Rock and Ice Ultra

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The Long Haul

Rob Howard / 20.03.2007

The final finishers to arrive at Matrix camp were the two British competitors in the Diamond 300 race, Rob Ravilious and Luke Cunliffe.

They had been out in the cold the longest, walking in the dark for the final few hours, but both were in good spirits, although Ravilious had some mild frost bite on his fingers and some bad blisters on his feet.

However, it wasn’t the cold or the weight of the sled he is hauling, which he has found the hardest to cope with. “It is the time in the darkness which is hardest,� he said. “In the daylight it is all so beautiful, especially in the sunshine, but at night it’s harder to keep going. You have your emotional lows and they are harder to pull out of in the dark. You have no idea how much further it is and any lights you see take SO long to reach. They almost seem to be moving further away.�

He added, “The Northern Lights were out last night so that was some distraction … but they were always behind me!�

Cunliffe was the last to arrive, as he has been each day, but he is respected for his ability to finish ultra distance races and was still positive. On the finish line he quickly stressed what he wanted, which was help to get his sled into the warmth of a tent. His fellow racers were there ready to help him as the welcoming light and heat spilled out of the door and he will have a longer nights sleep tonight, before tomorrows 10.00am start.

[It is unlikely I can post reports tomorrow as the remaining Diamond 300 competitors are at a remote camp at Trout Lake.]See All Event Posts