ITERA Expedition Race

Getting ready for ITERA

Rob Howard / 13.08.2022

It was day Zero at ITERA, the day before the race, when there is so much to do, and so little time to do it.

The Corran Halls, set at the end of the picturesque waterfront in Oban, was buzzing with activity all day. Registration opened at 09.30 and from then on teams were coming and going all day long, moving through the many tasks required to get an expedition race underway.

Timing chips were attached to wrists, bibs given out and worn for official photos, teams were briefed and captains had a special Q&A with the planners.  When not doing this there was packing and prepping, and more packing, to deliver boxes and bags to trucks outside and to make sure nothing was forgotten or in the wrong place.  Teams knew any mistake today could come back to bite them later in the week.

The highlight of the day's activity was the first course briefing - the big reveal of the course ahead, after which teams would be issued their route book and maps.  Where would they be going?

At 11.00 Race Director James Thurlow, from Open Adventure, welcomed all the teams who had waited so long for this race after its postponement last year. "We know you wanted to race last year," he said, "but at least this year we can welcome all our international teams again, and we hope it will be worth the wait." It was.

A stage curtain rolled aside to reveal a huge race map and a ripple of gasps and applause spread through the hall. Course Planner Tom Gibbs, briefly described the route, which starts on the Island of Iona, best known for its Abbey and as a religious retreat. The island is off the coast of the bigger island of Mull, so teams will take two ferries and cross Mull to get the start line. From there the plan is for them to paddle to another offshore island, Staffa.  This is uninhabited and famous for Fingals's Cave, a sea cave composed of by towering, symmetrical basalt columns.

From there teams paddle back to Mull via another island to start a long trek, which crosses Ben More, the high point on Mull and a 'Munro' (a peak over 1000m). Moving North they visit the wild lands of Ardgour and Moidart, among the most remote and least visited highland areas. A paddle there takes them from loch to river to ocean to arrive at Glenuig, and then comes a long cycle ride passing through the location of Hogwarts and the famous Harry Potter viaduct. They are heading for Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the UK, which they climb in a big mountain stage where they'll need a good head for heights. After a via ferrata stage they turn south along the West Highland Way, striking cross country back to the coast and final sea paddle back to Oban.

It was a lot to take in and teams rushed forward to collect their maps and study the detail.  Andy Wayland of Beacon Adventure Racing said, "On the drive here we said how cool it was be to go to Staffa and Fingal's Cave. We didn't guess much of the rest of it, but it's a fantastic route."  International visitors won't have heard of Fingal's Cave.  Mark Lattanzi of Rootstock Racing said he didn't know anything about it, and many of the teams won't know either, and will be in for a amazing surprise when they see it. (Although,  getting to Staffa is dependant on a final check of the sea state tomorrow.) Some of the more experienced racers took the reveal in their stride, not wasting an energy guessing in advance and getting on with breaking down the journey ahead to get the packing right.

At the briefing the teams also met the Race Referee Igor Dorotic, Race Director of Adventure Race Croatia and one of the most experienced ARWS referees.  He said he was firm but fair, reminded teams all members had to visit a checkpoint, and added, "I will be watching, but you won't necessarily see me!"

Teams continued to pack into the evening loading the trucks and vans under careful supervision, and they will have one more night's sleep in Oban, before catching the 9am ferry to Mull, then travelling across the island to get the next ferry to Iona, where they will start an expedition through some of the wildest, surprising and beautiful areas of Scotland.