hour 21
.
at last we are beginning to close on that first 100 miles.
.
the small team competition is reaching a critical stage.
any team that could stop the losses would move up rapidly,
but the casualties continue to mount.
.
iceland’s lead looked vulnerable when they dropped to 11 runners.
finland, with 13 was in a position to cut into that lead rapidly…
.
and then finland lost their number 1,
the great katie ahokas.
they still have 12,
and are positioned to continue moving up,
but now have to be aware of norway and austria,
who also have 12
and are moving up thru the field behind them,
just waiting for finland or iceland to lose someone else.
.
at this point in the competition it is all about runner retention.
this is when team really comes into play
as the stronger members try to pull the struggling runners with them.
ukraine and switzerland are far from out of it,
tied for second at the moment
altho only with 10 runners apiece.
it is hour to hour when 10 might be the largest team standing.
.
and so the fight goes on.