Helly Hansen Adventure Challenge

Dubbed the "Weavers Down Autumn Assault" this was the third of four events which make up the Helly Hansen Adventure Challenge Series 2007 organised by TrailPlus for teams of three, and TCA(UK)'s first foray into the world of multi-sport, long the staple of TCA(NZ) activities. John had spotted an advert for the event and he, Al and Jon all hoped the rather steep entry fee of £125 a team would prove good value for money.

Having topped up with a high-carb breakfast John and Emma picked Al up at 07.45 on a cold, frosty morning for the short trip up the A3 to the Longmore Camp army base near Bordon; Emma had volunteered for marshaling duties and we were bound to arrive well before the start. Early arrival gave John and Al plenty of time to register the team, pick up the finalised itinerary, check out the transition area and discuss tactics as they waiting for Jon (who had a cross-country journey following a wedding in Gloucestershire) to arrive. We wondered what kind of state Jon would turn up in; whether he would have been able to avoid temptation at the reception the night before. With the ample car park steadily filling up Jon finally arrived at 09.00 a little tired but having only had a small glass of wine to toast the happy couple. Jon reassured the others that his breakfast of buffet leftovers: Pizza; quiche; sausage rolls; crisps and sandwiches, was what all the elite athletes were eating these days.

Pre-Event Fettling

Wrapped up against the cold we assembled our equipment in the frost then made our way to the transition area to set up our bikes, accessories and nutrition - finally assembling with the 750+ other competitors for the first leg of the challenge: The pre-event instructions had suggested that we would have (in no particular order) a 10km run, a 20km cycle, a 1 km kayak and some 'surprise challenges along the way'. We were issued with final instructions as we registered and considered the implications of the finalised itinerary: 3km run, 25km cycle (2 x 12.5km laps), 3km run, kayak, 3km run and an assault course. ASSAULT COURSE? We certainly hadn't bargained for that!

Team Titchfield Cycling Association, ready for anything
(Left to right: Al, Jon, John)

The horn sounded at 10.10 and we set off at a reasonable pace towards the back of the 'first wave'. There followed an uphill run on sandy terrain, though some woods and finally a descent back to the transition phase. It was incumbent on all teams to stay together for the full course of the event and the first run provided us with an early opportunity to get the hang of communicating in a pack of other athletes, pacing ourselves and generally sticking together. We were so confident towards the end of the stage that we even up-ed the pace a little, overtaking a few of our competitors on the downhill section.

Entering the transition we were amazed to see how many of the bikes already seemed to have disappeared. Nevertheless we took our time changing shoes, taking in fluids and gearing up for the mountain biking. It soon became clear that the field had not spread out as far as we thought; the early single-track sections of the route were clogged with competitors. Again we had to put some work in simply to stay together but we effectively started to work our way past natural obstacles and other competitors stranded in the mud. The course itself was a undulating track over variable, occasionally muddy terrain: The early sections of the course were sandy, heavily rutted and hard-going; the course then opened out onto the heath-land of Weavers Down and into the woods. On both laps we chose to take a break in a clearing at the top of the most punishing climb; it seemed that many of the other competitors chose to get their breath back here too and there was some friendly banter amongst the teams. There then followed a descent through the woods which made up approximately a quarter of the route and which was the most enjoyable section with steep drop-offs, jumps and perhaps more significantly a break from the unrelenting climb. As usual where Jon and John had pulled away up to the apex of the course, Al made up for his lack of progress on the way down. Clear of the other competitors, and with a mutual understanding of each others technique after hours in the saddle together on weekly rides, team TCA really came into it's own; the second lap seemed much easier desite a few minor gremlins in Al's front mech and we entered the transition together and relatively happy with our performance.

The TCA in their natural environment

Off the bikes and into running shoes once more; yet more sports drink and a welcome breather at the transition. We set off on the second run of the day bound for the kayaking event. While we did feel tired it was disconcerting just how much our legs were complaining about being made to run again. Our pace was limited as we left the transition and settled into a jog. All the training seemed in vain as we struggled to run at any sort of pace and were forced to walk up even the slightest incline. The run took us through a wooded section, over some heathland and then through the marshy bed of Woolmer Pond, often ankle deep in mud.

Like fish out of water

Eventually we reached the lake and listened to barked instructions relating to the next stage: Two out of three competitors were to paddle the kayak a third of the way round the lake while the other ran to the same point. The runner would then swap with one of his team members who would continue the run, returning back to the starting point while the others completed the lap of the lake (this longer run section suspiciously felt as if it had been cobbled together at the last minute to keep the third team member occupied!). Since John H was the only team member with any significant experience he was chosen as the only member of the team to stay in the Kayak for the course of the section; Jon P had demonstrated that he had the freshest legs and was up for the longer run; Al therefore pulled on a life jacket and set off on the shorter run to the rendezvous point while the others grabbed a two-man inflatable kayak. Al observed the other team's techniques as he waited for his by-now water-borne team mates: A pair had capsized their inflatable kayak and others were struggling to find their footing on the unstable fringes of the lake while swapping crew. When team 39 Kayak arrived Al hauled the bows ashore to help John disembark onto sound footing before he got in and pushed off. We had a sense of satisfaction with our change-over as we watched others get into a terrible mess with their's. Al and John's morale was further boosted as they steered their way through the numerous rudderless teams having trouble even paddling in the right direction. There were even some close encounters with more competitive teams, at one stage Al caught the rear crew member of another kayak in the face with his paddle... but stopped short of pulling his cutlass - avast me hearties!

