Tucsonan among leaders at Mongol Derby

Tucson.com - Full Article

August 07, 2015 10:50 am • Arizona Daily Star

Michelle Tanaka, the Tucson-born, NYU-educated horsewoman looking to accomplish one of the world's strangest sports feats, isn't just surviving the Mongol Derby. She's leading.

Tanaka is listed among the Day 3 leaders at the event, which traces the mail route of Genghis Khan across the Mongolian steppe. Race organizers say the field, which includes international adventurists and outdoorsmen, will begin to separate in the next few days...

Read more here:
http://tucson.com/sports/tucsonan-among-leaders-at-mongol-derby/article_cd212546-3d2c-11e5-8188-d7d2c002740a.html

Mongol Derby 2015 - Race Report Day 4

Theadventurists.com - Full Article

August 8 2015

A day on the Mongol Derby is a long time, even this morning the field was very close together with any of 15 riders in contention. Now the top 6 have finally broken away and are 2 stations ahead of the chasing pack.

The leaders (Elise Poitrinal, Bruce Cameron, Michele Tanaka, Byeronie Epstein, Maxim Van Lierde and Ben Wilks) are riding at a tremendous pace and (for now) are riding as a team. So far only Elise is carrying a vet penalty into PS2 (station 21), it remains to be seen if they will split there, before or ride on together until the finish line is within sniffing distance. With a lead of around 70 Km, it's looking less likely the chasing pack will reach them.

Devan Horn has had another attritional day on the steppe. After sitting her penalty this morning she seemed determined to make up time and set of to HS12 like a rocket. Unfortunately she didn't make it much further before falling victim once again to the heat. She hit the 'help' button on her tracker and took refuge with a nearby family while she waited for backup. She was taken back to Station 12 where she's back under medical observation...

Read more here:
http://www.theadventurists.com/the-jibber/2015/8/8/mongol-derby-2015-race-report-day-4

Mongol Derby 2015 - Race Report Day 3

Theadventurists.com - Full Article

Day 3 and the cracks are beginning to show. While most have had a good ride in the cool of the morning, by the time the sun reached full strength a lot of them were starting to struggle.

The travails began early for two of the boys camped out. Will Graham lost his horse to a passing herd while saddling up in the morning and had to walk back to HS7 to find a new horse and friendly local to help him recover the wayward steed. Our team on the ground report he took off in pursuit, bareback along with a local on a bike armed with a lasso pole. By not taking assistance from the crew he saved himself a penalty (no penalty given for local help), but did drop 16 places in the field.

Thomas Ellingsen lost his horse in a near identical manner, with his horse running back to HS6. Event Manager Chloe set off to find Thomas and bring him back to his steed. Unfortunately this warrants a 1 hour penalty, but he reports the field dressing on his unmentionables is holding up...

Read more here:
http://www.theadventurists.com/the-jibber/2015/8/7/mongol-derby-2015-race-report-day-3

Mongol Derby 2015 - Race Report Day 2

Theadventurists.com - Full Article

August 6, 2015 Mongol Derby

It's been one of the hottest days ever on the Mongol Derby with temperatures around 37c for most of the day. Quite a few of the riders have been treated for heat-stroke and exhaustion but impressively we've had no retirements. That's not to say it's been an easy day though.

All riders who overnighted on the steppe found their horses where they found them and delivered them to the next stations well fed and watered.

There have been a few spills today though. Bruce Chernoff (BCH) had a crunching fall about 10 km after HS4. After being dragged behind his horse for a while he lost it and pressed the 'help' button on his tracker for assistance to recover it. He was saved the further pain of a penalty though as he recovered the horse himself before assistance arrived.

Between HS3 & 4 Simon Pearse (SP) was bucked rodeo-style and was also dragged behind his mount, this time for considerably further, picking up a few lacerations in the process...

Read more here:
http://www.theadventurists.com/the-jibber/2015/8/6/mongol-derby-2015-race-report-day-2

Mongol Derby 2015 - Race Report Day 1

Theadventurists.com - Full Article

August 5, 2015
Mongol Derby

After 12 months of preparation for riders and Derby HQ alike the 2015 Derby has launched. For the first time in recent years the start went smoothly and the full field crossed the line. The only cloud on the clearest of horizons was for Jensie Engisch (JE), who's horse disagreed with her bulky saddlebags.

The horse - previously picked by Derby chief Katy as the best of the start line - was reluctant to start with Jensie and her fancy baggage. JE was offered both a new horse and the opportunity to repack. She refused both and despite being one of the last to cross the line, caught up with the pack in about 500 metres, justifying Katy's faith in the horse.

Devan Horn (DH) picked up the 2015 Derby at the same blistering pace her 2013 campaign ended, occupying the front of the field with Uma Mencia (UM) and Catriona Paterson (CP) . She was first through the veterinary check at Urtuu 3 and despite a big fall on the previous leg she decided to kick on...

Read more here:
http://www.theadventurists.com/the-jibber/2015/8/5/mongol-derby-2015-race-report-day-1

Belgian woman embarks on 1,000 km horse race in Mongolia

Brusselstimes.com - Full Article

05 August 2015
Christopher Vincent (Source: Belga)

On Wednesday, Sophie Wilford, a Belgian-French vet, will set off on this year’s Mongol Derby, the longest horse race in the world, 10 days and 1,000 kilometres through the Mongolian steppe.
At 10:00 am local time (3:00 am CET), 38 riders will set off for Erdenesant, 200 kilometres west of Ulan Bator. The race comprises 25 sections, each 40 km long, and the riders will be travelling on a different “semi-wild” Mongol horse for each of these stages.

“There is scope for a lot of different potential injuries because this is a very dangerous race, not to be undertaken on a whim,” said Sophie Wilford in a press release. Sophie has teamed up with Sian, a 34-year-old English paramedic, forming the “Steppe Sisters”. The two met in 2014 when they were both part of the Derby ground-team...

read more here:
http://brusselstimes.com/sports/3774/wednesday-belgian-woman-embarks-on-1-000-km-horse-race-in-mongolia

Mongol Derby: the 2015 Course

Theadventurists.com - Full Article

August 4, 2015
Mongol Derby

The 2015 Mongol Derby start gun fires at 10am (local time). This is the course they'll be racing
To balance out the tougher technical ride we're giving the riders a racing line this year

- An extra 3 Urtuus (horse stations) through the hills
- An extra day's racing, winner expected after 8 days
- All new racing line to take the focus from navigation to riding
- A linear course offering more varied terrain ending further north

We wanted to mix things up a bit for the 2015 Derby and our new course looks and feels a world different.

The linear course ending up in the north by Lake Khovsgol should be cooler than in previous years. There will also be a lot more hilly terrain for the second half of the race. Because of the additional demands of the mountains the Urtuus will be closer together.

The additional horse stations together with a longer route are expected to add an extra day to the course. The champion is expected to finish within 8 days (possibly by the evening of the 7th) and the course will close on day 10...

Read more here:
http://www.theadventurists.com/the-jibber/2015/8/3/mongol-derby-the-2015-course#