Independent Networks Adrenalin Rush
Onto The Water
Rob / 28.05.2003
During Wednesday afternoon the leaders arrived at Laggan Locks to ready to start the paddle up the Great Glen back to Inverness. First in were The North Face who have lead for almost all the race, and they ran down the trail side by side before trotting over the lock gates and into the last Red Bull Transition station, PC 30. As they opened the gear boxes Keith Byrne responding to questions from a radio reporter said, “No, we’re not complacent, we are still racing hard to stay out in front and are never quite sure how far behind the other teams are.�All of the team were soon busy preparing for the long paddle stage, and clearly had no intention of stopping. Chris McSweeny was putting 4 litres of water into bladders and said, “That’s enough for the whole stage.� Ski Sharp was mixing Red Bull into his. They were checking the kayaks, bailing them out, searching for waterproof torches, eating, packing food and checking maps all at the same time. They were also getting out the wheels they’d made specially for the 600m portage at Fort Augustus and the umbrellas they planned to use as sails.
Both looked a bit Heath Robinson but quickly proved effective. The wheels were made from a golfers trolley and made the transfer to the put in point beyond the lock easy, though getting the kayaks in down the steep bank took some care. The brollies were the last thing to be fitted and were tensioned to stop them flipping inside out. With the wind behind them they proved immediately effective. Chris McSweeny and Nic MacLeod sat in their kayak and were blown along without paddling at all, they were eating their sandwiches.
An hour and 40 minutes later Thomas Cook arrived. Lisa Godfey was the last to struggle in and all of them looked very footsore but they quickly got on with the same tasks The North Face had. They too had brollies but their preferred portage wheels were childrern’s skate boards with straps around them. Asked about their morning bike ride Nick Gracie said, “That was the fastest we’ve ever ridden as a team.� But he was more concerned with staying ahead of OK Adventure Renault Sport than catching The North Face. “I don’t think we’ll catch them,� he said, “we just want to make sure of second place.�
They had over an hour’s lead before the third team arrived and the French team were going to have rely on arm power alone as they hadn’t gone in for sails or wheels of any sort. “We are just tourists!� team captain Aurelie Villar said with a smile. Some tourists! As they all made their way up the Caledonian Canal and Loch Oich conditions were good, with a tail wind blowing them and no rain. Out on Loch Ness it wasn’t too choppy either and all are making good progress towards the finish, but as dusk draws on and night falls they’ll all be fighting fatigue and struggling to stay awake, even though the finish is within reach. The winners are expected to arrive back in Inverness in the early hours of the morning.See All Event Posts
