An Cosantóir

30 | ADVENTURE T BY CAPT KENNETH O'ROURKE (2 E BDE HQ) PHOTOS BQMS CHRIS WARD & CPL WILLIE KENT perfect and that everything is just right for a great day's sport. This is exactly what met the 93 competi- tors who turned up on the morning of September 19th to compete in the 2012 DF Adventure Race in Lough Dan, Co Wicklow. The course was designed and laid out by 2 E Bde PTIs, CTIs and BTC staff. They were assisted with marshalling and logs support from units across 2 E Bde, including cooks, MPs, medics, outriders, signal- lers and work parties, as well as 27 Inf Bn kayakers and 2 Fd Eng Dive Group boat teams. The event involved four stages and here's nothing quite like turning up on match or race day to find that weather conditions are the competitors were let off in two waves, the first leaving at 0930hrs and the second at 1100hrs. The first stage was a challenging 6km run that climbed 200m up the eastern spur of Kanturk Mountain. However, this height was quickly lost again and the last 1,200m incorporated a fast descent to the Inchavore River and along its banks to Lough Dan. that was, depending on your level of experience, either a quick sprint or a slow slog over 2.5kms in two-seater, sit-on-top kayaks. The next transition was from kayak This was followed by a kayak stage to bike and into 20km of biking, with 300m of steep climbing and fast descents, taking competitors to An- namoe and Laragh. Few were still steady on their feet run' with gorse and brambles either side. As competitors re-entered the main transition area they had a 400m sprint, followed by a water obstacle and a scramble up and over a ship- ping container before the final dash to the finish line and a well earned race memento supplied by DFAA. The DF adventure race is classified after the cycle stage but there was more to come as the last stage con- sisted of an obstacle course and short hill run, with a few surprises along the way. The obstacle course started fairly as a multi-sport sprint event but has proven technical enough to push the seasoned racers while being acces- sible to the novice. This year's course was longer and easily in the marshes and streams along the shore of Lough Dan and included a commando bridge, wall tra- verses and tube obstacles. This led to the hill section, which was possibly the most difficult leg especially after 90 minutes of sustained effort. It involved a steep climb with 'spider web' rope obstacles and smaller boulder and log obstacles. At the top of the climb there was a flat section on forest track before turning down a steep 'rat An Cosantóir November 2012 www.dfmagazine.ie more challenging than last year and next year's event will have even more surprises for those up for the challenge. Adventure racing is a sport that is suitable for all levels of fitness and incorporates elements of strength, endurance and robustness which are directly transferable to military fitness. Special thanks goes to chief race RACE 2012 marshal, Cpl Colin Robinson, and the BPEO Capt Padraig Murphy, along with the gym staff from McKee Bks: Sgt Alan Hayles, Sgt Eddie Casey and Pte Ken Forrest.

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