Success in Europe and the UK for Team Saab Salomon
05.08.2008
Rob Hope, Rob Jebb and Natalie White all traveled to Treviso, Italy on the weekend of the 18-20 July, to take part in the Sky Games. Competing in the 4 competitions over the weekend which included the SkyBike® a run and bike duathlon and culminates with the famous Dolomites SkyRace®, a 22km race mountain race in some of the world’s most beautiful and challenging terrain. After the four events Natalie finished a very strong fourth overall, after placing fourth in the Sky Speed race and the classic SkyRace®. In the men’s race Rob Jebb finished a tantalizing 4th overall, this after placing fourth in three events, and with a damaged shoulder (!)- injured in training in the run up to the event. With Rob Hope finishing 6th this was a really strong performance from the trio.
The following week saw Ben Bardsley, Andy Symonds and Tom Owens travel to the French Alps to defend their Saab Salomon Mountain X Race title against the very best Adventure Teams from around the World. Starting in Bourg St. Maurice and finishing after 6 days of racing in Morzine, the race covered more than 12000 metres of ascent and 10 disciplines.
The crack team had a great mix of youth and experience, and their skill sets were perfectly matched in this most gruelling of events. After leading for the whole of the race the win was snatched away on the last day, following a wrong turning on the final run leg, relinquishing their lead for a 2nd place finish -yet again a great result. However it was a blow to the defending champions, who were hot favourites, and especially so as they had the win in their grasp!
More success followed on the same weekend with Nick Sharp winning the classic La Plagne 6000D race in the French Alps. 6000D is a 55km mountain trail race through the countryside of La Plagne ski resort. It is an extreme mountain trail race with the highest point of the race at the Bellecote glacier reaching an amazing 3050m!
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