The Wenger LED Nomad instantly brings to mind the incredible annual race down in Chile. It seems as though Wenger is indulging itself in its image as a producer of incredibly resilient hardware that can go anywhere and do anything, just like those athletes that compete regularly in the Wenger Patagonian Race.
Wenger Watches outfits these individuals of steel, giving them the necessary gear to survive and compete. Fourteen teams of four squared off, racing across the countryside on bikes, in kayaks, and on foot. The course, as stated, is an incredible 600 kilometres long. The winning time of approximately five days draws attention to the continual punishment which plagues both the individuals in the event and the gear that they take with them. Anything that can survive the wind, rain, mud, and abuse that comes with this ultimate field test is more than capable of withstanding everyday use.
Everybody knows about the completion, or finish, rate of just 50%. But what’s particularly interesting is that this year–2010–was far and above the exception. During most years, that number is closer to 30% or 40%; literally one out of every three individuals who starts the race will ever see the end. To that end, the Helly Hansen-Prunesco team of the United Kingdom should be applauded not only for completing the event for the second year in a row, but for winning it in the same span as well. This should draw one to a very important lesson, one that Wenger is undoubtedly supporting by launching this expedition year after year: it’s one thing to finish as an individual performer in the event, but a much greater challenge to finish as a team. The fact that the Helly Hansen-Prunesco team won again says a lot about the conditioning of their athletes, but even more about the coherence of them as a unit.
