We’re formally within the thick of issues on Race to Survive: New Zealand. Final week, we noticed our first crew eradicated when the Rhode Islanders, Emilio and Heather, have been the final to make it to the Finish Crate on Race 1. They fought exhausting, and the remainder of the groups cheered them on as they crossed the end line. This week, it’s time for a brand-new race.

On Race to Survive: New Zealand Episode 3, “Grit Trumps Energy,” the eight remaining groups launched into Race 2. Whereas some racers sprinted by the course with ease, a extreme lack of energy began to catch as much as another of us on the course. By the tip of the episode, one crew was compelled to throw within the towel.

Chilly, moist, and depressing at Survival Camp

Episode 3 of Race to Survive began at Survival Camp, the place the eight remaining groups sat round trying pitiful. It was wet and chilly. Plus, a number of the groups have been actually ravenous after the exhausting first race.

The Oil Riggers and the Brooklyn Climbers skipped the meals caches in Race 1, in order that they have been working off zero energy in a race the place they burn as much as 6000 energy a day. That’s not an excellent mixture. At one level, Stef and Mikhail tried to barter with the Smokejumpers to get meals. It didn’t work. In the meantime, Kennedy was licking fungus off a tree to attempt to get a calorie or two. Determined occasions name for determined measures.

Even the groups that did get meals caches have been working low on gasoline. The Cool Mothers mentioned they have been working off of some almonds and a bit of beef jerky. At this level, nobody was having an excellent time, in order that they have been legitimately excited to see a helicopter present up with a crate to kick off the second race. They have been able to get shifting once more as a result of something beats sitting in a chilly tent.

Race 2, Day 1

The racers obtained their arms on the map for Race 2: Maungakaura. It began with an uphill dash, adopted by a treacherous alpine marsh. Then, they need to find a dropdown level to descend to a compulsory checkpoint and an non-obligatory meals cache detour. After hitting the primary checkpoint, their subsequent process is ascending a mountain, solely to show round and go proper again down the opposite aspect of it.

For Race 2, there’s additionally an vital caveat: if one other crew faucets out earlier than making it to the end line, you’re not assured a go to Survival Camp. It is a change from Season 1, and it provides extra stress on the racers to get to the end line shortly. Additionally they need to get there in a single piece.

When the race began, the Hunters instantly took a lead over the remainder of the groups. They began working up that hill like Kate Bush, however the New Zealand warmth began to catch as much as Bronsen. He needed to take a breather, sip some water, and regroup. After consuming nothing however bacon in Race 1, shivering in Survival Camp, after which working uphill within the solar, it’s comprehensible why he didn’t really feel good.

For the reason that Hunters obtained derailed, that opened up the chance for the River Guides and the Smokejumpers to realize a lead. It’s identical to the primary race, the place these three groups began the race leaps and bounds forward of everybody else. We don’t wish to get forward of ourselves, however at this level, it gained’t be too shocking to see one in all these groups win the entire thing.

A supergroup kinds on the racecourse

Throughout Race 2, Day 1, the Cool Mothers, the Ultramarathoners, and the Divorcees all discovered themselves sort of neck and neck with one another on the course. The Mothers admitted that they have been sort of simply following whoever was in entrance of them, in order that approach they didn’t need to assume an excessive amount of about navigating. They’re all going to the identical end line anyway.

In the meantime, the Ultramarathoners weren’t feeling that technique They didn’t need anybody driving off their coattails, in order that they deliberately let Rhandi and Ashley go them up. That cleared the best way for the women to catch as much as the Divorcees, and thus, a supergroup was fashioned.

Ex-lovers Paulina and Creighton agreed to work with Rhandi and Ashley as they pressed ahead. They referred to as it a “navigation committee.” Power in numbers, proper? Mistaken. The supergroup walked proper previous the drop level to get to the obligatory checkpoint and the all-important meals cache. By the tip of Race 2, Day 1, they realized they must begin the following day by backtracking to the checkpoint.

To eat, or to not eat

On the obligatory checkpoint, the racers had their first meals cache choice. They might climb throughout rocks down a stream to get meals or proceed venturing in direction of the Race 2 end line. The one caveat was that the racers wanted half-hour left on the race clock earlier than beginning the meals cache problem.

Oil Riggers Nik and Kennedy have been on their ninth day of no meals, in order that they have been actually banking on attending to that meals cache. On Race 2, Day 1, they obtained to the checkpoint with 20 minutes left on the clock, so the foundations said that they couldn’t push ahead to the meals. Had they gotten there ten minutes sooner, they might have put an finish to their hunger. As a substitute, they needed to camp out subsequent to the problem and look forward to Day 2 to begin. That’s torture.

When morning got here round, Kennedy went after the meals cache very first thing and so they lastly obtained to eat, after practically ten days of no meals. It couldn’t come quickly sufficient — Nik’s garments hardly match him anymore. Plus, there’s no approach they might have made it for much longer with zero energy. Our our bodies simply don’t work like that.

In the meantime, the “navigation committee” finally confirmed up on the meals cache as Nik and Kennedy celebrated their first meal of the race. The Oil Riggers have been shocked to study that they have been forward of so many different groups. The mothers confirmed up and celebrated getting their meals rations with a chant, “Grit trumps energy!”

A pricey slip-up

Elsewhere on the course, the Brooklyn Climbers have been struggling in each approach conceivable. They hadn’t eaten, so in comparison with the remainder of the groups, it appeared like they have been shifting throughout the course at a snail’s tempo. Precedence primary was making it to the primary meals cache.

Race 2, Day 1 got here and went with no meals cache. On Day 2, they began trekking in direction of the meals cache when Mikhail slipped and fell into some rocks. He informed Steffen that he may need damage his knee and “heard a crack” when he fell.

Mikhail obtained up from the autumn and tried to hobble his approach to the meals cache. However, it didn’t take lengthy to understand that wasn’t going to be doable in the long run. The narrator mentioned they have been shifting at a “glacial” tempo, and that was placing it flippantly.

With Mikhail injured and their stomachs empty, the Brooklyn Climbers informed the producers that they have been able to stop the race. They threw within the towel after not consuming for ten days and racing by 50 miles of rugged, New Zealand terrain. You possibly can’t blame them — it’s not like you may race with an damage like that.

After a producer recommended the Brooklyn Climbers for a job effectively performed, a helicopter got here and swooped them as much as take them again to security. Because the helicopter whizzed over the racecourse, the remainder of the groups pushed ahead to attempt to end Race 2 and keep away from elimination. There’s nonetheless much more course for them to beat.

Race to Survive: New Zealand continues on USA Community on Monday nights at 11/10c.

TELL US – WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ON RACE TO SURVIVE: NEW ZEALAND EPISODE 3? WHO DO YOU THINK WILL FINISH RACE 2 FIRST? WERE YOU SURPRISED TO SEE THE BROOKLYN CLIMBERS QUIT THE COMPETITION?