The 2007 Adventure Race World Championship
Short Haul at Badger Falls
Rob Howard / 28.05.2007
As dusk approached the leaders were most of the way through the first long mountain bike stage and approaching Glen Affric, known as one of the most beautiful glens in Scotland. The area is a National Nature Reserve and in the forest here two extra disciplines were included in the course, the first a short jump beside a waterfall, and the second a Tyrolean Traverse across Badger Falls. Wilsa Sport Helly Hansen had kept their lead in the trek across Knoydart and on the mountain biking stage and were the first to arrive at Plodda falls for the jump. This was a 20 foot leap into a deep pool, and though nothing like as scary as the jump at last year’s Wilderness ARC it may still cause a few raised heartbeats and maybe even a refusal or two (in which case the team will get a penalty.)
It was of no concern to the leaders however, who all indulged in some unabashed nudity, pulled on a buoyancy aid and helmet and leap off. For a 30 second jump they were not going to waste time with wetsuits, nor did they want all their clothing soaked as the air temperature today is still cold for the time of year. There is fresh snow on most of the tops … and they will be trekking in it on the later part of the course.
At short ride away the Tyrolean Traverse was set up at Badger Falls, spanning the white water at the base of a 40m deep canyon. Until a few weeks ago this area was to be used for a canyoning stage, but then the local water company unexpectedly decided to increase the volume of dam release, and the canyoning was moved to Foyers, on the other side of Loch Ness. (Still a great location.)
The technical team had set up a wire across the canyon yesterday and this stage was sponsored by Red Bull so the teams set off through an inflatable arch adorned with Red Bull logos. They’d even set up flood lights for the night ahead. Gary Tompsett’s instruction was the task should be a true Tyrolean where they had to pull themselves across, not an angled zip line to slide down.See All Event Posts
