Fulda Tyres Arctic Challenge
From the Desert to the Arctic
26.01.2005
Two adventure athletes are making their final preparations as they get ready to depart this weekend for the 2005 Fulda Challenge, a unique Arctic mix of endurance and motorsport.On Saturday 29th January former BBC ‘SAS desert are you tough enough?’ competitor Emmie Gribble from Hammersmith, and Richard Jackson an Offshore Engineer from Newcastle, will fly out to the icy climate of the Yukon in Canada for the demanding seven-day event.
They will face tough competition from eight other teams representing Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Austria, USA and Canada, as they grab their skis, ice axes and crampons and embark on the challenge of a lifetime.
After touching down in Whitehorse, over 2,000km will be covered by the UK team during the challenge. They will drive, in a convoy of Toyota Rav4s, across Alaska, through Dawson City and Eagle Plains, and north to the Arctic Circle – on Fulda Tyres of course!
Along the treacherous route, the athletes will face a number of endurance events. The chilling prospects awaiting the teams include cross-country skiing, hovercraft navigation, ice climbing, ski-doo racing, a half-marathon, dog-sledding, mountain biking and stockcar racing.
At the end of each day, competitors will have to pitch camp in temperatures as low as minus 35ºC and sleep under canvas. The team crowned Fulda Challenge champions will be presented with two Klondike gold nuggets - an acknowledgement of the Yukon’s historic Gold Rush period.
An excited Emmie can’t wait to put her hard work and training to the test: “Since being selected for the challenge in September last year, I have had an incredibly busy but rewarding four months,� said the 32-year-old marketing manager. “The time has passed so quickly. I have practiced everything from ice-climbing to hovercraft racing and I think my overall fitness level is definitely at an all-time peak.�
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