By Will Gray

Spectacular Chilean Patagonia played host to the latest edition of the Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race last February " and the world's wildest and toughest race proved true to its reputation once again. On the southernmost course ever, 14 international teams tackled wild winds, racing rivers and mountain blizzards on a route " to the end of the world" and only half made it to the finish.

Every year Stjepan Pavicic, an experienced geologist and explorer born and raised in Chilean Patagonia, plots a route through his homeland to create what is one of the most extraordinary races on Earth. Designed to test competitors to the limit through a mix of biking, trekking and kayaking, it also highlights the unique history and culture of the region and raises awareness of the dangers faced by the fragile environment in this the beautiful part of the planet.

This year, in celebration of Chile?s bicentennial, the race followed in the footsteps of legendary explorers Ferdinand Magellan and Charles Darwin through the varied landscape of Chilean Tierra del Fuego. In true exploration spirit, teams had to navigate almost 600km with satellite image maps and a compass, journeying from the frosty waters of the Straits of Magellan through the barren wind-swept pampas and rolling hills of the "Island of Fire", over the awesome Darwin Range then across the Beagle Channel, the gateway to Antarctica, to reach the final trek to the finish. In this place, conditions can switch from sparkling blue skies to a snowstorm white-out in an instant.

Reigning champions Helly Hansen-Prunesco returned with confidence, captained by newly crowned Adventure Racing World Champion Nicola MacLeod and aiming to blast through the course in just six days. This time, however, word had got out, and the pre-race favourites had a challenge on their hands.

With the race now compared in the same breath as the Marathon des Sables and the Dakar Rally as one of the world?s top endurance events, it drew a strong field for 2010, with 13 other international teams all keen to prevent the British squad from succeeding where all previous champions have so far failed ? to lift the Wenger Trophy for a second consecutive year.

Three teams from the United States ? including two members of the Calleva squad that got stuck in the mountains without food in 2009 ? lined up alongside representatives from Canada, Japan, South America and Europe. German team Herbertz included a former world duathlon champion and a former quadrathlon champion, the Swiss team was captained by a veteran of 10 Iron Man competitions and Japanese team East Wind had Asia?s top professional adventure racer as team leader.

However, the Helly Hansen-Prunesco from the United Kingdom, became the first team in history in keeping the title of the Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race, defeating the strong group of contenders, arriving to the finish 16 hours before their closest pursuers, the Spanish from Air Europe Bimont.