Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge 2008

This year in the lead up to the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge we weren’t even sure until quite late if we were even going to be able to get back to try and defend our title. Luckily about 6 weeks out from the event we managed to secure some great support from The Tourism development and Investment company in Abu Dhabi who supported us through one of their latest ventures – Desert Islands.

The problem we now had was we had a sponsor but Aaron had accepted an offer to race with team Lundhags and Gordon had decided to form his own team. After many phone calls and emails we finally managed to secure the services of Jarad Kholar – the Australian Multisport champion and Jay Henry, USA Mountain biker and member of Nike Beaver Creek. It meant we would have significantly different strengths to last year with kayaking sure to be one area we couldn’t expect to excel quite as much. What we were expecting was to be setting the pace on the bikes and hanging in there on foot so how it was going to be interesting for us to see how we fared in the overall.

The pre race formalities took place the day after we arrived and due to a large spend up at the pharmacy before we left got us through the obligatory medical kit – most of which we had no idea what it was for. Our only hiccup was a missing Climbing helmet which after some help from the local team we tracked one down in Dubai and luckily a friend was heading down later that day. We got through the check in with a borrowed helmet and that evening the new helmet arrived.

Prologue

This year there was a new start to the race with a short prologue close to the main downtown area. With a short MTB, onto a kayak leg around the adjacent island before landing on the island and a 10km run / orienteer before jumping back in the kayaks for a short sprint to the finish.

With transitions being critical in such a short event and a totally flat MTB to start we made the call to wear our running shoes on the bikes and to also wear our Lifejackets. We also secured our spray skirts on the kayaks so we could simply slide into them saving yet more time.

As we sped off from the start line we assumed our position near the front of the pack, luckily the lifejackets didn’t seem to impair us to badly and with some dodgy skills pack in the pack it was even some piece on mind to have the extra padding in the close proximity to the other riders. We put the hammer down heading for the transition and all made it through the narrow chute at the head of the field. It sounds like the narrow chute made for chaos a moment later as 35 other teams all tried to force their way through at the same time.

Into the kayaks and there were still plenty of teams close but as we slipped into our spray skirts and headed out of the harbour area we were suddenly aware we’d put a good gap on the chasing teams. Being in the lead necessitated a bit of navigation – not that it was particularly difficult but in the hype of the first portion of the race you never want to sacrificed any advantage you’ve gained and it did take a while longer to arrive at the first CP location than anticipated.  With that secured we were back in the kayaks before the second team had even landed. We kept the pressure on for the final portion of the kayak and arrived at the start of the run with a gap approaching a minute.

After a quick organise of the kayaks to expedite our exit from the island after the run we set about lowering our personal 10 K personal bests. With a precursor to the desert section, a mini sand dune our only real obstacle it wasn’t long before we’d completed the loop and were back in the boats heading for the finish.

At the finish we were elated and a little surprised to have carved out a 2 ½ minute lead from Gordon Walker’s new team, Wilsa Helly Hansen, La Fuma, Orion with Nike only just squeezing into the top 10 to show just how competitive the field was going to be this year.

That afternoon we were transferred by bus and Ferry to the Desert Islands – our sponsor and home to an incredible resort (no we didn’t get to stay there) and a wildlife sanctuary where we would begin the first major day of racing the next morning.

Day 1 and 2 – MTB and kayaking

Day 1 looked like it was a good chance for us to put some more valuable time between ourselves and most of the other teams that would be challenging for the overall race victory – provided there were some hills to break the pack up. The navigation in this race is mainly from Satellite images and GPS. The route ended up being well marked which meant no worrying about route choices – just head down and see how fast we could go. As soon as we turned off the main track we split from the main field along with Nike and together started t stretch away from the other teams. There were herds of tiny Arabian antelope and also much larger Oryx. Apparently there are giraffes and even cheetahs on there as well. We had just managed to get a small jump on Nike when Jarad’s map board containing our GPS fell off. Luckily with no navigation he was able to stuff it in his pack and soon we closed back in on Nike. The majority of the ride was on hard packed 4x4 trails but towards the end we struck sand. Even with low tyre pressure it was slow going and it was a relief to hit the harder trails once again and we hammered along trying to gain every second we could over the teams behind. By the final couple of kilometres we were maxed out in an 8 person pace line with everyone smashing themselves just to stay on. At the line there was nothing to separate the two teams and we’d managed to earn ourselves another 5 minutes over all the teams except Nike who now moved into second overall.

