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X-Raid 2006

Posted on 22 Mar 2006 | 0 comments

My first ever adventure race…

Team Western Australia: Ian, Ian, Wil and me race for 36 hours in the south west of WA. This race is done with a team of 4, but only 3 people at a time are racing which means the 4th can have a rest.

We start the race with 2 kayak legs done by Ian, Ian and me. After that we continue on foot and the crazy Canadian gets some rest. After this leg it is my turn to rest when Ian, Ian and Wil continue on foot again with an abseil and some climbing half way at Willyabrup – I am sad I have to miss that bit as it looks awesome. It is hot and many teams suffer dehydration and exhaustion, especially on this leg.

After they arrive we have a short break to allow the guys to eat something before the crazy Canadian, Wil and I continue on the bikes. We arrive late so we don’t get much sleep, but we do find yummie hot chocolate when we arrive at the TA.

Early in the morning (it is still dark!) we get up for another paddle. This time on the river. We (Ian, Ian and I) are quite slow on this section which means we don’t have much time to get ready for the next hiking section along the Cape to Cape track and on the beach.

Ian, Wil and I set off for the walk and by pushing the pace a bit we manage to get to the next TA just in time and before everybody expects us! Ian is still pretty much asleep and we also seem to come in from a strange direction as nobody sees us come in until we are at the TA.

We have a quick transition and jump on the bikes – two more bike sections to the finish. The first one is my break and then we race it to the finish whilst Wil is resting. Again we only just make the cut-off, but we made it and that’s the most important bit. At the finish line it is just big smiles and one big high – we did it!!

9 stages, 36 hours:

  • kayak – 30km
  • run, abseil and climb – 71km
  • mountainbike – 145km
    Ian packing and organising

    Ian packing and organising

    HQ in Margaret River

    HQ in Margaret River

    signing our lives away

    signing our lives away

    gear check

    gear check

    competency check

    competency check

    checking out the kayak for the first time

    checking out the kayak for the first time

    team photo

    team photo

    very early start

    very early start

    getting read for the start

    getting read for the start

    film crew is ready, are we?

    film crew is ready, are we?

    the actual start line

    the actual start line

    ans we're off!

    and we’re off!

    at least we can paddle in a straight line...

    at least we can paddle in a straight line…

    looking good on the paddle

    looking good on the paddle

    running to the CP

    running to the CP

    CP was at the flags

    CP was at the flags

    punching out I think

    punching out I think

    and we're off again

    and we’re off again

    next section

    next section

    we are lucky with the weather

    we are lucky with the weather

    coming in at the end of the first leg, end of the paddle

    coming in at the end of the first leg, end of the paddle

    not so gracious this time :-)

    not so gracious this time 🙂

    TA, getting ready for the run

    TA, getting ready for the run

    Simon helping out to patch our boat

    Simon helping out to patch our boat

    we're off on our run

    we’re off on our run

    lots of sandy beach running

    lots of sandy beach running

    coming in at the end of the rn

    coming in at the end of the rn

    shady place to rehydrate

    shady place to re-hydrate

    Sean and Sophie

    Sean and Sophie

    looking at the maps

    looking at the maps

    it was a long run, very hot

    it was a long run, very hot

    with some abseiling

    with some abseiling

    and climbing

    and climbing

    beautiful coastline

    beautiful coastline

    Ian on his break, getting some food in, I think this was at the start of the mtb into the night

    Ian on his break, getting some food in, I think this was at the start of the mtb into the night

    off on another paddle early the next day

    off on another paddle early the next day

    and finishing another paddle

    and finishing another paddle

    another TA

    another TA

    Jude ready for her last ride

    Jude ready for her last ride

    last mtb to the finish

    last mtb to the finish

    finish is at HQ

    finish is at HQ

    we did it!!

    we did it!!

    YEAH!

    YEAH!

    team photo

    team photo

    4 very happy people there!

    4 very happy people there!

    team plus support crew!!

    team plus support crew!!

 

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