Matt Cutts of Google Source: Flickr by Tony Young

As a bit of a tech geek I have known about this trek for a while, however to explain why Matt took on this challenge who better to explain than himself.

One thing I’ve noticed while hiking for practice is that you’re *always thinking about water*. How much do you need to carry? Do you have enough water to last until you can refill your bottles?

A lot of people take water for granted. You turn on the tap and there it is. But that’s not what it’s like for everyone. They have to think about water all the time. Walking miles to get it. Carrying it. Worrying how safe the water is.

45,000 people die each day from waterborne illnesses. When you give, 100% of all donations go directly to water projects, and each donation is marked using Google Earth when projects are complete.

Source: My Charity Water Donation Page

Can You Camp at the Summit?

Matt trained and climbed the summit together with two of his freinds. They then did something most people don’t do: they camped out the the crater at the top of Kilimanjaro. The crater is very close to the summit, so Matt actually was camping at 18,000+ ft! From what I gather he had plenty of thermals and lots of sunblock. But why does Matt tell us he did this?

… One big advantage is that you do the 6+ hour slog up to the summit during the day instead of starting at midnight. Hiking during the day is leagues better than at night, in my opinion. The other big advantage is that you get to explore the crater.

Source: Matt Cutts Blog

However, there are downsides to this approach too. Primarily the lack of oxygen, the human body isn’t designed to cope without oxygen and given it’s scarce nature at this altitude it’s easy to see why some people will just opt to leave the summit 20 minutes after getting there to start their descent. Some people at this height may suffer from Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS / Altitude Sickness), and a few people will suffer unfortunately from High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) or High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE). Of course AMS is generally summarised by most as a headache and being sick quite a lot, however it can get much worse. When it does, as Matt explains you end up on what some guides jokingly call the “Kilimanjaro Express.”

The Kilimanjaro Express Source: Flickr by Jolie Odell

Can Anyone Climb Kilimanjaro?

Matt is not an “athlete” by any means, last year he did a few triathlons and has been on some long hikes this year for stamina training … but like many readers of this blog, he is just an average guy who has been trying to get fit. Doing a triathlon for charity would probably be a hard enough target for anyone, but once it’s complete you look for your next target, for Matt this was Mt. Kilimanjaro. In his post Matt poses the ultimate question of if anybody can climb Kilimanjaro … it may come as a surprise to some but the answer is “yes”, and here at cheaptents we agree with him. In essence as long as you can build up your stamina anyone can take on the climb, which is actually more of a hike as there is no rock climbing involved, unless you manage to take some obscure route of course. As Matt says, the question is not can you but do you really want to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro?

If you are going to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro then you may want to consider some of the tips below.

A few tips in case you decide to go:
- I’ve read lots of Kilimanjaro books, and the best one to start with is the book by Henry Stedman.
- I never walk with hiking poles, so I almost didn’t bring poles. Trust me: you should bring hiking poles. I definitely recommend the FlickLock or thumb lock poles over the “twist to unlock” poles. These poles worked very well for me. I’d opt for black handles if you can, because the gray handles got pretty grubby-looking by the end of seven days.
- Get good hiking boots and wear them all over the place for a month or two.
- Take care of your lips with SPF 15 or SPF 30 lip balm or Chap Stick. I used regular Chap Stick, which is SPF 4, but the sun is much stronger at higher altitudes. My lips were pretty sunburnt by the end of the hike.
- We flew into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO, but sometimes written as KIA) from Amsterdam on KLM. But a lot of people flew into Dar Es Salaam (DAR) via Dubai on Emirates. The people we talked to said that the Emirates flights were very nice.
- You may hear the word “Mzungu.” Our guide told us that it means “guest,” but a more literal translation would be “white person.” As far as I could tell, people are saying it with affection though.
- Hike at your own pace–ideally a slow, steady pace that you can maintain for hours. It’s Kilimanjaro, not KilimaNascar.
- Throw in a safari at Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, or the Serengeti National Park. As long as you’re in Africa, why wouldn’t you want to see stuff like this?

Source: Matt Cutts Blog

We also advise you take a look at our camping advice and climbing/hiking advice, the better prepared you are for the climb (or any climb for that matter) the better the chances of success.

If you wish to donate you can do so here: Charity:Water. Remember whatever you donate gets doubled thanks to Google.

