Team trains for extreme obstacle event in New England Aquarium tank
A team of six people had some tough competition today as they trained at the New England Aquarium for the Tough Mudder extreme obstacle course event. The northern fur seals whose tank they were using were no pushovers.
No hard feelings — Isaac gave a kiss to Deb Bobek, director of visitor experience, after it was over. (David L. Ryan/Globe Staff)The Boston Globe
“It’s pretty much neck and neck,’’ said John Hanzl, who started the team in November but was injured and will not participate in this weekend’s event in Vermont. “The fur seals could continually kick [the team’s] butts but they have a tendency to lose focus.’’
He said the players and seals competed to swim across the tank, hop on to the side deck, and go through a hoop and a few other obstacles before touching a support column.
A big crowd gathered. Kids cheered for the seals; some rooted for the humans.
Two Tough Mudder events are being offered this year in New England. The events are also being held in several other locations around the world.
The 12-mile-long course was designed by British Special Forces. Teams have to get through 20 military-style obstacles that are designed to test “strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie,’’ according to the Tough Mudder website.
During the course, participants will need to make their way under barbed wire, swim under obstacles in a lake, and climb 12-foot tall barriers, among other things.
Tiburon, which means “shark’’ in Spanish, is the name of the aquarium’s team and each of the six members are named after a different animal.
The team is trying to help raise awareness and funding for the $42.5 million remodeling of the aquarium’s 200,000-gallon Giant Ocean Tank.
The team has been training for the past four months with the help of a trainer who has participated in the event before. This was the sixth time they have competed against the seals.
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