News
Brizzling with Action
23 June 2008
|
1. Race Director's Report
2. Results
3. SleepMonsters Report and Photos
4. Thank You's
5. Series Prize
6. The next Rat Race action - Brighton
1. Race Director’s report.
As the Bristol Rat Race draws to a close for 2008 it's time to think back on all the action, the pain, and those incredible challenges that give the race it's unique Bristol flavor.
For the Mean Streets this year the event had an Olympic theme (but with a twist, naturally) and a suitably nautical element appropriate to an ancient Port: Torches to chase (but hopefully not extinguish), rhythm gymnastics on the Clifton Downs, cycling (on Choppers), a freestyle swimming relay with optional nudity, "sailing" on upturned sailing dinghies (strung end to end right across the Floating Harbour), hurdles (carrying milk crates) and kayaking (but blindfold, or it would have been to easy).
More conventional challenges included the chance to abseil the Avon Gorge; a 40 metre rope traverse of Eastville Park Lake that resulted in all but five participants ending up in the drink, some pretty sore Parkour and the MOTI drinking challenge. There was a chance to overcome any natural tendencies to embarrassment by undergoing strict ballet drills (in tutu) right in St Georges place in the heart of the city or rhythm dancing up on the Downs.
Sleepmonsters/Inov-8 did a great job of tactical route planning, managing the complex mix of distance run, time spent on activities and the all important points to be gained there, clearing all but three checkpoints. Cute Celts and CamRacers both turned in impressive performances to put themselves in front of Aberdeen Asset Management now 22 minutes and 30 seconds behind the leaders.
Sunday was another beautiful day in the south-west, with the Event Crew catching a few precious minutes sleep in the event marquee before launching into another day of hard graft. For the racers it started with a quick tour of the harbourside and centre on foot, before launching into a satellite photo map and navigational challenge on the steep slopes of Brandon Hill. Soon back on their bikes Aberdeen were on a mission to make up for lost time, and put down the hammer through the intricate backstreets and cycle ways to reach the Bristol Bath cycle path, before descending into Snuff Mills park in order to ford the rocky but shallow bed of the River Frome. 
For the next challenge the course planners had teamed up with Bristol Orienteering Klub to offer orienteering on Purdown - a hilly area of mixed woods and grassland. As the event was being used immediately afterwards for a regular event, some of the Rat Racers were caught out by the existence of control flags that weren't on their map. The splitting up of teams confused some, with Sleepmonsters/Inov8 realising after getting to the finish of the orienteering that between them they had missed a checkpoint, so Chris McSweeney had to go back again on the course, losing precious minutes.
The pace was so hot through the cycle routes and quiet lanes of Bradley Stoke that the first team arrived at the next challenge 5 minutes before the marshals, and then set the fastest time for the first of two cycling time trial stages set by the planners. Next stop was the home of Bristol BMX club, and their awesome track in Patchway. Lots of thrills and a few spills here as teams completed the course in relay before heading west again past the Mall.
Waiting for them was the Mercedes-Benz dealership and the chance to try out a SMART Car, but (due to the devious mind of Chris Gazeley) from the 
end owners aren't likely to see - pushing from behind. Uphill of course. With an additional excursion up a nearby hill for the egg carry (teams weren't allowed to move their feet while holding the egg, requiring either a passing or (faster but more risky) throwing. At least one team got very close to the summit before having to return and try again with a fresh egg...
More orienteering at the mini limestone gorge of Blaise Castle Estate was to follow - but this was Extreme Orienteering. Jim Godden had placed his control points under bridges, inside a culvert and a cave, and in the middle of a weir. Plus one high up above Goram's Chair, the favored resting place of the local Giant Legend.
At this point the course hit the "Cross-Over" at the event village. After kayaking past Brunel's SS Great Britain teams were faced with the Indesit "Action Arena". Dwarfed by the giant Indesit "Moon" washing machine, teams had to complete four challenges: the FELT bikes skills test, the horizontal bungee, the climbing wall, and (last but not least) Extreme Waxing - two members of each team had to remove a significant portion of body hair using wax strips.
The finale of the race was the South Loop incorporating parts of the course used for the Bristol Bike Fest the week before, and the "City Limits" rope challenge at Bristol City Ground, Ashton Gate. The Rat Racers had to climb high into the Stadium roof before traversing a narrow metal beam, negotiating pillars as they went, and then abseiling back to the ground. After the Timberland Trail woodland singletrack and crossing the awesome Clifton suspension bridge at the end of the Avon Gorge racers descended the Clifton back streets back to the event village, and the final test of strength and team work - the Slippery Wall.
At the end of it all it was Sleepmonsters/Inov-8 who triumphed overall by 5 minutes, despite Aberdeen Asset Management setting the fastest time charge on Sunday. Many congratulations to all the Rat Racers who ran, biked kayaked, climbed and toughed it out to the finish line. The race planning team of Pete James, Jim Godden and Chris Gazeley hope you enjoyed the race, and the event organisers look forward to seeing you at your next Rat Race event - please feel free to let us know what you thought, as all feedback helps in planning next years event. We hope to see you all at another Rat Race soon; and certainly back in Bristol next year!
Pete James
Race Director
2. Results
Full results are available on the Rat Race website.
ADVENTURE CLASS
Mixed category
1st place – SleepMonsters/inov 8 - 08:27:04
2nd place - Aberdeen Asset Management 8:32:18
3rd place - TeamTeaCake.com 9:34:36
Male category
1st place - Team Airbus 9:52:45
Female category
1st place – gearsandtearsgirls 12:35:19
MEAN STREETS
Mixed category
1st place – ROAR - 04:03:00
Male category
1st place - Pain Management Unit and the new guy 03:31:30
Female category
1st place - Uncomfortably Energetic 05:03:18
3. SleepMonsters Report and Photos
There were several photographers at the event this weekend, and once again it is SleepMonsters that provides you with all the best reporting and the best indexed pics for your delectation. Go here for the event reports by Rob Howard and photo galleries and here to go direct to SleepMonsters PhotoSales.
There are reports for the Mean Streets Prologue and the Main Race Day, along with photo galleries for both days, and in the PhotoSales section thousands of photos organised by activity and time. You are bound to find yourself in there - especially on the slippery wall!
4. Thank You's
These lists can never be long enough, so we're keeping this one general. To all of those authorities, providers, venues and sponsors, race crew and marshals that have made this event a tremendous success - we thank you. And to you Rat Racers. For raising your game to get through Bristol Rat Race 2008. It was tough, and you were up to it. Everyone was in before the prize giving.
5. Series Prize
With full knowledge that there is a serious series prize at stake this year, SleepMonster/Inov-8 rose to the plate this event and clinched the victory, ahead of the Brum (Rat Race no.1-08) winners 
Aberdeen Asset Management.
In November, an Elite Team of Rats is going to another hemisphere to fly the Union Jack and for the ratification of our International Treaty. SM/Inov 8 have already booked their transport to Brighton. Have you? Series Prize Rules are here and remember, both the Nine 2 Five and Two Day formats count.
6. The next Rat Race action - Brighton
Brighton: Sea. Smiles. Rat Race. What more can we say? What are you waiting for? This City by the Sea is waiting for you and we are excitedly just dotting the 'i's and crossing the 't's on the course. It'll be memorable, sunny and possibly even wetter and dirtier than Bristol. See you soon.
Rat Race HQ
