Bimbache Extrem - Castilla y Leon
A Race Around the City Streets
Rob Howard / 03.10.2010
The race hotel was busy from early morning as teams finished up their packing, breakfasted and set off to walk across to the Avila for the start. All were treated to a stunning sunrise above the town, which set the scene for a fast and slightly chaotic start.Teams gathered at one of the city gates for the start checks from 08.00, some looking relaxed and trying to rest, others tense and twitchy as they waited. The start line was a large blue inflatable arch just inside the gate and teams rushed out to a line strung across the road onto which were pegged the city orienteering maps and a photo/question sheet. As the teams rushed out of the narrow arch at 09.00 there was a frantic grab for the maps, with the crush of the crowd behind breaking the line, and some teams scrabbling around to find their instructions.
After the initial confusion everyone was on their way, looking for 8 controls, each at a historic location, where they had to answer a question, such as when was the Church of San Pedro rebuilt? Whether you needed to read Spanish to get answers I’m not sure, but teams seemed to be managing as they raced to the first CP’s outside the walls, then dashed back into the narrow streets of the old city, and back out of the Northern gate. Only a few took different routes ... or maybe they’d got lost in the excitement of the start!
From the Northern gate most raced down the embankment directly below the city wall to the final CP at a Hermitage, where they were asked which was the main door? This confused Quechua, who didn’t really understand the question and ran into transition back at the hotel looking puzzled ... and with a 20 minute penalty for missing the answer. By then the leaders had already raced off on their bikes, back over the bridges, to begin the first cycling stage. Teams were passing on the main bridge, cyclists out and runners in, as the police tried to control the worried motorists around them!
Assuming they got all the CP’s the first stage winners were Team Buff (51), followed by Orion,
DareDevils AR and adidas Terrex. All the teams are now on their way on the first cycling stage, which is expected to take 3 to 4 hours, and is followed by orienteering.See All Event Posts
