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Across the Western Lakes to Keswick

Rob Howard / 26.08.2011

From St. Bees the true coast to coast began and as the racers arrived there was a scene of ‘controlled chaos’ and great excitement for the first transition. A large crowd had gathered on the sea front, bikes were set out ready to go, with kit boxes alongside, and the car park by the seaside hotel was jammed. For the teams expectant racers were waiting and ready to go once the incoming paddlers arrived.

One of these was Olympic rowing gold medallist and adventurer James Cracknell, racing with team adidas TERREX, and although he has been on far bigger sporting stages he was keyed up for the race. Strangely he had missed out on the paddling stage, but recently he has been racing a lot of cycling time trials and that will be his strength in this race. Someone shouted, “Why aren’t you out there rowing?� To which he replied, “That’s not rowing!�

“I’m glad I’m not kayaking,� he said, “but unfortunately I’ll have to do the kayak and run later in the day. I’m happy with my bike, liking the slick tyres and tri bars, but Bruce (Duncan) does not have either on his bike and seems more worried about how long it will take him to change a pair of shorts.� In what is sure to be a closely contested race with so many transitions, minutes or seconds at each are vital, but Cracknell was more focused on the head to head racing he is used to. His team may have to temper that competitive nature but he’s in good hands with Bruce Duncan and Nicola MacLeod, two of the most experienced and successful adventure racers in the UK.

Only 45 minutes after the start the first kayaks were coming into sight around the cliffs and the first to come ashore was Stuart Lynch, who managed the gentle surf on the pebble beach easily and was quickly on to his bike and away down the road. Soon after boats were coming ashore in a rush, and a few were caught and rolled in the waves before they could get onto the beach and find their support crews.

Soon the whole area around the beach was buzzing with activity and everywhere questions were being shouted between stressed teams and supporters.

“Do you want sunscreen?�
“Where is the tracker?�
“Can you fetch the maps?�
“Have you handed in the swim bag for later?�
“Where is the car!!?�
“Where do we dib out?

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