X-adventure Raid Series

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Seconds to Spare

Jim Davies / 29.07.2003

Team Saab-Salomon (Helene Diamantedes, Jim Davies, Ben Bardsley, Morgan Donnely) flew out to the French Alps for the 2nd race in the five race series. Arriving a day before race registration allowed us to have a quick practice run at hydro-speeding (white water swimming). The 8 km race section proved fairly straight forward (we later took 3rd fastest time on this section), however the extra 4km section thrown in by the guides for a bit of fun was a \'fast spin cycle \', roller coaster ride through some very big water and we staggering out of the river at the finish.

The course profile, provided on the Friday at registration, revealed a race that would be a huge challenge to the 42 teams competing. 185km long with 14 stages and a massive 10,374m of climb suggested that simply completing the set course would require a huge effort from teams and support crews. Not only did the course look to be one of the toughest yet, but with temperatures rising to the mid 30\'s and forecast to stay hot for the period of the race, everyone would need to be careful of the heat and dehydration.

The race began at 6am from Les Arcs. Starting well we led up over the first big climb but then a series of frustrating punctures slowed progress considerably and we eventually finished the first stage in 29th place. With the sun up and temperatures, rising the simple plan was to set off chasing down the teams ahead. Despite the set backs from the first stage we continuously picked up places through the day, climbing, almost literally considering the course, through the field. The final stage of the day on mountain bikes finished at 1am and as we headed for our sleeping bags the results table showed us in 5th place.

A 5am chasing start at 2-min intervals, cooler morning air, and the benefits of a few hours sleep allowed us to continue to push hard on the second day which began with 2 large mountain trekking stages separated by only a small half-hour flat-water paddle. By the second mountain stage we’d moved into 3rd place and were now chasing Intersport.

The race format provides each stage with an earliest and latest departure time. If you are unable to make the last departure time you have to miss the stage and are given a penalty of the slowest time for that stage plus an hour. Approaching the finish of the second mountain stage we saw and heard the support crew frantically running towards us and to say there was only 1min 30secs before the last departure time for the next stage. See All Event Posts