Cisco Euro Challenge
Behind the Scenes
Rob Howard - SleepMonsters.com / 09.09.2004
At the evening meal, just before the main race briefing, staff quickly came and went, and quickest of all was the hard pressed logistics organiser Harriet Marlow, who fielded questions from teams as she eat. She still had time to tell me the event has 40 marshals from England (who came over on a coach), and 50 from Germany.
“It’s been a great venue to work with,� she said, “Garmisch Partenkirchen are used to big events and have done all they can to help. I’ve been here on five trips already during planning and know it well now but the main problem is having everyone in 3 different hotels!� Then she was gone.
They are excellent hotels too, so the teams will have some comfort to return to at the end of each day. The organisation have also laid on massage to ease some of the aches and pains, and looking at the steepness of the surrounding mountains there will be plenty of takers for the service.
Just what lay ahead for day one was revealed at the team briefing when course planners Paul Vernon and Jon Huzan gave out the Mission Notes. (See ‘What’s Coming Up’ for a summary.) They too have been here on many long planning trips and their enthusiasm came over in the briefing, where they answered questions and emphasised again and again the need to carefully read all instructions.
Before the briefing Challenger World MD Andrew Finan had welcomed all the teams and said the entry of 57 teams was the highest ever. He’d also thanked sponsors Cisco for giving everyone the chance to take part in such a fantastic location. They have 3 teams taking part and speaking earlier Christina Helden of Cisco had commented, “I was blown away when I first came to this event – it gave me goosebumps. You see teams give so much and wish you could push them just a few steps to help. I know over the next couple of days there will be times when I have a lump in my throat.�
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