News
Capital Capers
17 October 2008
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1. Race Director's Report
2. Results
3. Thank You's
4. SleepMonsters Report and Photos
5. Series Prize6. London Rat Race on Channel 4
7. Next year
1. Race Director's Report
Dear London Rat Racers, can I firstly say thank you for all taking part in the event. I have had so much great feedback and I saw so many happy faces over the weekend that it has been an easy decision to decide to plan the race again in 2009. I was really happy with how the event went and the weather was obviously marvellous too.
Mean Streets:
For 2008 we decided to include more checkpoints and challenges but in a smaller geographical area to encourage more route choice decisions, limit the amount of road running and allow competitors to visit more checkpoints and concentrate on having fun. I think the highlight for 
those that made it was the ‘Secrets’ (http://www.secrets-clubs.com/) table dancing club in Euston. From what I saw the competitors were really giving it all and shaking their booty in some style, not quite to the standard of the club girls who were demonstrating their moves but it made for great viewing. ‘Coach’ and the team at ‘The Real Fight Club’ (http://www.therealfightclub.co.uk/) in the City gave you all a good beasting and welcome you back anytime! Nick & Dane our Parkour Pro’s from Team Traceur (http://www.teamtraceur.com/) had you leaping over concrete and steel at the Southbank centre and just when you thought the race was over on the Sunday they were there again to finish you off in style. After forcing you to eat jellied eels last year from Tubby Issac’s I decided on a little sweet treat this year in the shape of a doughnut – not sure what we will do next year – but you will be eating something ! So from Sumo Suits to Sweeney Todds and Pole Dancing to Parkour, you ran, climbed, cycled, kayaked, kicked and punched your way around the Mean Streets of central London – it was hectic, hilarious and hard work but the Japanese tourists loved it!
Sunday Adventure:
The Sunday course was longer than last year and included a lot less roads – we went back to see some old friends at Twickenham Stadium and the Fullers Brewery but the inclusion of the British Waterways (http://www.britishwaterways.co.uk/) canal network really added to the event. The BMX track saw some phat air and it's worth checking out the photos on sleepmonsters (www.sleepmonsters.co.uk) – especially the ones of the tandem. The assault course and maze where only added a week before the event and I hope you all enjoyed it. The river crossing was a highlight for me and it took a lot of negotiations and paperwork to make it happen but it added a true adventure race feel to the event and I had to get you all a little wet ! The Indesit Moon washing machine, Parkour and the slippery wall finished you off and it was great to see so many happy (but tired) faces at the finish line. 216 teams started, 39 teams completed the full course and 3 people ended up having an unplanned dip in the canal – impressive stats!!
2. The ResultsWell done to Team Helly Hansen for kicking ass on the Mean Streets prologue and they were clear winners on the Saturday night. Team Cooper were the quickest team on Sunday but the overall winners with a combined time from Saturday and Sunday were Team Aberdeen Asset Management who overcame illness and injury to win. Team Helly Hansen put in a great performance all weekend however due to a rule infringement they incurred a penalty which meant they finished up 3rd overall with Team Cooper taking 2nd overall.
Adventure Class:
Mixed Team: Aberdeen Asset Management 8:26:17
All Male Team: Team Barry 9:01:36
All Female Team: ACN Ladies 11:31:12
Mean Streets:
Mixed Team: Kinky Dancers 03:18:50
All Male Team: Perse School C - OTT 03:15:19
All Female Team: Tough Girls 2008 03:34:20
3. Thank You's
Thanks again to all the marshals who helped out and the Detail Events team who work tirelessly to deliver these events. Thanks also to Visit London, The Met Police, The Mayors Office, The Royal Parks, British Waterways and all the London Boroughs that allow us to run, cycle, kayak and climb all over London.
Hope to see you all next year for more fun and adventure.
Nick Gracie
4. SleepMonsters Report and Photos
You can find the Mean Streets Report on Sleepmonsters website here and the full Adventure Race Report here. Photos from the race are available for sale here. There is also a London report and pictures featured on the Rat Race website here and here.
5. Series Prize
After a yearlong competition in the mainland UK Rat Races, Aberdeen Asset Management created an unassailable lead, and despite their untouchable position, still made an appearance and won the London Rat Race – such is the magnetism of a good competition!
Bruce Duncan, Iona Robertson and Nick Gracie will be going out to race in Melbourne for Team Aberdeen Asset Management, and this was their prize for a tremendous year of Rat Racing. They are a hugely experienced team and are aiming for a Great Britain victory against the Aussies.
Bruce is a current member of the British Mountain Bike Orienteering Team (and his brother is a world champion Orienteer). Iona Robertson is an ex GB triathelte and former British and World 20-24 age-group Duathlon Champion. Nick Gracie is one of the UK's most experienced adventure racers and has taken part in 3 Adventure Racing World Championships and been a member of the team that won the last 2 British Adventure Racing Championship Races.6. London Rat Race on Channel 4
The London event will be the star of a 30 minute feature on Channel 4 this autumn. You may have seen cameramen speeding around on motorbikes and indeed, the race is scheduled to air on Channel 4 at 7.30am on Saturday 22nd November on Channel 4. We’ll remind you nearer the time, too. There MAY BE a 4 minute highlights piece on Transworld Sport this Saturday on Channel 4 at 7.30 or 8am too, so keep your eyes peeled for that. The Transworld piece is not guaranteed to transmit, but the feature on 22nd November is a definite.
7. Next year
The Rat Race expands again: For 2009 we are promoting all existing Rat Races to 2 Day status. For the devoted, you all know that means double the action, and double the City experience. For those needing to know more already, the Saturday evening Mean Streets Prologue is a running and activities compendium and the Sunday event is a cycling dominated day with frequent forays into short runs and big action, and with more emphasis on those two elements, we are going to enable you to enter the Saturday OR the Sunday, OR of course, the whole weekend. We look forward to joining you next year, abseiling from a vast bridge, at some point - no doubt.
Dates and Venues will be confirmed soon, but look forward to these cities once again; Bristol, Birmingham, Brighton, Belfast, Edinburgh, Newcastle & Gateshead, Galway, and of course London. Until then, all eyes turn to our awesome quality outing in Melbourne.
Entries will open in early November for 09 events with a special Early Bird offer and we will send announcement of this to the Ratfans email list
Rat Race HQ
