Ace Races In Full Swing

A rapid reminder that the adventure race season is in full swing and, more specifically, that the popular Ace Races series is underway once more.

The most recent event - the third of the series - took place in mid-Wales over the weekend of 2/3 August with some 350 competitors running, riding and paddling through the blistering heat.

There was a notable performance from solo racer Marc Laithwaite on the 5 hour 30-minute mountain bike stage - rather than choose which checkpoints to bag, he simply collected them all, prompting series organiser Phil Humphreys to remark: 'He's ridden 50 miles and climbed twice the height of Ben Nevis, how hard do I have to make it!'

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Laithwaite went on to set the best score of the weekend. Otherwise the 90-minute night navigation running section proved a bit of a bugger with several teams getting lost and forfeiting all their points for the section. Among them were 'Quad Force' - see photo - a conglomeration of four sisters, who still managed to beat their hubbies and a friend competing in another team.

The final Ace Races round and series decider is in SW England on 18/19 October. For more information about Ace Races, see the web site.