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The One.Tel Hebridean Challenge – day 5 – Lewis

Jon Brooke / 11.07.2004

The final day dawned clear and bright and despite a forecast force five the winds were relatively light. The kayakers were starting their paddle from 6:30 a.m. but with a short drive to the beach they were starting from, and an even longer one to the beach where they would pick up a swimmer the teams were up very early indeed. Fortunately thought the hall committee had laid on a breakfast from 5 a.m. for the competitors and most seemed in pretty high spirits as they started on the final push on to Stornoway.

Reef beach on the Uig peninsular was the destination for the paddlers where the swimmers would swim along the whole kilometre length of the beach before tagging a runner for a very short leg to a waiting biker. Then it was into some of the big hills of the south west of Lewis to pick up checkpoints on the summits of Suaineabhal, Teinneasabhal and Mealaisbhal at 429, 497 and 574 meters respectively. Wild Outdoors were the only team choosing to run the 7 km between the first two, while other teams chose to run off the first hill a different way then road bike and mountain bike via a much longer route, but one which was probably a little quicker and very much easier on tired legs. Three teams chose not to do Suaineabhal at all, preferring to take a time penalty, but with a big road bike and another run to follow on the way back to Stornoway it was probably a wise move to save a bit of energy for the evening Ceilidh and prizegiving.

While the teams were in the hills their paddlers enjoyed a group paddle around some lovely islands to the south west of Great Bernera having decided with the sea safety officer to abandon racing due to the strengthening wind. Once reunited with their teams though their day was not over, as the ride back included a compulsory road bike time trial for the teams’ main paddlers, who were also required to take part in a final team run into Stornoway.

First across the line for the day were the overall winners 2x2 consisting of John Houlihan, Paul Currant, Brendan Bolland, Heather Dawe and paddler James Block with Brendan Bolland being pushed the last kilometre on a micro scooter by the rest of his team (their choice – not an integral part of the course, but of course in the Heb teams are often allowed to choose their own mode of transport).

In the solo race it was still neck and neck between brothers Mark and Pat Blythe with Mark just holding onto a slender lead to finish the day 3 minutes ahead overall after 37 hours of competition. Joe Faulkner continued to move along at a respectable pace a little behind the other two but looking very comfortable.

At the evening prizegiving, the winners of the time trial sections were also revealed:

Mountain Running: Brendan Bolland – 2x2
MTB: Kenny Riddle – Wild Outdoors
Road Bike: Paul Currant – 2x2

James Block of 2x2 was the fastest overall in the paddle and Ade Pottinger of the Hitchhikers was the fastest swimmer.




The final times with points adjustments included were:

Team Day 5 Time

2x2 50:00
Wild Outdoors 52:19
All Over the Place 57:57
Hitchhikers 65:49
Hebridean Hash House Harriers 72:22
Pyro and the Vets 73:29
One.Tel 73:36
Friends of Ghengis 90:04

Solo

Patrick Blythe 37:00
Mark Blythe 37:04
Joe Faulkner 45:25

Full results should be posted on the Heb website soon at www.hebrideanchallenge.com

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