The afternoon kayak was abbreviated due to strong winds at one of the outer islands we were suppose to visit and so after an out and back course it was straight to a small island where we would be spending the night. The out and back course created some interesting choices. We all had to start with our kayak sails up and they had to remain up for at least the first 100 metres. The sails are quite awkward to take down while at sea and also it is slow so most people had reefed the sails so you could sail and paddle at the same time. The main decision was whether to take them down for the upwind leg and what benefit we’d get from them on the way to the island.

The start was a Le Mans style start and the usual chaos ensued as people struggled into their boats in close proximity to everyone else. Again we managed to get away reasonably unscathed and with the wind almost directly behind us we found the sails were actually quite beneficial and together with teams AROC and Sole we surfed our way down to the first CP.

Once we had collected the CP we decided to keep the masts up but reef the sails as we decided it was worth a punt on the sails in the following leg out to the island. It was immediately evident the wind was stronger than anticipated heading back up wind and about halfway back we noticed a pair of kayaks without their masts up approaching at high speed.

It was no surprise that it was Gordon’s Team NZ and luckily we were able to jump on their wash for the final few Km where we had to portage back to the open sea and head out to the finish of the day which was still 15km away.

The kayaks were extremely heavy and with about 100m to portage we decided on putting all 4 people on each boat which proved to be very effective and rather less frustrating than hauling them with 2 people. Sole who were still with us got away quickly where as Team NZ had a pretty slow exit from the beach and we had a good gap on them heading out. We unreefed the sails partially and started getting what seemed like a good push from the wind.

We were interested to see Sole heading much further off the wind to us and Team NZ headed much further up wind. We couldn’t see the island and it was a very small so it seemed a reasonable bet we wouldn’t see it until we were quite close. I was pretty happy that we were the middle course as I figured if I had made a mistake with the Navigation we would still be able to cover the other teams to our left and right without losing too much time. Our GPS was showing us on a direct course for the transition point though, so I was hoping I’d put the co-ordinates in correctly.

We seemed to be putting a bit of time into the other boats around us but near the end we saw a number of boats had their full complement of sails up and were gaining rapidly on us. We unreefed some more sail and seemed to be able to hold a similar speed although La Fuma had snuck through into the lead.

By the finish of the day we had managed to just hold on to second from AROC, there was a bit more time back to Team NZ whose decision to g o without sails had undoubtedly cost them time. The big surprise was the absence of Nike who lost more than 10 minutes. With the wind direction looking almost perfect for tomorrows stage Gordon and his crew decided on a bit of sailing practise while we decided it was time for some coffee and some dinner. It was a stunning little sandy atoll miles from the mainland and it was great to spend the afternoon relaxing in the sun and preparing the boats for the final 80 kilometres of kayaking the next day.

With the first 4 teams having to start 1 minute apart and the remainder of the boats after that we felt we were at a significant disadvantage with ourselves and the other leading boats essentially acting as the rabbits for the fleet to chase down. Mainly of concern was team NZ starting 2 minutes back they would definitely be the hardest team to contain over the remainder of the day.

We started in calm conditions but anticipating plenty of wind later kept the sails up and after an initial problem when one of my foot pegs decided to fall off its rail we were away and made up some good time on AROC who had passed us while we were fixing the foot peg and soon we also passed La Fuma who had started a minute in front of us. Team NZ mean while had caught us and obviously had no intention of letting us wash ride them as they went past like a couple of bullets. We kept in close proximity to AROC who are also great paddlers and we thought if we could be with them by the end of the day we’d be in pretty good shape.

Meanwhile Team NZ was pulling away at a rate of knots and things were starting to look like we would be looking at a substantial deficit by the end of the day. The first CP of the day was a good chance for us to get a fix on how much time we had lost so far and when we saw them exit the kayaks we started our watches. By the time we hit the beach almost 6 minutes had passed but for some reason they had yet to leave. A very quick plug in and we quickly swapped Jay and Elina between the boats to try and even out the speed a bit and we were off.

Still with AROC we noticed Team NZ had stopped paddling and we all passed them which was a real lift for the spirits given only 20 minutes ago we were looking at a 6 minute deficit. They seemed to sort whatever problem had occurred and before long were chasing us down. Not long after they caught us and not long after we split away on a slightly different heading.

Coming into the next CP we could see 3 different teams all converging on the CP from different angles. Team NZ led the way in just in front of AROC and we came in almost 10 minutes down. Wilsa had slowly passed us on a similar heading to what we’d been paddling and were now a good gauge for us to try and match. Our kayaking strength was now fading away with the fatigue. On feature we’d taken particular note on the satellite image was a huge sea wall that stretched several kilometres out into the sea and we took a bearing to sneak around the outside of it. We saw Team NZ and AROC heading much further in and it was a huge lift for us to see them turn and start heading out. We’d saved at least a couple of minutes with a direct line and now it was just a matter of burying ourselves to the end now only a few kilometres away.

