And Then It All Went Horribly Wrong

Steve Duffy, editor of our magazine partner On The Hill, was competing in the Adrenalin Rush, this is what happened when a river crossing went horribly wrong:

"75 hours into the race and we're on a particularly hideous bike push through a bog on the pathless shore of Loch Etive, when we come to yet another river crossing. We follow the trail worn by the dozen or so teams in front of us down to the bank only to be confronted by a raging, foaming torrent. Confused, we check up and down the river for a place to cross.There isn't one. We can see where the teams ahead of us have gone in and where they've come out, but unless they've all honed their race

'the constant rain has caused the river to flash flood'

skills to the point where they can walk on water we have no idea how they've crossed.Until it hits us; the constant rain has caused the river to flash flood.

"Anyway, to cut a long story short, I head out into the river holding one end of a throwbag while Steve Watkins holds the other. Once in the middle on an outcrop of boulders, I hold the line taut while Keith ferries the bikes over one at a time. Then Sue follows, and finally Steve comes across. As I get ready for round two, a log bounces down the section I'm about to cross. In cycling shoes. 'Scared' isn't the word.

"A few steps out and the current nearly knocks me off my feet, but afterwhat seems like hours of fighting my way over I finally reach the bank. Pulling the rope taut, I brace myself as Keith sets out, crabbed to the rope,carrying Steve's bike on his shoulder. Mid-way across the chest-deep current is just too strong and Keith shoots backward and under. Steve and I throw

'Steve screams let go of the bike over the roar of the river. Keith does just that'

ourselves onto the ground as his weight comes onto the rope and manage tohold him, but he can't regain his footing. Everything goes slow-mo as Steve screams 'Let go of the bike' over the roar of the river. Keith does just that, and Steve's beloved Rockhopper pinballs its way down to Loch Etive.

"Keith makes it across in a state of shock, but soon enough he's back in at a different point. Three hours and two badly damaged bikes later, we're all across. Finally the river drops and we can retrieve Steve's battered bike. Unfortunately, our maps are halfway across the Loch and we've still got along way to go 'til the next PC."

Note: this section of the course was closed just after we headed out as the organisers realised it had potential for disaster, and they re-routed teams direct to PC19 and gave em a 6 hour time penalty.

For regular adventure race news and features, see the new adventure racing section at the back of On The Hill magazine.