The 2007 Adventure Race World Championship
Nike Just Do It Again
Rob Howard / 01.06.2007
Team Nike crossed the finish line at Fort William just after 6am on a bright sunny morning to win the Adventure Racing World Championship 2007. The team that calls themselves ‘the winningest’ team lived up to their reputation and successfully defended their title, forging powerfully ahead of all challengers and winning by a comfortable margin. (The second placed team, Wilsa Sport Helly Hansen have not yet started up Ben Nevis and it will be another 8 hours at least until they finish.)With the town still asleep in the early morning a crowd of racers and supporters enthusiastically cheered them home as Race Director Phil Humphreys sprayed champagne. Standing under the finish gantry Nike stood arm in arm, enjoying their moment and talking to the press.
After becoming the first team to cross Ben Nevis in an adventure race (all previous attempts have been called off in bad weather) the team naturally still had trekking on their mind. “The trekking was the hardest,� said Mike Kloser, “but through the week each stage seemed to get harder and harder. It was one tough course.�
“I was glad Ben Nevis was in the course,� said Chris Forne, “but it caught me by surprise a bit. I didn’t expect that ridge after the summit. I was thinking that I didn’t really want to be on this narrow, rocky crest at this stage of the race. My feet were doing their usual thing and not enjoying themselves so much by that time.�
Forne was a new member on the team, stepping in when former captain Ian Adamson retired, and he has no doubt been watching and cheering them on this morning. “Chris fitted in fine,� said Mona Merrill, “but you know when you have a common objective you get along. Mostly we just tried to keep with Chris and his navigation was great!�See All Event Posts
