Lythgoes Adrenalin Rush

Team North Face – So Far

Rob / 28.05.2002

The Red Bull Village (PC5) is set behind the sand dunes on the edge of Maghera Strand, a kilometre wide stretch of sands at the mouth of the Bracky river. The distinctive Red Bull gazebo can seen from the narrow country road which skirts the coast and is overlooked by steep cliffs. It’s a stunning location and for the teams is the first time they get access to their gear boxes.

Team The North Face were happy to arrive, and to open their boxes, mid-morning on Tuesday. There was light drizzle around all day while they were in camp it was fine. As they stripped off their damp biking clothes and sorted out their food and equipment they talked about their race so far.

Like all the teams they had unpleasant memories of the Ulster Way on the first biking leg and they were one of teams who felt they’d stuck to the route, while others didn’t. This is an ongoing niggle, but with no proof of who went where no penalties can be imposed. (Unlike the case of Team Ukatak, who took the road where the shouldn’t have only to find the Race Directors helicopter circling overhead! And they have 2 Race Directors in their team.)

“We stopped on that leg,� said captain Chris McSweeny. “We found a barn full of hay and rested up and have been sharper than many other teams since. A lot of those who pushed on with no sleep have run into trouble at the rope stage.� Despite that they were having a sleepy morning and having to stop each other from nodding off. They’d already started on the daydreams that later become full blown hallucinations.

Keith Byrne had enjoyed the rope stage. “It was fun and we were there yesterday evening in fantastic sunshine. It meant we finished the trek in the dark though and Chris got mildly hypothermic - he just never warmed up after the climbing.�

They were lying 8th at this stage and hoping for a quick stop and a fast kayak leg to make up ground so they came in determined to take only 30 minutes. But time ticks away so easily at transitions and it was over an hour before they left to continue by bike to PC6, the start of the sea kayak leg.