Finally, if you are making the climb Take Care of Yourself & Your Equipment, Good Luck.

If you’ve enjoyed this article you may be interested in the Run Across America Interview with Abe Clark. Earlier this year Abe ran unsupported all the way across the USA to raise awareness and money for Living Water International.

Stanage Edge is a popular place for climbing. Source: Flickr by Darren Copley.

• Derwent Edge
• Stanage Edge
• Burbage Edge North
• Burbage Edge South
• Froggatt
• Curbar
• Baslow Edge
• Gardoms
• Birchens

Since the event is being held in the Peak District, most of the terrain is rough moorland. There is about 900 metres of ascent for walkers, runners and climbers and about with 1600 metres of ascent and descent for mountain bikers.

Nine Edges Race 2010

The 2010 Nine Edges race will take place on 25th September and will be the fifth event to take place. There is an entrance fee of £20 and competitors are also encouraged to raise money for Edale Mountain Rescue. For entry forms visit www.nineedges.co.uk.

On the day walkers and climbers start first, any time between 7.30am and 9.00am. Mountain bikers are next to get going between 9.00am and 10.00am. Finally the runners start en masse at 10am.

The outdoor gear requirement for the nine edges race is as follows:

• Waterproof jacket & leg cover
• Hat & gloves
• Emergency Whistle
• Polythene survival bag (not a blanket) or emergency shelter
• Enough food and drink for the duration of the race
• Map and compass suitable for navigating the course

If you are hiking it is sensible to wear walking boots, however these are not listed as a requirement on the nine edges race website.

Nine Edges Endurance Race Prizes

This event is intended as a personal test of endurance, particularly for walkers, climbers and bikers. However the event is also a fell race and so prize winners (runners only) will be announced at the Robin Hood pub that afternoon.

There is also a prize for the person who raises the most sponsorship, plus everyone who raises more than £500 in sponsorship will receive one day of outdoor instruction (hiking, climbing, abseiling, navigation techniques – your choice!) in the Peak District from a qualified instructor for free.

If you do not fancy competing, the Edale Mountain Rescue team needs volunteers to help marshal the Nine Edges Endurance Race.

Burbage Edge is one of the Nine Edges. Source: Flickr by Darren Copley.

Good navigation is essential for the race, and you will be provided with detailed maps to follow. The race will include fell running, mountain biking, kayaking, orienteering and a few surprises taking you to those hidden gems. Attitude is everything, so be prepared for the unexpected!

Since this Adventure Race is being held in the Lake District there could well be some open water swimming.

The 2010 event will be held from 27th to 30th of August and will be part of the Adventure Racing World Series. That’s bank holiday weekend, so you’ll probably need your waterproofs! The cost to enter the event is £1485 per team of four, that’s just over £370 each. This does not include kayak hire. For those entering late, this price will increase by 10% on 1st July. The closing date is 1st August.

The Adidas Terrex Race is being organised by Open Adventure.

Open Adventure was set up by James Thurlow in 2004 in reaction to the lack of Adventure Racing in the North of England. Since then Open Adventure has grown each year attracting some of the best adventure racers across the world and support from the largest brands in Adventure sport.

The 2009 Adventure Racing World Series was won by a British team consisting of Nicola MacLeod, Tom Gibbs, Nick Gracie and Warren Bates.

If you would like some inspiration for getting into Adventure Racing a great place to start would be our interview with Ian Adamson, the World’s most successful Adventure Racer! Ian Adamson has won many endurance races and is six time adventure racing world champion. In the interview he tells us about his interest in outdoor sports, including kayaking, sailing and orienteering, as well as sharing some top tips on being a world class adventure racer.

Scotland Coast to Coast

Taking place on the 18th and 19th of September 2010, the Nokia Coast to Coast journey starts off on the North Sea, crossing Scotland along the sides of Loch Ness, Loch Oich and Loch Lochy before finishing up on the Isle of Glencoe and Ballachulish.

The starting point of the race is Nairn, north east of Inverness. The stages are as follows:

Imagine a route that traverses one of the most famous mountain landscapes in the world by bike, foot and boat; a journey that covers just over 100 miles, including a marathon-worth on foot; a journey that takes in some of the most iconic locations and amazing views in the Scottish Highlands: Loch Ness, the Great Glen, Ben Nevis and Glen Coe.

