Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Yes, i'm back, out of the gutter!
After days of introspection, deliberation, and of course down-right gut-spilling... the complete version of what can be considered our team's definiteive race experience has taken its final form.
From the Race Journal of Wilson Low:
Sabah prides itself as a prime holiday destination for eco-tourists and adventurous souls keen to visit its jungles, offshore islands, and mountains, but still it came as a bit of a surprise to find holidaymakers amongst the adventure racers of the SAC. Greg Hamilton and Clare McLennan thought that a grueling 3-day stage adventure race was as good a way as any to kick start their five-week backpacking holiday of North Borneo. Keen kayakers, hikers, cyclists, and all-round mountain athletes, they had signed up for the Extreme course of the SAC on the spot “just to see how it was like”, calling themselves Kiwi Holiday. In the true spirit of adventure racing and teamwork with no boundaries, other teams lent Greg and Clare first-aid kit spares and other compulsory items, while rented bikes and spare helmets were provided by Avtar’s crew.
Just as incredible was the case of UK married couple Andy Paritt and Ally Martin. We (Team Togoparts.com and support crew) had met them at the Senai Airport departure lounge en route to Kota Kinabalu. Yong Kim eagerly bantered with them, and told them about our upcoming competition in Sabah. On a whim of the moment, they decided to hang around to meet Tazman Lawrie – one of the co-organizers of the SAC - at the Kota Kinabalu airport to find out more about the race. Inevitably, the question was dropped: Would they like to do the SAC? Less than 12 hours later, Taz was sourcing for bikes and other mandatory gear for the intrepid husband and wife, both of whom had apparently completed a mountain marathon just the weekend before, and the New Zealand Ironman the weekend before that. They would now race the SAC as Cornwall Extreme, and like Kiwi Holiday, would rely on borrowed kit and safety equipment lent by other teams and the organizers. “I think we’ll go for Extreme.” Ally had smiled benignly during registration at Mesilau.
Sabah prides itself as a prime holiday destination for eco-tourists and adventurous souls keen to visit its jungles, offshore islands, and mountains, but still it came as a bit of a surprise to find holidaymakers amongst the adventure racers of the SAC. Greg Hamilton and Clare McLennan thought that a grueling 3-day stage adventure race was as good a way as any to kick start their five-week backpacking holiday of North Borneo. Keen kayakers, hikers, cyclists, and all-round mountain athletes, they had signed up for the Extreme course of the SAC on the spot “just to see how it was like”, calling themselves Kiwi Holiday. In the true spirit of adventure racing and teamwork with no boundaries, other teams lent Greg and Clare first-aid kit spares and other compulsory items, while rented bikes and spare helmets were provided by Avtar’s crew.
Just as incredible was the case of UK married couple Andy Paritt and Ally Martin. We (Team Togoparts.com and support crew) had met them at the Senai Airport departure lounge en route to Kota Kinabalu. Yong Kim eagerly bantered with them, and told them about our upcoming competition in Sabah. On a whim of the moment, they decided to hang around to meet Tazman Lawrie – one of the co-organizers of the SAC - at the Kota Kinabalu airport to find out more about the race. Inevitably, the question was dropped: Would they like to do the SAC? Less than 12 hours later, Taz was sourcing for bikes and other mandatory gear for the intrepid husband and wife, both of whom had apparently completed a mountain marathon just the weekend before, and the New Zealand Ironman the weekend before that. They would now race the SAC as Cornwall Extreme, and like Kiwi Holiday, would rely on borrowed kit and safety equipment lent by other teams and the organizers. “I think we’ll go for Extreme.” Ally had smiled benignly during registration at Mesilau.
But wait, there's more. Stay tuned for the next entry.