We hit the beach almost equal with Wilsa and scrambled to plug in and stop our time for the day. With no read outs immediately available it was hard to know if we had snuck in before all of our lead had evaporated but I was hopeful and soon confirmation arrived that we’d kept the lead by just over 2 minutes.

After emptying the kayaks of gear and cleaning up we all loaded in to the buses and headed for the overnight camp at the start of the Desert Trekking stage in the Liwa desert.

Day 3 and 4 - Desert Trekking

After a good sleep and plenty to eat it was up early in preparation for the desert trek. This promised to be a tough stage with 120 kilometres of running and trekking through the sandy expanse of the Liwa desert – the largest sand desert in the world. We would be racing through the area know as Rub Al Kahli, translated meaning the empty quarter.

After last year’s issues with sand in the shoes and inadequate gaiters it looked as though everyone was properly sorted with a vast array of anti sand and sun gear. The biggest surprise was the fog which had enveloped the start and it was quite a pleasant temperature as we set off.

We had decided to try and race the section as a series of roughly 10km races and take rest at the end of each one. During the section we had 6 hours of mandatory stoppage time which we had to use before the final CP. It sounded as though there were plenty of different ideas on how to best use this and the different tactics could mean that the lead wouldn’t become apparent until the final section when all the rest time had been accounted for.

We set off at a good pace with a group of leading teams and with the fog it made the navigation almost like being in the dark. At the second CP where we were allowed to start taking our rest there was a little confusion as one of the punch control wasn’t working and several teams panicked and continued straight on. We decided it was worth the risk and once the chaos had subsided it became evident we’d made the right call with the Marshall manually recording our stoppage time.

Gordon’s team were obviously waiting for us to begin to avoid us leaving just behind and catching up to them. We were happy to do our own thing and so after stocking up on water and food we headed off. About halfway through the section we caught up the teams that had left almost 15 minutes in front of us proving how much of a disadvantage it was to be breaking trail. Soon after the sun came out the temperature soared. The pace was still incredibly high given the fact we still had over 90 kilometres to go and at the next CP where there was no water it seemed everyone was already running low on fluids and with 10km to the next CP in 30+ degrees it was going to be a struggle.

There still seemed to be a fair bit of cat and mouse being played over when everyone should leave and no teams wanting to hand the advantage to someone else. When we all seemed to be ready a gentleman’s agreement was reached and we all plugged out together. The next stage didn’t see a lot of action until the end when the tempo upped and the last 500m was a bit of sprint to the control. By now it was super hot and everyone lay in what little shade they could find. A few staff vehicles were there and the small shadow gave enormous comfort. One of our team was suffering quite a lot from the heat and having run out of fluid so we decided to take a bit more of an extended break to them to recover and also to have some more substantial food.

We decided an hour’s break would be a good amount and before that time Nike and Team NZ decided to move on regardless of our plans. We were more than happy to be out of sinc with them and with everyone feeling good once again we left about 20 minutes later.

Again we really pushed the pace and were travelling well until a couple of km’s before the next CP when again a member started suffering which brought about a bit of weight redistribution and some good team work to limit the losses. Even with the problems it seemed as though we had gone almost exactly the same speed as Nike and TNZ.

Now it was really hot and we had decided that we would set the tent and get maximum recovery and also avoid racing again until it started to cool down in the evening. We figured we would travel faster at night with less chance of heat related problems and also it would help us to conserve our water supplies. This tactic seemed to have become a popular one and as the afternoon dragged on we prepared ourselves for the final 50km of racing.

By the time we left we had used all but an hour of our compulsory rest time and with a relatively short section we pushed hard. With day turning to night halfway through the section it was noticeably easier without the heat and at the next stop we noticed how cold it was getting when we stopped.

With 4 sections left we made the call to join back in sinc with Nike and TNZ. With the pace still pretty high and with several members feeling the pace a bit we were content not to push the pace and just tried to move as efficiently as possible. The next few sections went by without any trouble and it was obvious that none of the other teams wanted to risk taking a different line to the other lead teams and that it was gearing up as a sprint over the final few kilometres. Chris Forne pretty much lead the way with TNZ, Wilsa, La Fuma and us all tucked in.

Once the lights of the transition came in to view a couple of kilometres away the hammer went down and we knew it was now a case of trying to limit the losses. Although everyone was hurting we helped each other through and at the line had lost just over a minute to TNZ to still miraculously hold a slender lead heading into the final day. It seemed as though TNZ could have made life a lot more difficult for us if they’d backed their navigation and put the pace on earlier. We felt like we’d got out of jail for the second time in as many stages. The final day shaped up as suiting us more on paper but at the end of 6 days of racing it often more to do with how much you’ve been able to hold in reserve and I knew we had emptied ourselves in both previous sections.

