The Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge
Five Star Preparations
Rob Howard / 11.12.2008
The Club is palatial 5 star hotel with extensive sports facilities on the ground floor, including an Olympic size pool, large gardens and its own cinema, which was used first thing this morning for the team race briefing. All the teams have arrived with the exception of those from Brazil and Romania who withdrew, and Team SOLE were a late entry – arranging to come just 2 days ago. (Paul Romero is the only athlete to have raced the AR World Champs in Brazil and XPD in Portugal, and to be here ready to race again!)
During the day teams have gone through the extensive race registration and kit check process at the entrance between the inner and central gardens. This was an opportunity to receive their bikes and study the race kayaks, as both are provided to teams.
The kayaks are French built and specially ordered for this race, each coming with twin sails emblazoned with the race logos. Teams have been told the wind is likely to be favourable this year (it wasn’t last year), but that they may not go any quicker than paddling. Even so, on such a long paddling stage all wind assistance will be a help, if only for a rest.
There was more work to do on the Cannondale F6 bikes which were stacked up outside in S,M, L and XL sizes! Top teams would naturally rather ride their own bikes but the verdict on these was that they were ‘servicable’ and it was a lot less hassle and a huge cost saving not to have to ship bikes. Some teams like the novice Towergate Wilson from the UK, just changed the pedals and checked the bikes over, making basic adjustments. This team of RAF personnel are perhaps the most inexperienced in the race and they liked the idea of being given kayaks and bikes. “It’s a nice leveller,� said Rupert Capleton. “If we all have the same equipment then it’s down to athletic ability and navigation.�
Others are not so sure. Wilsa Helly Hansen felt they lost the race last year (to Adventure Sport NZ) due to the bikes and Team Nike were the only team to bring their own bikes - mainly as they have a sponsorship from Giant Bikes.
Orion Health.com were in the shade of some palms busy changing tyres and tubes, and adding map boards and towing systems. They took the orange reflectors off their spokes too! Orion, the new World Champions, are hoping to improve on their 4th place last year and have Sonya Clarke racing instead of Anna Berthelson. They were trying out tyres better suited to the sand, but worried they were too time consuming to change in the event of a puncture.
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