Landrover G4 Challenge 2008/09
Sadhbh Ni Hogain / 22.11.2008
WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE ?Based on an application form sent into a panel of judges 24 competitors were selected. These athletes go forward to Irish National Selections on the 30th November/1st December 2008 in Eastnor Castle, Ledbury, Herefordshire, England. A weekend of intense mental and physical challenges to include mountain biking, kayaking, winching, 4x4 off road driving, night navigation, camping, physical and mental aptitude tests and I’m sure some other exciting surprises. It will test the entrants to their limit. From the 24 selected to go forward to the trials 4 (2 males, 2 females) will be selected to go to the International Selections in February 2009. The outline for the weekend selection is an early morning flight Birmingham and shuttle transfer to the castle. Upon arrival there will be a full day of activities followed by night navigation and camping in the British countryside! Monday will be an equally action packed day. Thrown into this will be Land Rover mechanical test! The winners will be announced and then its home to Dublin to recharge those exhausted bodies.
At the International Selections one male and one female will be selected through a similar selection process to go to Mongolia for the opportunity of a life time. Although I suspect the selection process will be a lot more grueling, and rather than two days of trials it’s a five day event. They will represent Ireland in a journey of adventure and excitement through amazing countryside’s in one of the world’s most beautiful countries. It will take place over a three week period in July 2009.
At the final stage the competitors plan their route across Mongolian terrain to the each point along the journey. They will have to navigate through tough terrain while tackling compulsory and bonus tasks, tests and activities, both physical and mental.
The challenge calls you…….
It all came about from a leaflet I found hidden under a pile of helmets in the local bike shop. There was also a bit for banter and slagging thrown in for the lads in the bike shop, “ah, sure you are fit, crazy enough and into all those sports, you should give this a try…â€.
I had left it on the long finger, thinking I would not be eligible or would not have a chance at qualifying. Then I hurriedly put together the application form consisting of questions like ‘What does adventure mean to you? and What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?’ and so on.
What does adventure mean to us crazies who get up and head to the hills at the crack of dawn of a Saturday morning while our colleagues and friends lay in their warm beds dreaming sweet nothings.
Well, to me adventure is riding down the side of a mountain on my bike, rattling over rocks and roots while gripping the handles bars with white knuckles, it’s climbing the rock walls of the Burren on a sunny day, it’s doing 8 hours in the hills with a group of interesting people where you hear the weirdest and wildest stories from the sleep deprived.