This is a challenge open to all adventurers. Some will come to win; some purely to finish; many just to take part. All will leave having enjoyed being active with friends in this spectacular setting. Nokia Coast to Coast is a truly defining journey through the mystery and lore of this ancient landscape.
THE CHALLENGE IS SET. CAN YOU CROSS SCOTLAND IN A WEEKEND?

Nokia Adventure Race Categories

There are three adventure racing categories, which are Challenger, Racer and Expert.

The Challenger event takes place over two days. It is for pairs or solos and aimed at anyone with a reasonable fitness level, whether or not they have previously taken part in an adventure race.

Racers must cover the 109 mile coast to coast route in a single day (13 hours to be precise!) For pairs or solos, Racers must be confident at on and off-road cycling and a tough runner, although no advanced skills in kayaking are required.

Experts must also complete the coast to coast course in one day. The Expert category is for solos only. It includes an extra dose of kayaking in Loch Ness and participants must be experienced kayakers. You will need to bring your own support team with a vehicle too.

Challengers and Racers must use the same bike for both on and off-road cycling events. Mountain bikes or hybrids are most suitable, but road bikes are not recommended. Experts can use more than one bike, but must also have their own kayak.

If you can’t make the Nokia Coast to Coast to Adventure Race, you could try the iROC race starting 28th May or the Lowe Alpine Mountain Marathon on 12/13th June 2010.

Adventure Racing Inspiration

Adventure racing requires a high level of fitness and good ability across a range of disciplines. Getting out and training for these events is essential. Having a goal to work towards definitely helps but if you are having trouble motivating yourself take a look at our mountain marathon training tips.

If our tips don’t help you could consult the world’s most successful adventure racer. For inspiration, advice and to find out what it takes to become a six times world champion adventure racer, have a read of our interview with Ian Adamson. As well as winning the Raid Gauloises, Primal Quest and Eco-Challenge adventure races, among others, Ian Adamson is also three times world champion endurance kayaker, paddling 262 miles in 24 hours!

Nokia Coast to Coast Adventure Race passes through Scotland's famous Loch Ness. Source Flickr by conner395.

British Waterways are currently requesting the help of the public for their 2010 survey:

We need your help. Between now and October, we’d like you to tell us what creatures you’ve seen on your local waterway, how many and where. Each sighting you record helps British Waterways’ ecologists to monitor, protect and conserve the amazing biodiversity found on our canals and rivers.

Taking Part in the Wildlife Survey is Easy!

Walkers using canal tow paths and trails by the river bank are in an ideal position to take part in the wildlife survey. Fortunately taking part is easy. All you need to do is make a note of when and where you have made a sighting and, what animal you have seen. It could be an insect, bird, mammal, fish, amphibian or reptile, all are included. To log your results simply go onto the British Waterways website where you can enter the information. Alternatively ring British Waterways on 01923 201120 if you would like them to send you a form.

The most common animals that are seen on our waterways are shown in the table below, however you could see an animal that is not listed here. To help with identification, British waterway have an excellent wildlife guide.

The Kingfisher is this year's star! Source: Flickr by Sheffield Tiger

Each year the British Waterways’ Wildlife Survey has a star species. This year it is the beautifully coloured kingfisher. Have you been lucky enough to see one whilst out walking? You can easily find out if anyone taking part in the survey has, using the interactive wildlife survey results page. Sightings of five animal types are shown on an on-line ordnance survey map. The animals types shown are the Bat, Dragonfly and Damselfy, Grass Snake, Kingfisher and Water Vole.

Waterways Provide Crucial Habitat

2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity. Globally we are losing many species of plants and animals. One of the reasons for this is due to habitat loss caused by human activities. Fortunately, Britain’s canals and rivers provide valuable habitats for thousands of animals and plants. By knowing the population of various species of animals in different locations, conservation programmes can be suitably designed and provide significantly better results. Wildlife surveys are a great way to find out this information, so when you’re out walking along the tow path or river bank, why not keep a look out for wildlife and take part in the survey!

