Edinburgh is set to be the venue for the UK's first ever
multi-discipline urban adventure race this summer when the nicely
named 'Rat Race' hits its ever so genteel streeets.
It's going to be a one-day event in July, held over an 80km urban
course taking in cycling, running, hiking, paddling, rope travel and
some 'special urban challenges', it says here. There'll be places for
100 teams composed of three people each and the event will form part
of the British Adventure Race Championships.
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Fancy dress optional...
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Although some of the top adventure racers in the UK and from
abroad will be competing, when we spoke to organiser Jim Mee, he
stressed that sections like the ropework are being kept deliberately
straightforward in order to make the event suitable for novices and
that he hopes to attract as many newcomers to adventure racing as
possible. So even if you've never raced before, don't be put off. Out hot
insider tip is that cycling will be a big part of the event, so get
out on those wheels now.
The course has been designed by top expedition-style adventure
race course designer Gary Thompsett who's been having a lot of fun
shaping the urban landscape into a challenging course.
'Imagine Edinburgh as a giant playground,' he
enthuses. 'The Capital of Scotland explored and embraced for sport,
like no other sport ever created in a city. As well as the incredible
built architecture, it has hills, cliffs, canals, sea and sand, and
we are going to use them all to create the funkiest weekend a
sportsman could ever have.'
The Practicalities
The Rat Race will take place on July 17/18th 2004,
with the 'Mean Streets' prologue the evening before. Entry to the
event is £60 per person, teams can be either single sex or mixed
and you need to be physically fit to take part. The Rat Race is part
of Edinburgh City Council's Future Sport programme of events in
2004.
Full details entry form available now from the
Rat Race web
site.
