Team GearJunkie/YogaSlackers (made up of YogaSlacker teachers Jason Magness, Paul Cassedy, Chelsey Magness, and Daniel Staudigel) took third place in the recent Patagonia Expedition Race. Dubbed the “Last Wild Race”, and arguably one of the hardest tests of human endurance on the planet, the event pits 20 international teams against each other and the wilds of Chilean Patagonia in a non-stop adventure that includes mountain biking, big ocean paddling, running, mountaineering, and trekking across some of the most intense un-tracked wilderness that the world has to offer. The team had several setbacks, including serious injuries and a near race ending fall into a river during a blizzard on the last day. The team was thrilled to be on the podium for a second year (they came in 2nd last year), amidst the strongest field of teams ever for the race – with representatives from France, Russia, Denmark, New Zealand, Croatia, Brazil, Finland, and South Africa all coming to race. The British squad won the race, with the Japanese team coming in second. “It was team member Paul Cassedy’s first big race,” commented captain Jason Magness, “and we couldn’t have been more impressed with him.”
Slacker Sam Salwei joined Team Four Continents at the last moment, scrambling to amass the required gear and rearrange his schedule to allow him to race. The team made a strong showing (much due to Sam’s impromptu leadership), but dropped out 100km short of the finish due to an injury of one of the team.
The wild places in Patagonia seem to call to us, year after year, despite their harshness. This video is simply a glimpse into realm of raw beauty. The howling wind and trickling brooks meld together to sing a siren’s song that keeps us coming back. Truth be told, I am already dreaming of next year… Thanks to all our family, friends, teammates, supporters and sponsors that make our incredible explorations possible, and in turn help preserve these amazing places. Long live Patagonia.
For more info on the race visit www.patagonianexpeditionrace.com, or visit the team page on GearJunkie.com or the Adventure page on Yogaslackers.com More videos and gear review coming soon.
~Yogaslackers, prAna Ambassadors
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Functional Apparel for the Unconventional Spirit
The 10 day training offered students a vigorous schedule of yoga, slacklining, daily conditioning (Harder, Faster, Stronger anyone?), advanced acrobatics drills and partner work. With our friend Stacey holding it down in the kitchen and offering super nutritious meals and snacks we were all able to go strong through the 15 hr days of training, conditioning and practice teaching, oh yeah, and doing a 7 hour adventure race including mountain biking, trekking and rappelling through a really fun course taking us to Mexico and back. The adventure race experience was offered about half way through (when most trainings probably would have offered a rest day) and everyone rocked it- perhaps in part due to the 40 minutes of hardcore YogaSlackers unique conditioning circuits every day indoors and on the slacklines.
One of the greatest parts of the location at Liberty Advance (a super awesome and creative retreat center located in the desert just an hour outside of San Diego) was the freedom to build and develop the ultimate slackline experience.
We set up over 15 locations for daily practice slacklining and practice teaching as well as a rodeo line – a super slack slackline that dips down in the middle creating a ton of swing back and forth, a 60 ft long line, 170 ft super long line and probably everyone’s favorite- the water line set up across the Liberty Advance pool (see video below).
And BIG THANKS to our amazing sponsors for supplying product (especially caffeinated and high energy product!) to keep the students and teachers going through the 10 days…big ups to:
