C2C Adventure Race
Day 1 - Coast to Coast
Charlotte Hattersley / 24.08.2013
And so to the end of day one.
The sea was calm as a mill pond from the start at 10am… until rounding St. Bee's Head. Then it was less calm, and more than one person took a little swim. The water safety team, headed by James Stevenson of Adventure Elements, was calm but busy…. In the end two competitors (Phil Scarf and Lucy Harris) required a lift and took 120% of the slowest time as a result.
Ant Emmet was first competitor in, and it looked as though he would be rapidly followed by Team Nav4, until they also took a swim, and ended up portaging their kayak across the rocks - having "left some skin behind". As James Thurlow, Race Director, said during the evening briefing, "it gave competitors a bottom-clenching experience".
It was smooth ride for most to the next transition, involving a short bridleway section to the north end of Crummock Water, which gave riders a superb aerial view of Ennerdale. Some found navigational challenges along the way, which resulted in lost time and maybe the odd placing. Support teams got to test their off-road driving skills in the transition, once the cows were corralled in the field. Some competitors had to return from the water to collect their forgotten trackers, which incur a penalty if left behind, but the field began to string out along the two lakes, which are separated by a challenging portage… as Lucy Harris said, "carrying a third of your body weight doesn't make it easy".
The final leg was a run up Robinson for the "King of the Mountains" competition - timed from leaving Gatesgarth transition at the south end of Buttermere. This was won by adidas TERREX Prunesco, in a time of 32 minutes, 38 seconds, followed a few minutes later by Tri-Adventure (35:16) and then Family Duncan - Haglofs (36:20). First male solo to the summit was Steve Fisher (39:04) and first female Lucy Harris (43:37), although Sally Ozanne was only 21 seconds longer.
A short retrace of the steps, then the route went across High Spy to Catbells, and a descent to Nicol End - for most ... and then the dreaded swim across Derwentwater One or two took a slight detour & the scenic route through the Newlands Valley. Trackers tell the truth….
As anticipated, the swim leg resulted in significant cramp, and use was made of the safety boats to hang onto as muscles were stretched. Steve Fisher said he had moments of wondering if he might be stretching in the middle of the lake for the rest of the evening… but made it to the finish in second place in the male solos.
Most teams were home in time for the briefing at 9pm, with the final team taking Catbells at a gentle pace, and returning to the evening base at the football club in Keswick after 10pm. They did get a cheer - but had to miss the swim, it being rather dark by this stage.
This team gets the earliest start in the morning too, at 6am, followed by the rest of the competitors in reverse order, slowest first, fastest last. The weather forecast involves some thunder over the eastern fells, although hopefully it will be heading east faster than the competitors do.
SleepMonsters
