Far behind even the Hisuian Arcanine in front of him, Josh had resigned to his fate. He wished he could have given Genevieve a more intense challenge, but such was the unpredictability of a high speed competition. He wouldn't let her win the Badge by default, at the very least. He was going to make Zagreus finish the race... and the Leader's best way to do that was to fall to the outside of the track.

Once the course widened after a narrow, uphill curve, the Gym Leader reluctantly reined Braver over the strip glowing with energy from his support Pokémon's healing moves. As long as he could stay in its swerving path, that energy would flow into his Arcanine's tired paws, bringing him back from the brink of collapse and giving the pair the stamina needed to cross the finish line.

He wasn't winning the race any more, but he would do everything he could to make Genevieve work for it.

For some, like Josh Devlin , the pit stop was a salvation, His ARCANINE, pulling up the rear by a long shot, eased his running speed to stay within the strip's width for as long as he could. As impressive as Genevieve Cromwell 's lead was, her ARCANINE coasting along the left side of the wide, hilly straightaway in preparation for THUNDER ROAD's final turns, the Gym Leader's precision in remaining within the snaking lane was equally so. His ARCANINE absorbed healing power from it, easing his pain as though he had touched a Galarian Rapidash's horn.

Josh Devlin 's ARCANINE has regained one use of BOOST.

For others, it was an opportunity to make up ground. ARAVAN ESCHER was likewise coasting along the recovery zone when ERON IUNIS slapped his LINOONE's sides hard. With determined glares, he and his Pokémon charged forward, the normal-type's EXTREME SPEED making its legs lowly hum and vanish into a single blur. Gasping as he heard the noise, ARAVAN ESCHER glanced behind him and swerved his SALAZZLE out of the way, the two neck and neck.

The challenger was so far ahead that unless she looked back, she would be completely unaware of the fierce battle behind her -- or the even lower hum from the HISUIAN ARCANINE's EXTREME SPEED. With so much room to run and such a fast dog in the hands of the capable redhead, Genevieve Cromwell was far from home free as she crossed the line for the second time, a white flag waving above them as another sound bite blared from the nearby loudspeakers:

[player]https://file.garden/ZDeuoB-J4RNQd5aY/gyms/master/Final_Lap.mp3[/player]

"YEAH! THE FINAL LAP!"

The fans cheered loudly as the white flag waved to the side of the starting arch; it was the last time around the track! For the final lap of the race, the Leader's rolls will be capped at 170, before modifiers are applied.

Prompt: After a long straightaway meant to build speed was an uphill, semi-blind, right-angle left turn. Even Pokémon that were tall enough to see over the hill might find the curve a challenge; with its slope being level instead of rounded, it would be quite easy to slip both entering and exiting the turn. Faster Pokémon might need to ease off their high-end top speeds to avoid a nasty impact. Competitors needed to be ready for more right-angle turns afterward, only having a second or two to get into position for them!

Target Number: 120 (Reaction)

Special: Pokémon do not apply ranks in Speed to this Obstacle.