endurancelife Classic
A Day Out in Devon
Gary Joliffe/Endurancelife / 31.03.2004
Last Sunday (March 28th) saw the launch of endurancelife’s new series of multi-sport endurance races. The ‘Classic’ was set amidst the beautiful scenery of the South Hams in Devon – Over 130 competitors and many supporters braved the damp conditions to experience the first of a new style of multi-sport race.endurancelife’s brand of multi-sport endurance races involve 3 back to back legs of sit-on-top kayaking, trail / road mountain biking and trail / road running, the race was open to 4 different solo and team entry categories and covered some 35 miles.
All categories except the open solo used endurancelife’s fleet of sit on top kayaks for the paddle section, these kayaks are proving increasingly popular for their versatility and simplicity, some competitors had not kayaked before and were able to jump on and go to complete the 4.5 mile paddling leg. The open solo category used a mixture of K1’s, sea kayaks and light touring boats.
At 8:30am an air horn blast shock Kingsbridge and heralded the start of endurancelife’s 2004 race series. The course began with a ¼ mile run to the kayak start – this short but tricky run involved a treacherous muddy field – the black run of muddy fields – and the cause of the only serious injury of the day – with John Peters having to withdraw with a dislocated shoulder. Medics were quickly on hand to transport John to hospital.
Once at the slip way the course split with the solo categories taking to the water and the teams continuing to run to the 1st transition zone. It was a great sight as the flotilla of 43 sit-on-tops and 7 open category kayaks took off down the estuary, the paddlers were supported by two RIB’S and the race leaders hit the beach in Salcombe just over an hour later.
The race was well supported and the transition zones were a real buzz as shouts of encouragement and much applause accompanied the arrival and departure of the teams and solo racers.
For the solo competitors the 12 mile trail run followed the paddle and took them up and along the mighty cliffs of Bolt Head before heading inland along lanes and bridle ways back to transition 2 at race HQ and the start of the 18 mile MTB course. This included some really tough sections of hilly bridle way and track, and the clay based mud stuck to anything it could. Many described the mountain bike section as the hardest ride of their lives.See All Event Posts