The funds raised by the lecture will go towards subsidising young people on their Scottish and Alpine training courses. They provide a very worthwile service and thousands of students have benefited from their courses over the last thirty years. At only £10 per ticket it is a great opportunity to support the trust as well as getting to hear Sir Chris Bonington, one of Britains most sucessful mountaineers. For more details on the Jonathan Conville memorial trust and to find out how to buy tickets  for the event see below.

What is the Jonathan Conville Memorial Trust?

The family of Jonathan Conville established the Trust after he died on the Matterhorn 29th December 1979, aged 27. He was a sound, ambitious climber who had been to school at Marlborough College, spent some time in Australia, joined the Army (Paratroop Regiment) and taught at the Outward Bound School, Lock Eil. He identified strongly with the outdoors where he constantly found challenge. The Trust’s aims are to encourage and assist young people to train for and pursue their love of the outdoors in the spirit of adventure, which Jonathan embraced during his life.

The Trust encourages safe and enjoyable practice in mountaineering, by operating subsidised training for young people, operating Scottish Winter Courses based in the Cairngorms and Alpine Mountaineering Courses based in Chamonix.

Boundless Horizons – Sir Christian Bonington CBE – Ticket Details

When
Thursday 3 June 2010 7pm – 8.30pm
Bar open 6pm – 9.30pm

Where
The Royal Geographical Society
1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR

Price
Tickets £10 Admits ONE

How to Buy
Please send SAE with name/email/telephone contact details to:

Melissa Kay
C/o JCMT
Titchbourne Barn
Redlynch
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP5 2JX

Cheques made payable to Jonathan Conville Memorial Trust
Telephone 01794 884118

Isle of White Coastline. Source: Wikimedia Commons by Barbara Murdter.

The Island has over 500 miles of well-maintained and signposted footpaths around 30 miles of Heritage Coastline, while more than half of the Island is recognised as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Walks and Hikes

With three speeds of walk to choose from, gentle, moderate and brisk, and five difficulty level from easy to strenuous, the Isle of Wight Walking Festival something for everyone. Some of the walks are themed, for example the “Isle of Wight Ghost Experience”, “In the Footsteps of Thomas Rowlandson” and “Climate and Energy Walk”. There is plenty for nature lovers including “Red Squirrels in the Park” and “Dawn Chorus Magic”. If you like gardens then the “Glorious Garden” walk could be for you, it is a long but gentle walk through the lovely Parish of Shalfleet visiting some outstanding private gardens. If you are looking for romance there is the “Speed Dating Walk”, which boasts no less than three marriages of people who met on this walk in the past. For information about all of the walks visit the Isle of Wight walking festival website. They have a fun navigation bar depicting animated walkers and cute rabbits enjoying the Isle of Wight countryside.

Some of the walks are free whilst others require that you make a small charitable donation. In this way the Isle of Wight Walking Festival raises money for the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, which cares for over 800 patients facing life-threatening conditions every year.

The Isle of Wight is famous for its chalk cliffs. Source: © Copyright John Hardy and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

The Isle of Wight enjoys better than average UK weather. Considering that half the time I go walking in the Lake District it is raining and the cloud base is just above my tent, heading south to the Isle Wight sounds like a tempting idea. That said, its is always a good idea to take waterproofs when hiking anywhere in the UK!

The 12th Annual Isle of Wight Walking Festival will take place from the 8 – 23rd May 2010. However if you cannot make it then, there are still plenty of opportunities to get out your walking boots throughout the year. There are 14 trails on the Isle of Wight Walking Festival website that can be downloaded as PDFs. The trail guides contain detailed descriptions of the walk, a map and brief notes about interesting landmarks.

Interesting Facts about the Isle of Wight…

• It was an Independent kingdom briefly in the 15th century
• It has a rich maritime history: Cowes Week is the longest-running regular regatta in the world
• There are no grey squirrels and the red squirrel population is thriving
• The 1980s pop group Level 42 is from the Isle of Wight
• There are three breweries on the island
• One of the island’s largest events is the annual Garlic Festival
• The Isle of Wight is made up of a wide variety of different rock types
• There are two rivers called “Yar”, the Eastern and Western Yar.

There is undoubtedly something for everyone and it is hardly surprising that the Isle of Wight is often referred to as Britain in Miniature!

Ryde and Bembridge in the north east of the Isle of Wight. Source: Flickr by PhillipC.

