04. August 2007
Team ACCELERATE In Winning Ways
Runners in the recent Powerbar 3Peaks Yacht Race, from team Accelerate, selected Brooks Adrenaline ASR and Cascadia to wear in the UK’s 3 highest peaks race, and win!
Nationally ranked Adventure Racing team, Team Accelerate once again provided the runners for this years Powerbar 3 Peaks Yacht Race. The event starts in Barmouth, Wales with the racing yacht sailing to Caernarfon where Keith Read (wearing Brooks Adrenaline ASR) and his fellow runner Adam Marcinowicz (in Cascadia) disembark and run to the summit of Snowdon and back, a distance just short of a Marathon. They then sail north to Whitehaven where Keith and Adam again leave the boat to cycle into the Lake District National Park before running to the summit of Scafell and then returning back to the boat. As if that wasn’t enough punishment the Team sail the west coast of Scotland to Fort William, so that the runners can enjoy a leisurely jog to top of Ben Nevis and back to the finish!
The organisation and planning starts early in the year with the Team Accelerate members meeting with their fellow crew members on board the racing Yacht, Vlad the Impaler. The Team of five consists of 3 sailors and the two runners from Accelerate. Jointly skippered by Greg Marsh and Ric Searle, with the navigation in the safe hands of Will Appleby; the runners are also involved in the sailing of Vlad which would normally be crewed by twice this number – it is no easy ride for anyone on board.
The race is non-stop and support crews are allowed, all be it in a minimal capacity of acting as feed stations and travelling with the competitors bikes.
Conditions were near perfect at the start of this years event and following a sailing battle to reach Caernarfon first, Vlad issued instructions for the runners to be back in four hours, despite the dark. 4 hours and 4 minutes later the two lads were first back and Vlad headed out towards the notorious Swellies, with a tide against them and little wind. So what do you do if you are making no headway and you have just run 3,500ft and 24 miles? Easy, you start to row a 21/2 ton racing yacht!
The extra effort paid off as Vlad avoided dangerous rocks, a head-tide and pushed hard to Whitehaven with a clear lead.
Making the last possible lock gate into harbour (with only centimetres to spare under the keel) the runners could take their time. Returning back to Vlad for breakfast, following a rough night on Scafell, the boat headed out into gail force conditions and rough sea conditions. The runners reported that ‘It was liking trying to sleep inside a washing machine’. At this point no other boat had reached Whitehaven and many had pulled into safe havens to avoid the deterioating conditions. Skipper, Greg Marsh said, ‘No one dared look over the harbour wall at Whitehaven, such were the reports we kept hearing!’.
Conditions improved and the only damage was a torn main sail (quickly repaired) and a couple of bruises. The final sail into Loch Linnie and the approach to Fort William was by comparison uneventful and relatively calm. Arriving at a little past 9pm, the night conditions were perfect for a night time run to the summit of Ben Nevis. At 1.20am, exactly 3 days, 9 hours and 20 minutes later Keith and Adam crossed the finish line with a winning margin of over 12 hours.
As the champaigne flowed, Keith said, “That was a real team effort and our previous experience and practice together ensured we took every chance possible to grab and then stay in the lead. When the main (sail) ripped, I thought for one moment that the race was over and our efforts would be for nothing. It was a good job that the skipper carries his sewing box with him at all times!”.
Further detail on Team Accelerate can be found by visiting www.accelerateuk.com
END. Release Date: Thursday, July 19, 2007
Embargo: None
Picture: Adam Marcinowicz and Keith Read, supported by Stuart Hale
Contacts for Questions: Stuart Hale E: stuart@accelerateuk.com T: 07973412495
Team Accelerate are one of the UK’s most renowned Adventure Racing Teams. Squad members will be involved in this years World Championships and in the two years since they were formed they have regularly appeared on Channel 4 and are no strangers to success.
Results Include:
2007 -
- Open 5: 1st Mixed pairs, Female pair and Male Solo
- Open 5 Series: Mixed Pairs, current leaders
- ACE Race 2 Day: 3rd Male Solo
- Open Adventure Series: Mixed Pairs, currently 2nd and 3rd place
2006 -
- Open 5: 1st Male Solo, Mixed Pairs and Female Pairs
- Ace Race 2 Day, Wales: 1st Mixed Team and Overall Winners. 1st Male Pairs
- Gael Force 12, W Ireland: Winners
- Rat Race Edinburgh: Mixed Teams 2nd, 3rd and 5th
- Rat Race Manchester: Winners
- 3 Peak Yacht Race: 2nd Place
Team Accelerate Partners: Make Innovation Happen, Accelerate, OMM Lightweight Designs, SKINS Compression Garments, High 5 Sports Nutrition and Vivid London Marketing and Communication.
Team Accelerate Suppliers: Mountain Hardwear, Polaris.
Accelerate are responsible for all Team Management including athlete selection and recruitment, team marketing and Partner procurement.
Accelerate is a unique business in that it brings the best Brands together to supply the Adventure Racing market place, ensuring customers benefit from a one stop store offering knowledge and practical experience.
Adventure Racing:
“Adventure Racing is the UK’s fastest growing adventure sport and one of the most challenging sports in the world. It brings together various disciplines such as orienteering, mountain biking, canoeing, climbing and open water swimming, forging them all into one test of human endurance as teams compete physically and mentally to complete the course. Teamwork, strategy, planning and stamina are all key requirements of this exhilarating sport”. (Organisers, Wilderness ARC, 2005).