Where: Amphur Sayok, Kanchanaburi, Thailand
When: 10th March, 2007
Extreme winners: Jongsak Kaewin & Kriattisak Preamanan
First Extreme women Kee Leng Tan & Catherine Siew 
Adventure winners: Gordon Montgomery & Brian Van de Bergh First Adventure women: Joanna Wilkins & Jasper Lawrence
www.riverkwaitrophy.com

Next race 1st March 2008

It was clear from the start that the extreme category was going to be one to watch, with local favourites Jongsak Kaewin and Kriattisk Preamanan vying for position with Bangkok duo Simon Thomas and Surachai Keawlone for much of the race. The road running start quickly gave way to trails and a delicate wooden bridge, where the locals inched in front by a mosquito’s whisker. Bridge engineering was tested when the mid-way herds crossed, and never have so many had so good a time crossing the River Kwai on a bridge which moved in time with the water.

The first water section enabled Thomas and Kaewlone to gain a two minute lead pushing hard in what could have been a cruising kayak section as the dam upstream had just been relieved of several tonnes of water. The subsequent 1.8km swim was really more of a float, given that participants were wearing the mandatory lifevests. At least four individuals withdrew at this point and were fished out of the river by the press boat unable, or too exhausted, to haul themselves across the current and up the steep muddy exit bank.

The jungle run, through dense and spiked forest, in heavy humidity accompanied by throat tightening smoke from farmers’ crop burn-offs, was the ruin of many a fine spirit. Kaewin and Preamanan took the lead once more when their competition stopped to deal with an injury - losing five minutes. The lake swim was a welcome sight after what surely seemed the longest 2-3 hours of the participants lives.

Dynamic Thai Duo Jongsak Kaewin and Kriattisak Preamanan were first home in the extreme event, and with a combined age of 80+ years took the prize for first Masters. Following just four and a half minutes later were Simon Thomas and Surachai Keawlone who were awarded first place in the Men’s category. First back in the Adventure Category, looking remarkably fresh-faced and clean, were Gordon Montgomery and Brian Van de Bergh, from Harrow International School. Brian, an experienced Ironman participant and marathon runner who has recently moved to Asia, commented that they ‘deliberately held back because you just don’t know what’s coming next or when it’s coming. The guide finish time of 5-8 hours is a big window’.

Almost doubling the number of teams from the previous year, 70 out of the 80 starting teams completed the race successfully. SC