Only a few weeks left until the start of the first Pacific Challenge. ScaleUp is the main sponsor of the team "Pacific Floaters", Wolfgang Fankhauser alias "Dewey" and Catharina Streit alias "Cätschi" (we reported about it here). For the Pacific Floaters, the last days at home are about to begin. The excitement and anticipation is growing day by day. Catharina was kind enough to give us some details about the final preparations for the challenge:
On May 26 and 29, the two Pacific Floaters team members will first head to San Francisco for preparation. The boat ("Frida") is already on the west coast of the USA and will be delivered in Monterey at the end of May. The team catering was sent separately by air freight to avoid problems with the import into the USA.
The last days at home are once again packed with endurance and strength training - before and after work - as well as the last shopping, the last branding for Frida, the boat and of course packing suitcases.
Challenge before the Challenge
On May 7, Catharina will still be at the Wings for Life Run which takes place internationally at the same time everywhere. The special thing about it is that anyone can take part, whether they are top athletes, hobby runners or complete beginners. There is no finish line at the Wings for Life Run. Instead, 30 minutes after the start, the Catcher Car sets off and overtakes the runners and wheelchair users. Everyone can set their own personal goal for the run, and best of all: 100% of all entry fees and donations go to spinal cord research and help to cure paraplegia. The race will also take place in Germany (in Munich, starting in the Munich Olympiapark). You can find more information here: Wings for Life Run.
Frida has to go to the "Final Inspection
In Monterey, on May 31, the Boat Park opened. For the team it is then to get everything else and snack packs on site and Frida, the boat, for the so-called "Final Inspection" prepare. All equipment including food is laid out in front of the boat, counted and checked. After a successful inspection, the boat may then be launched and the last short trips in Monterey Bay can be made. Short briefings are held daily to prepare the teams for the start, finish, expected weather conditions and other challenges.
When it starts
Even before the start, friends and family arrive to see the teams off on launch day (June 12).
If you want to be there (almost) live, you can follow the team via the free global tracking app "YB Races" (for Android and Apple). A few days before the start, the Pacific Challenge is activated in the app. In addition, the floaters are posting diligently via social media (e.g. instagram).
Broadcast DAS! (NDR)
On May 1, Catharina was a guest on the Red Sofa on the show DAS! and talked about the upcoming Pacific Challenge and her experiences during her first Atlantic crossing in 2019.
Here it goes to the Recording of the program. It is available in the NDR Mediathek until 1.8.
