Prepared for one more race? Effectively, you higher be prepared as a result of there are not any breaks on Race to Survive: New Zealand!
Final week, the racers accomplished the treacherous Race 3, which despatched them spelunking right into a cave of nightmares. For Race 4, they’re preserving issues absolutely above sea degree, however it’s nonetheless filled with surprises. There’s no extra 12-hour race clock, which means the survivors had been free to maintain racing by the jungle within the cowl of darkness. What might go fallacious?
Right here’s what went down on Race to Survive: New Zealand Episode 7, “Kahuranghi Coast.”
Race 4, Day 1
After Race 3 took out each the Ultramarathoners and the Cool Mothers, solely 5 groups remained. Slowly, we’re working our approach all the way down to a remaining three, and Race 4 launched one of many hardest navigational challenges but.
Race 4 is known as Kahuranghi, and though there are not any caves this time round, it’s simply as bonkers. First, they should navigate to a rocky cliffside and do one thing referred to as “coasteering.” That is a kind of actions that we by no means knew existed, however it’s mainly like Ninja Warrior, besides you’re on the facet of a cliff above a bunch of uneven water.
After coasteering, the racers should make their approach into the jungle for miles and miles of bushwhacking. After a slight break from the forest and an optionally available meals cache, the ultimate zone is a forest maze with a ton of winding recreation trails. Just one path leads out to the Survival Crate.
As if this course wasn’t already difficult, they added an additional little caveat. Quite than having a 12-hour race clock, Race 4 has no time constraints. The racers are free to run into the night time, they usually can select to camp each time and wherever they need. It sounds harmful, however that’s what these contestants love.
One other day, one other damage
As Race 4 obtained began, everybody was feeling the strain. With solely 5 groups on the course, it’s a lot tougher to remain out of the underside.
After all, the River Guides have been the staff to beat, so Smokejumpers felt compelled to attempt to give them a run for his or her cash, actually. They took off jogging down the seaside, making an attempt to create a superb tempo and put distance between the opposite groups.
Normally, the Hunters, Ryan and Bronsen would have been proper there with them. These three groups have been on the entrance of the pack all through each race. Nevertheless, for the primary time this season, the Hunters had been exhibiting indicators of struggling.
Ryan fell throughout Race 2 and harm his knee. Sometimes, we’ve heard him remark in regards to the knee, however for probably the most half, he’s been pushing by. In Race 4, all the ache got here creeping up on him, slowing their tempo tremendously.
At this level, we’ve had three groups maintain accidents, starting from concussions to sprains. With Ryan’s knee appearing up, it’s beginning to look like the daddy and son-in-law duo could possibly be the fourth staff to depart with an damage. Couple that with the truth that this course permits the racers to run into the night time. This looks as if a recipe for catastrophe.
12 hours and counting
For the primary time on Race to Survive, the race clock ticked effectively previous the 12-hour mark. Normally when the clock strikes that 12-hour mark, the racers should cease the place they’re at and camp out for the night time. As a substitute, that they had full management over whether or not or not they wished to maintain pushing.
This twist added an additional ingredient of endurance to an already grueling race. Nobody wished to be the primary staff to name it quits for the night time and threat shedding their place within the race. As nighttime got here, the racers pushed on, no matter how harmful it was to bushwhack by the jungle in whole darkness.
The Smokejumpers and the River Guides maintained a lead with Pauina and Creighton on their tails. In fourth place, the Hunters had been slowly making their approach by the course, all whereas making an attempt to mitigate the ache of Ryan’s damage.
Final, however definitely not least, had been the Oil Riggers. The Canadian duo opted for a slower tempo throughout this race, noting that they wished to remain secure all through all the obstacles of Race 4. With as many accidents which have occurred this season, going sluggish and making an attempt to not break a bone may truly be the neatest technique.
Creighton’s killing spree
All through this season of Race to Survive, Creighton has made it very clear that he’s motivated by meals. He was the primary individual to trace down goose eggs. He discovered learn how to hunt for eels. This week, Creighton went on a full-blown killing spree.
As he and Paulina had been making their approach by the forest, he noticed the cutest little hedgehog, simply chilling and minding his personal enterprise. Due to the pressures of this present, Creighton didn’t see an harmless forest-dwelling creature. He noticed dinner, and he killed it, proper there in chilly blood.
Moments later, Creighton noticed one other hedgehog. He killed that one too. Paulina couldn’t watch, and hastily, their divorce began making extra sense.
Finally, the Divorcees caught up with the River Guides, one thing that hardly ever occurs. Upon their arrival, Creighton revealed that he had killed 4 hedgehogs! 4. His backpack was coated in blood. Somebody from PETA might be someplace submitting a criticism proper now.
After exhibiting off his bag filled with hedgehog corpses, he determined to stroll all the way down to the river and clear out their guts. Then, the unthinkable occurred. An eel swam proper as much as Creighton, and he caught it along with his naked palms. Actually, insane stuff.
We’ve seen a variety of triumphant moments to this point on Race to Survive, however Creighton’s enthusiasm about catching the eel will go unmatched. New Zealand has modified this man.
The Smokejumpers cross the end line
Whereas the remainder of the opponents determined to name it quits for the night time, the Smokejumpers stored pushing on by the course. Who wants sleep when there’s a Survival Crate to push for?
Serving to inspire the Smokejumpers was the truth that it was the dying anniversary of Ethan’s father. Each Ethan and Tyrie stated they had been drawing on the power from their departed family members to push ahead within the race. It labored. In an unimaginable feat of athleticism, the Smokejumpers crossed the end line in first place after touring 25 miles in simply over 20 hours.
Because the first-place finishers, they obtained the primary choose at goodies within the Survival Crate. They opted for a giant field of kiwis. Would they’ve most popular an enormous block of bacon? In all probability. Both approach, the Smokejumpers had been on cloud 9 due to their first-place end. In the meantime, the remainder of the racers had been scattered across the course, consuming hedgehogs and nursing their accidents. Out of the blue, it’s beginning to appear like the dynamics of this race are shifting.
Race to Survive: New Zealand continues on USA Community, Monday nights at 11/10c.
TELL US – WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ON RACE TO SURVIVE: NEW ZEALAND EPISODE 7? DO YOU THINK THE HUNTERS WILL TAP OUT OF THE RACE? WERE YOU SURPRISED TO SEE THE SMOKEJUMPERS FINISH RACE 4 IN FIRST PLACE?