Raid La Pineda Platja
An offer that’s hard to refuse
Anne-Marie Dunhill / 26.04.2010
An offer like that is hard to refuse especially as the first place prize is a free entry to this years Bimbache Extrem which will host the ARWS World Championships in Spain from September 30th to October 9th!
So last Wednesday night I got a call to be support crew for a newly formed French team, Qualixpert consisting of Laurent Lestarquit,veteran navigator, Fred Lille, a strong kayaker and Stephan Maurel, an Iron man racer.
Patrick Lamarre of Issy Adventure who raced La Pineda Platja last year briefed me beforehand, saying that it was an excellent race with tough sections, excellent orientation sections,tip top organizers and rough terrain. The makings of a great weekend race and expectations were high as we set off on our five hour road trip from Toulouse.
Gear check and skills verifications took place by moonlight as teams arrived late into the night at the campsite next to the Port Aventura amusement park. My team passed the verifications at midnight. Whilst the weather forecast had predicted nice weather, we arrived in rain and nagging humidity.
The top Spanish adventure racing teams such as Buff and Oxigen were all present and we were greeted by many familiar faces. One other French team, Expenature Fr-Julbo also made the trip down from Aix en Provence.
The sections listed in the roadbook looked tantalizing; sea kayaking, mountain biking, trekking and rollerblading, an orienteering relay, trekking and ropes,MTB, rogainning at night and a final short section on Sunday in the town of La Pineda.
SleepMonsters
