive.  La saison 2008 continue pour Francis Lambert et Pascal Laroche qui prévoient d’autres courses incluant une rogaine de 24h dans les Laurentides, un 24h de vélo de montagne à Sherbrooke ainsi que le dernier raid Endurance Aventure en octobre.  De plus, les projets pour la saison 2009 et au-delà commencent déjà à prendre forme.

 

L’équipe Archiple Kinetic

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The 2008 Primal Quest Montana featured some of the most beautiful territory ever seen to the 60 odd teams experiencing the race. From the stellar first climb of Lone Peak, a mere 11,700 feet above sea level from the base of Big Sky Resort a magnificant 360 degree view of the surrounding mountain ranges gave the participants a hint of the climbing to come. For Team Archipela Kinetic, it was a great start to the top and slide to the bottom finishing in the top 15 teams to the first checkpoint. From the TA, it was a snowy, sludgy winding trail across 60kms of Montana wilderness. Sadly, Steve Hay, seriously pulled his hamstring and was forced to withdraw by the medical director of Primal Quest. Remaining teammates Francis Lambert, Pascal Laroche and Lenora Delaney help their disappointment in check and quickly re-focused on the race and what challenges lay ahead. They maintained exceptional team spirit over the next few days, and marched into checkpoints and TA’s like they had barely just crossed over 50-60km trekking sections with a happy smile, and of course, a desire to eat anything the support crew Thierry Raymond and Phylip Alain could provide them with.  Heading towards the finish line, and weaving between 4th, 7th, and 9th place, the team held themselves together and competed against some of the top teams in the world. In the end, a previously unknown medical condition with Lenora Delaney resulted in the team stopping at the final base of the Bridger Mountain range ridge run, and with Lenora taken to the hospital for assistance. 

Team Archipela Kinetic would like to thank everyone who supported the team, including financial and moral support from the Blog during the race. We could not have accomplished nearly as much as we did without this solid base from sponsors, friends and family.

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The May 17, 2008 Raid Pulse has offered up another win to Team Archipela Kinetic. Team members Steve Hay, Pascal Laroche, Francis Lambert, and Lenora Delaney have taken the co-ed 4 person category for the second Raid Pulse win of the season. The team took the category by completing the advanced course and finishing in 6 hours 8 minutes. (All respect to the team finishing second…CP2 was a great challenge). More to come on the official Archipela race site, and on the Raid Pulse site, which should be updated shortly.

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During the lead up to the 2008 Primal Quest, Team Archipela Kinetic has been busy with several races and events to prepare for the gruelling 800km that PQ has to offer. Some of the results and events are as follows:

• 2008 Spring Raid Pulse - 1st Place
• 2008 Winter Raid Pulse - 1st Place
• 2007 Quest for a Cure - 3rd Place 48 hour race
• 2007 North American Rogaine Championships - 1st Place Co-ed Category
• 2007 International EcoAventure Adventure Race - 1st Place
• 2007 MIX 300 Mile Adventure Race - 7th Place.

For more information about these races please visit the official Team Archipela Kinetic website.  

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Team members have raced together for the last year either as a complete team, or as part of the overall team in several local and international adventure races. Combined, they have over 6o top 10 finishes and 40 podium finishes over the last 7 years. Although a highly competitive team, the main goal has always been to have fun and enjoy the race experience as a whole.

Communicating openly, and honestly with each other has been a strength for the team which has allowed them to gel together in a caring manner. This has been a pillar of the team’s strength. After races, they have been known to sit at Pizza Pizza watching the film Madagascar. The film presents 4 main characters who rely on friendship and loyalty to get them throught the toughest of challenges. Team Archipela Kinetic Raid Pulse is similiar to these characters and this has allowed the Team to bond as friends and teammates.

FRANCIS LAMBERT a.k.a Frank the Tank Team Role: Navigator, Workhorse, Strategy, Bike and Rope Specialist 

Francis is the tough guy on the team.  With a diverse athletic and competitive background including mountain biking, triathlons and running; adventure racing was the logical path for him to follow.  Intensely racing since 2004, he as participated in over 20 races in Canada and the United States. Nicknamed “Frank the tank”, nothing is yet known to be able to stop Francis on the race course.  An experienced navigator with victories in many Rogaines and orienteering races, he handles the maps and compass to steer the team through the course.  Good all around, but especially strong on the bike, you will often see him helping his team towing a teammate up a hill.