John and Al completed the course, disembarked and hauled their inflatable kayak onto the shore where a scene of confusion and disarray greeted them: Other competitors with (and without) life jackets waiting for their team mates on the longer run, some setting off to meet them. John and Al waited a few minutes and finally saw Jon approaching them through the marsh. Having discarded our life jackets we jogged back out to the first rendezvous point and on towards the rather ambiguous point where Jon had had to run to on the longer leg. This section was treacherous under foot and made more difficult by competitors running in either direction. Still, we gained some sense of satisfaction that we had miraculously understood the instructions as we saw whole teams still in life jackets, or individuals who had misinterpreted the instructions in some way.

By now our legs were really complaining; stride lengths getting involuntarily shorter and shorter as we followed the track back to the transition on our final 3km run through Woolmer Forest. With no hydration since the bike stop our resources where running out and many others running along side us seemed in similar shape. We re-crossed the A3 and finally made it back where the elements of the 'assault course' were explained:

'Walk the Plank' entailed the three of us standing on two planks (one for left feet, one for right) with loops of rope for the toes of the persons at the front and rear. Teams had to walk on these like some bizarre snow shoes around a marked course. It took us a while to figure out the best technique but after much wailing and gnashing of teeth we could eventually give up the planks and jog to the 'Sack Race'. Here we were each required to put one leg in a single sack and navigate another short course. This we did without too much fuss before another short run to a more conventional element of an assault course; the Cargo Net, under which we had to crawl. This inevitably ended in a muddy puddle a few inches deep from where we had to tackle the final obstacle - the Slippery Wall. We watched as the team in front made a complete hash of this, their final stranded member struggling to grab the apex of the wall before sliding back into the mire from whence he came. Somehow, instinctively we knew what we had to do to end our ordeal - John and Al, with their low center of gravity conquered the leading edge of the wall, sitting astride the apex, before grasping Jon's hands as he reached up and helping him over, the perched pair finally descending. The applause from the crowd which greeted our efficiency was almost worth the effort! Crossing the finish line felt even better.

Teamwork proves the key to the 'slippery wall' obstacle

Finishing the event 91st out of 132 all-male teams (134th out of the total 219 teams) we had our official photograph taken and were presented with our 'goody bag' which contained all those things an exhausted athlete might require after 4 hours rigorous exercise: the obligatory t-shirt,a packet of pretzels, a Helly Hansen catalogue, numerous fliers advertising future TrailPlus events and a box of 10 Yorkshire Tea bags: "They're just on the sell!" exclaimed Jon. Fun though it was we were expecting better considering the comparatively high entry fee. Between us we had few minor gripes about the event: It could have a been better organised (an apparently hastily arranged 'wave' start, further delay to the start because registrations could not be processed quickly enough, hurried final instruction issued via megaphone before the start and incomprehensible instructions barked at us before the kayaking event); it could have been better marshaled; it could have had more water stops (it was incumbent on competitors to be self sufficient in terms of hydration 'as part of the challenge' but we felt this was a cop-out on such a long and grueling event). What did TrailPlus do with the all the money... teabags? I ask you! We wait in anticipation to see the inevitably exorbitant prices of the 'official' event photographs!

Thank God it's all over!

Typically the completion of such a strenuous event should leave competitors with a sense of achievement but we just felt worn out; it was difficult to benchmark our performance against other more standardised formats of event or anything else we had taken part in. While this event certainly provided a unique challenge we found it frustrating to have to complete such random exercises at the 'plank walk' and 'sack race', losing time we had tried hard to accumulate in the running and riding sections (and put weeks of training in to attain).

Nevertheless, back at the van we reflected that the real achievement was that our differing personalities complimented each other so well when team-work was required. We already have an ethos of sticking together, going at the slowest participant's pace for the benefit of collective enjoyment at the TCA, but our teamwork as such had never been tested. For this reason it was deemed a highly worthwhile and enjoyable exercise, worthy of a second attempt at a similar event in due course.

The camper van was a God-send - providing a place to get changed and allowing John (above, left) to whip-up a cup of tea to compliment the fresh cream scones and custard tarts he had bought in advance; now THERE'S organisation for you!

Area Map (Click to Enlarge):

(Posted by Al; Photos by Em)