Shanklin and surrounding countryside on the Isle of Wight. Source: Flickr by garryknight.

Ironman Triathlon Bolton

“Swim 2.4 miles! Bike 112 miles! Run 26.2 miles! Brag for the rest of your life” Ironman registered trademark.

Top athletes can compete the course in just over 8 hours, however to finish the race, participants must complete all three sections within 15 hours. All finishers are entitled to call themselves an Ironman!

The Ironman Triathlon Swimming Stage is 2.4 miles. Photo by: Bakke-Svensson/Ironman.

The Liverpool Triathlon is an Olympic distance event, that is a swim of 1.5km, bike ride of 40km and a run of 10km. I completed it in just over 2 hours and 33 minutes, putting me in the top 27% of competitors. Its a good background but I’ll need to step up a gear or two if I am to complete Ironman, which is being held in Bolton on the 1st of August 2010. There will be a lot of training for me over the next 8 months, but by signing up for other events along the way I will be able to build up my stamina with no excuses for ducking out of the training.

What with the Christmas plus the snow and ice, my training volume has been lower than I would have liked. I’ve only been doing about 3 hours a week. I’ll need to be doing 8 or 9 hours a week if I’m to become an Ironman! My training will include running or cycling 13 miles to work. In addition to that I’ll be doing other personal challenges. For example, on my day off last Friday I rode 50 miles on the bike then ran a half marathon. This was quite a testing, but I got through it ok. Swimming is will be the toughest part of the challenge for me. The training is addictive so I should be able to keep it up.

The Lovell Telescope is a familiar landmark on the Cheshire plains. Source Flickr by cloudsoup.

Following on from the Jodrell Bank Sportive, is the Verenti Cheshire Cat Cyclosportive. This will take place on 28th of March and will be a slightly tougher challenge for me. This bike ride is going to be 100 miles long, 20 more than the Jodrell Bank Sportive. There will be a steep climb or two and plenty of undulating country lanes!

As well as keeping up with the Ironman training, I’ll be posting updates about my progress here on the CheapTents.com blog.

The winter sport of skibiking, or skibobbing as it is also known, has been around since the 1950′s. A skibike is quite literally a bike with skis instead of wheels. Most of the other normal features of a bike have also been removed, such as the pedals, chain and brakes. Skibikes tend to be ridden down hill only and let’s face it, only a wuss uses brakes! Skibikes do have suspension however!

The first skibike / skibob design was patented in 1892 by an American, Mr J. Stevens. It was not until the 1940′s, when a German and Austrian Engineers, Georg. Gfäller and Engelbert Brenter invented skibike type contraptions which were combined to form the basis for the modern skibike design.

A ski bike has no wheels, they have been replaced by skis! Source: Flickr by richardmasoner.

A Skibike rider wears normal ski wear. There is a lot of snow spray when skibiking, much more than for normal skiing, so ski wear with a high level of waterproofing is best. A skibike rider also has a short pair of foot skis to assist with their balance.

Skibike Racing and Events

Many Skibiking events take place in Europe, such as the World Cup and the World Championship. The races are similar to normal Alpine ski events and include Slalom, Giant Slalom, Parallel Slalom, Super-G and Downhill.

The Elite World Championships will be held in Kichberg, Austria, from 25th to 29th of January 2010. Later in the year the Senior and Junior World Championships will be taking place. They will be from 24th to 28th February, in Gaal, Austria.

UK Skibiking Team

The sport of skibiking is not well known in the UK, because of the small numbers involved and a lack of continuity, support and sponsorship. Despite this UK skibikers have performed well in international skibiking events. Nic Platt is the current British skibiking champion. Other current skibikers in the British team include Tim Platt, Harry Dearden, India Muirhead, Nic Jones and Kenny Campbell.

Senior members of the British team include former British Champion Denis Osbaldeston, Richard Platt, Darren Walker, Alistair Platt, Kevin Rochfort and Tom Rogers.

Other famous UK skibikers include Anne White (1988 Senior World Champion 1988, World slalom Champion 1989) and Tony Marsh (European Champion 1982).

More Information about past and present British teams teams can be found at http://www.skibikeracing.co.uk.

Sit-Skiing for Rehabilitation

A variation of the skibike is the sit-ski. The sit has a chair mounted on main central ski. The skier is seated in the chair and then has hand held stabilising skis mounted on the end of poles. This is demonstrated in the YouTube video embedded below.

