Team Accelerate Confirms Athletes for Adventure Racing World Championships 2009
Press Release / 05.10.2009
The event takes place in Portugal from the 8th November with the event organisers promising a test of endurance and logistical know-how.
The event format will be a total distance of around 912kms (just short of the length of Britain) and includes 6-stages of mountain biking totalling 500km's with the longest stage, through the mountains, of 160km's. Kayaking will total 95km's including grade 2 water and trekking stages will total 230km's with a promise of plenty of rope work, canyoning and water jumps. As ever in Europe the competitors will also get to test themselves out on inline skates or trikes, although fortunately this will only amount to around 30km's.
Mixed Team's of four compete for the honour of World Champions with New Zealand's Orion Health being the hot favourites to retain their title. This year, four Team's, from the UK will be competing, each having had to complete a similar event in the last 12 months. Team Accelerate were the only UK team to complete the course at last years Portugal XPD, earning them a very creditable 8th place, in what was their first ever multi day non stop race.
The Team of Kevin Honeysett (captain), Caroline Bullard, Alasdair Bruce (lead Navigation) and Adam Marcinowicz have again been confirmed for this year's event with Julia Baron and David Spence as reserves. Debbie Smith and Team Manager Stuart Hale will be the Support Team.
The Squad has been training hard, focusing on the needs of the event. Stuart said, "We had guessed that the event would be more mountain biking heavy and we have placed a lot of effort on long Team rides, working on technique, team riding and strength development. This culminated in a 2am start in completing the Lake Districts Fred Whitten, via a stop off at Whinlatter for a play on the MTB tracks there".
Kev was also quick to point out that, "Speed development has also played an important part. Following racing in Portugal last year we quickly realised how fast the established multi day team's covered the ground. It is something that we can say has definitely improved across the whole Team, but as to whether it will be enough, only time and experience will tell".
The team has also been working on their transitions with the support crew in an effort to save valuable minutes.
Whatever the outcome in Portugal this year Team Accelerate have continued to make good progress in UK racing, continually attaining podium finishes and it is their intention to continue to aim towards the longer European and Worldwide Multi-day events.
Team Accelerate wishes all the UK Team's the best of Luck in Portugal.
SleepMonsters
