Lythgoe get away at the start (Sunday Sept. 29th)

Rob / 29.09.2002

As a red dawn sky heralded a fine day, the camp was already busy. There was a business-like, be-on-the-start-line-on-time bustle of activity and everything seemed to be going smoothly. The competitors walked down to the beach, a wide expanse of firm sand, with a view of Criccieth Castle one side and asemi-circle of surrounding mountains as a backdrop. The start was a run, a kilometre along the beach to the waiting kayaks, then out into a gentle surf - there was little breeze.

Morgan Donnelly of Lythgoe was out in front, smiling broadly as usual, and chose to run to the furthest kayak in a line of 30. Teams had to sort out their spraydecks and paddles, and fix their maps as they hadn’t been allowed to prepare the Necky double kayaks in advance. Team Last Minute were quickly away, The North Face seemed to have some problem getting sorted out, and Lythgoe pulled a smart move by opting not to paddle straight away. Instead they ran, towing the kayaks in the surf and moving much faster than those paddling parallel with them. It was the first of a great deal of towing.

The tide was with them and Lythgoe were first into Portmeirion (PC1), splashing up the estuary as they pulled the boats ashore across sandbars and deep pools. In front of them was an elaborate, and highly ornate garden village built on the hillside. It’s famous as the setting for the cult TV programme ‘The Prisoner’ and the PC was in a concrete boat built into the side of the quay. All around were towers and pavilions, fountains, gardens and statues. Their task here was orienteering – they had to find 4 checkpoints and it wasn’t easy as there were paths, staircases, tunnels and walkways everywhere. It was like an elaborate maze and teams raced around, shouting to each other and trying to follow the map.

Unfortunately, there was a problem with one control being put in the wrong place or rather the wrong grass roofed hut! Lythgoe found it and headed out first, but some other teams didn’t and had to go back, losing a lot of time. There will be some time adjustments given, but for now this has shuffled the order so some of the favourites are towards the back, with the exception of Lythgoe who literally pulled out a good lead as they left ‘the village’ (still wearing their numbers!) and set off up the estuary.

After 6 weeks of ‘drought’ the water was very low and for the most part not deep enough to paddle. The 6km up to the take out point were hard work, running along the side of the channel pulling the boats. In places the mud was deeper and straying off the main channel wasn’t a good idea as getting back to it meant crossing soft sand – it was a bit like walking in snow, your feet sank in several inches. Being a paddler Chris McSweeny of Last Minute was getting frustrated. He’d paddled briefly under a toll bridge only to hit shallow again. “I don’t believe this� echoed out across the sands. By the time they reached the side stream for the exit point there was only a trickle and it was more of carry than a pull.

A short but hilly, cross country stage now takes them to Trawsfyydd Lake, the site of the decommissioned nuclear power station, where they will find out their next water activity is rowing – but at least they’ll have some water for this one!

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