One charity support group which uses skibikes and sit-skis to help with rehabilitation of amputees is BLESMA, theBritish Limbless Ex Service Men’s Association.

[BLESMA] is the charity that directly supports all our service men and women who lose limbs, the use of limbs or eyes or the sight of an eye in the service of our country and we are with them all whenever we are needed for the rest of their lives.

BLESMA have helped to provide rehabilitation to service personnel through many different adventure activities. Ski Spectacular events are held in the at Breckenridge, Colorado, USA, by the Wounded Warrior Project and Disabled Sports USA. Members of BLESMA were given 6 days of tuition is given in snowboarding, mono skiing and three track skiing. Outdoor activities like sit-skiing help amputees to realise that there is life after amputation.

Entries Open for LAMM 2010

Entries are now open for the 2010 annual, two day mountain orienteering event, known as the LAMM: Lowe Alpine Mountain Marathon.

Held every year in Scotland since 1994, LAMM is a trail running and orienteering event for pairs, with overnight camping at a remote location. To ensure fair competition and add an air of mystery the location is always kept secret until the last minute!

LAMM 2010 is to be held on Saturday 12th to Sunday 13th June 2010. The cost is £80 per team. In addition you must have a Sports Ident card. To enter the 2010 LAMM event and buy a Sports Ident card, click here.

Martin Stone and all at the LAMM team recommend entering the mountain marathon as soon as possible to avoid disappointment:

We have another great area lined up in one of the classic mountain areas of the Scottish Highlands with a scattering of big hills. Our planner this year is Andy Spenceley, who planned the excellent routes at Inchnadamph 2006, Glenfinnan 2008 and was our controller at Kintail 2009. Competition for places in the LAMM is now very keen and the event is always oversubscribed.

To cater for differing abilities there are several different courses: Elite, A, B, C, D and score course.

• Score course – Saturday 7 hours, Sunday 6 hours
• Elite and A courses will be similar to previous events
• B course will be positioned mid-way between 2008 B & C courses
• C course will be positioned mid-way between 2008 C & D courses
• D course will be positioned mid-way between 2008 D & Novice courses, with less technical controls than the other courses.

The score course is limited to the number of hours shown above, and competitors choose which orienteering controls to collect.

Lowe Alpine Outdoor Gear

Unsurprisingly, the main sponsor of the LAMM event is outdoor gear manufacturer Lowe Alpine, whose gear highly regarded by adventure racers, hill and mountain runners and participants of many other outdoor sports. If you need any trail running gear, a rucksack, waterproofs, thermal wear or any other outdoor kit, it can be found at CheapTents.com!

Although the event takes place in June, event organisers warn competitors not to be complacent about the weather and how serious the Scottish Mountains can be. Taking enough trail running outdoor gear is vital, since the freezing level can be at between 800 and 1000 m, even in the summer. It can still snow!

Please bring a selection of heavier garments to the event so that you can choose appropriate clothing/tent before you start. Please don’t make the same mistakes as in 2004 and come to the LAMM with only Summer equipment.

Lowe Alpine Mountain Marathon 2009 – Kintail

The 2010 LAMM Mountain Marathon will follow a similar format to previous years events, with big mountains being the order of the day. The 2009 event took place in Kintail, starting at Morvich, Shiel Bridge, on the main A87 road between and Kyle of Lochalsh and Invergarry. The mountains known as the five sisters of Kintail are a famous landmark in the area. Those in the elite section had the pleasure of orienteering checkpoints at either end and either side of the five sisters!

The Lowe Alpine Mountain Marathon 2009 took place around the Five Sisters of Kintail. Source: Flickr by Graham Lewis (Grinner).

Around 1000 competitors took part in the mountain marathon, which took place in the mountains north of Glen Shiel. Many of the hills there are very steep with lots of rock, so there was more climbing than usual, however the courses were made a little shorter to compensate. There was even an orienteering checkpoint at the summit of a Munro.

The prize for the leading Elite team was more punishment: a free entry to the Swedish Bjorkliden Arctic Mountain Marathon (BAMM), inlcuding flights and accommodation. This was won by Andy Symonds and Jethro Lennox.