• 1997-2004: Competitive alpin skiing, 24h Bikes races, Triathlons
• 2004: Mtl urban AR, SAC Charlevoix, SAC Champs Calabogie, Raid Pulse 24h AR (3nd solo)
• 2005: ½ Marathon (1h39:37), ½ Ironman (5h06:15), Éco Endurance Aventure (4th), SAC long course Marmora (1st male), 24h Laurentian Rogaine (1st ), SAC champs Fort Coulonge (2nd male)
• 2006: NA 24h Rogaine Champs (2nd), Éco Endurance Aventure (5th), SAC Champs Bark Lake (3rd coed)
• 2007: Winter Challenge (30 miles bike race), Raid Pulse winter AR (3rd), ½ Marathon (1h34:53), Michigan Expedition Race (7th)

PASCAL LAROCHE a.k.a Rascal Team Role: Co-navigator, Motivator, Work horse, Logistics (water, food, sleep, time, gear, etc)

Racing since 2005, Pascal is the happy face of the team.  With a strong triathlon and hockey background, Pascal is a strong all around teammate always ready to fulfill workhorse duties.  He is also the team’s co-navigator and a strong paddler. Known as “Rascal”, he will keep a smile on whatever the adversities.  His laughter and jokes are a source of motivation for the team when to going gets though.  Bottom line is; if this guy is not having fun, no one is!

• Pre-2005: Triathlons, Hockey
• 2005: Endurance Aventure AR, Éco Endurance Aventure (4th), 24h Laurentian Rogaine
• 2006: Raid Pulse AR (1st), NA 24h Rogaine Champs (2nd), Éco Endurance Aventure (5th), O-races
• 2007: ½ Marathon (1h35:11), Michigan Expedition Race (7th)

LENORA DELANEY a.k.a Princess Team Role: Motivator, Transistion Boss, Logistics (TAs, water, food, time, gear, etc)

Lenora is the tough girl on the team.  Adventure racing since 2006, her background includes mountain bike races, triathlons and dragon boating. Known in the team as “Princess”, don’t let her off course Parisian stilettos fool you; she will tear up the course and stomp her way to the finish line.  Deemed the transition boss, she will almost always be the first one ready to get out of the transition area.  How she achieves this speed on the race course when she is known to monopolize the shower for hours after the race is yet unknown! 

• Since 2005: Road races, on/off-road triathlons, 4-24Hr. MTB races, 5 seasons Dragonboat
• 2006: 5 x 8 Hr. Adventure races: 4 podiums

  Laurentian 24 Hr. Rogaine: 2^nd Co-Ed.

  Adventure Xstream Expedition AR: 13^th/36

  Raid Hammer Adventure Run: 2^nd Co-Ed

  ) (2nd coed)

• 2007: Snowshoe Raid O- Run: 1^st Co-Ed

  Giant Rib Raid O-Run: 4^th Co-Ed

  Raid Hammer O-Run: 5^th Co-Ed

  Paris-Ancaster MTB enduro race: 7^th/category

  2 x 8 Hr. AR top 10

  MIX Expedition Race (102 Hrs Unsupported) 7^th, winners of score-O stage.

  Quest for a Cure 48 hr. AR:  3^rd

  24 Hr. North American Rogaine Champs 1^st Co-ed

  8 Hr. Gatineau Rogaine 2^nd Co-ed

  km)

STEVE HAY a.k.a Melvin Team Role: Co-Navigator, Workhorse, Strategy, Paddling Specialist

The most experienced member in the team, and generally the grumpiest, Steve brings 7 years of adventure racing knowledge to Archipela Kinetic and over 40 podium finishes.  A strong technical paddler, he is the team’s specialist for anything on the water.  He is also the master strategist behind the team’s very professional website and sponsor package. Father of three, Steve knows what expecting the unexpected is all about! He fights to make sure the goal of the team, is “to be a team” to find success.

• Sports Avid snowboarder, XC-skier, and paddler. Provincial Wrestling champion, Men’s pro badminton, Provincial soccer champion Juventus, Alberta.
• 1985-86 Junior B Hockey
• 7 years AR experience.
• 48 Races
• 36 Podiums
• 4- 1st Place finishes in races 24 hours or longer
• 3- 1st Place finishes in races 24 hours or shorter
• 29- 2nd or 3rd place finishes

 

 

 

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In the lead up to the Primal Quest 2008 in Montana, Archipela Kinetic has released the official team website at www.archipela.ca. For more information about the team, please visit the site. Of course the team PQ site will be updated with photos shortly so keep posted.

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