We’d arrived almost 4 hours faster than the organisation had anticipated with the leading 5 teams completing the 120 km in 15 hours + the 6 hours rest time.

We all collapsed at the finish line and slept in the sand until the sun came up before devouring a provided breakfast and then boarding buses for the final transfer to Al Ain and the Mountain section. Along the way the highlight was a stop off at a supermarket where we took the opportunity to stock up on food and more normal food.

With the rest of the day to relax we ate, slept and organised all our gear. By the time we had dinner and hit bed it was only 8pm and with the alarm set for 4:45 we were going to get almost 9 hours sleep too.

Day 5 MTB + Ropes and Mountain section

The first stage of the day was a 14 km MTB up the road to the summit of the Jebel Hafeet. Rising over 750 vertical metres this was probably our last chance to extend our lead on TNZ. With only 1 minute and 3 seconds separating us we knew this was quite possibly where we would win or lose the race.

We started off for a kilometre on the flat and we set tempo at the front. As we hit the climb we started to apply the pressure and we could see teams starting to split off the back. TNZ were hanging tough as were La Fuma and Nike. We were all putting everything into it and finally we started to create a split between ourselves and the other teams. I was keeping an eye on TNZ and a few minutes later I could see them slowly coming off the back of the Nike group. As we climbed the whole team was encouraging each other and we slowly clawed our way further and further away from the chasers.

As we reached the slightly flatter top section we dug even deeper and all of a sudden the gap seemed to balloon. Now with only a few kilometres to go every muscle was screaming with the exertion but we knew once reaching the top we’d have a 10 minute break in which to recover. As we plugged in and waited to see the damage we’d done to the other teams we were able to take in the incredible views for the first time. It certainly looked a long way from where we’d just come.

Nike came in just over a minute down, then La Fuma and then TNZ, 2 ½ minutes was the gap and now we had a small amount of breathing space. Still with more than 14 km of running it was a narrow margin and we couldn’t afford any mistakes.

Off on the run section and we kept pushing as hard as possible. We had about 4 km to the ropes and canyon section which were untimed so it was in effect another sprint. La Fuma and super runners Saab Salomon had both caught us but eh ropes but again we’d extended our lead over TNZ.

Being untimed we were able to take the ropes and canyon easy and we cruised down with Team Nike. It was a spectacular canyon with plenty of fixed rope to help us negotiate the different obstacles. When we exited the narrow canyon we were struck by the fierce heat of the sun. Now only it was the final 10 km of racing before a final bunch ride to the finish in the afternoon. Barring disaster whoever was leading at the finish of this section would go on to win the race. We headed off with Nike and took a slightly different line, emerging a minute in front at the next CP before we headed back up the slopes of the mountain before starting to traverse around the side and back to the finish area.

The run was really rough for the next portion with loads of loose rock and we had to balance haste with self preservation. We were now on the same course as last year but in reverse although I’d definitely forgotten how much climbing was involved. By the time we hit the flatter section and began the run out we were back with Nike and our teams pushed each other stride for stride all the way back to the finish of the section. Everyone was feeling the pace by the end and now it was just a matter of waiting for TNZ to come through to see how we had fared.

The canyon and ropes had separated teams hugely seeing as it was untimed everyone had a different plan. We decided to go and have some food and on our way back we saw TNZ heading off to do the same. When we finally saw the results and saw another small gain we were thrilled and knew we now just had to make it through the final ride unscathed and in touch and we’d be crowned champions of the Abu Dhabi race for a second year.

The final ride was chaos as usual but we were able to stay away from trouble. Gordon’s team suffered a puncture to make the difference at the finish seem more comfortable than it was. Over the 6 days we had some incredibly close racing with the top 5 teams all within 20 minutes of each other after 40 hours of racing. 

Huge thanks goes to the TDIC and Desert Islands for the support of our team and also my team mates who gave it everything throughout the week and hung tough through many hours of hard racing.  Also big thanks to Clark at Nike NZ for helping us with kit for the race.

This is a must do race if you want to see some incredible places and experience hard fast racing mixed with some quite epic sections. Hopefully we’ll get the opportunity to return next year to see if we can make it 3 in a row.

NZ Sponsors:

Subway NZ

R&R Sport, Kia Motors, Jamis Bikes, Nike, High 5, Tineli, Vittoria tyres, Lionel Padial – One Flow swim coaching, Epic Surf Skis Australia, Andrew Martin Kayaks NZ, Legend paddles, Osprey packs, Wildside travel, 2XU wetsuits