Posts Tagged ‘Australia’

After months and months of wrangling in the US courts it’s not the barristers or the bickerings of the billionaires that is delaying the start of the first leg of the America’s Cup – no and you guessed it – it is the weather. The three race series was supposed to have started on Monday but there was no wind. It was then scheduled for Wednesday but there was too much wind and the waves were too big.

Alinghi V and USA 17 are in Valencia, Spain – ready and waiting to race – photo courtesy of George Johns – Alinghi

The racing is now scheduled to start tomorrow – weather permitting – and will consist of possibly 3 races – the third race only being necessary if both boats win one of the first legs.

The 33rd America’s Cup is a Deed of Gift Match to be decided over the three races across two course types. Races 1 and 3 will be contested over a simple upwind-downwind loop totalling 40 miles, whilst Race 2 will be 39 miles long and around an equilateral triangle course comprising a 13 mile beat and two 13 miles reaches.

Of course we know there are only two contestants – the defender Alinghi V is racing under the ‘colours’ of the Societe Nautique de Geneve and is financed by the billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli – the challenger is  USA 17 which is financed by Larry Ellison of Oracle fame and BMW under the ‘colours’ of the Golden Gate Yacht Club.

Both these men are very determined and the stories that swirl around about both protagonists if printed would no doubt land us with a summons to court – so litigious have they become. What we can say is that what we would rather see is a mutual consent event with teams from other countries such as New Zealand, Great Britain, Italy, France and Australia making entries.

As a Deed of Gift Match it has come down to two mega rich individuals who are behaving in a spoilt manner and we believe this is detracting from the charm of the sport’s oldest event.

Ernesto Bertarelli – photo courtesy of Ivo Rovira – Alinghi

Larry Ellison – photo courtesy of Bay Area Sports Guy

Of course the boats have been in Valencia for a while now and not surprisingly there have been some sharp lenses out on the water watching the action. Even if you disagree with the Deed of Gift Match format you will have to agree that the action is going to be very exciting – just imagine the jostling for position at the start line – the boats will hear a 6 minute warning before crossing the start line and then going hell for leather. All 90 feet of them attaining speeds in excess of 30 knots – wow it will be fun to watch.

All we can say is good luck to both teams, we hope there are no accidents and for goodness sake get on with the racing – at the end of the day it is only a sports event.

The action showing both boats in action comes from SailingNewsTV

Having written about the Seven Summits we had to do some digging and came across a group who call themselves Extreme World Challenges – www.extremeworldchallenges.com  and they are quite a cool bunch of guys.

Wanting to rush this off the press because we find their next extreme challenge to be just around the corner – indeed entries for this challenge close at the end of the month.

The challenge is known as the Yak Attack – sounds bizarre – but what is it? Well not surprisingly it is considered one of the toughest challenges you are ever likely to come across.

It takes place in Nepal which is where most people go if they are going to climb Mount Everest or walk in the breathtaking and and very thin atmosphere of the Himalayas. It is the hardest terrain on earth and in this event you will be challenged beyond anything you have ever done before.

It is not the distance – at only 420kms in distance most veteran mountain bikers would complete such a trail in a couple of days. No it is the altitude. Over the course of the 10 day challenge the trail rises in excess of 8,000 metres – yes you read that correctly – metres – in terms of feet that is more than 24,000 feet.

The actual highest point on the trail is a place called Thorong La which gains an altitude of 5,416 meters and as you can see in the photo below it can get a wee bitty chilly up there.

photos courtesy of www.yak-attack.co.uk

The race starts at the beginning of March and should you wish to enter this extreme challenge you must visit the website http://yak-attack.co.uk/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/ because the entries close at the end of December.

This race is not about winning – it is about the challenge and the camaraderie – it will cost you about $1,500 to enter. The Yak Attack as a non profit making event which aims to benefit Nepali athletes and the Annapurna region communities as a whole on a number of levels.

Since its conception in 2005, the guys at Extreme World Challenges have been working hard to devise a series of events that would appeal to a worldwide audience looking for a challenge that could test their physical condition in some of the world’s harshest and most exciting terrains.

For 2011 Extreme Challengs is planning an unsupported 6000km mountain bike crossing of Australia at its widest point, using as many desert trails as possible.

Starting from Byron Bay in Queensland and heading due west, the route will go through some of the most inhospitable deserts on earth, including the Simpson , Gibson and Victoria. It will also encompass a number of Austrlia’s most renown off road tracks including the infamous Gunbarrel Highway .  The approx 6000km traverse will eventually finish at Australia’s most westerly location, Steep Point, close to the tourist attraction of Monkey Mia.

Not doing things by half the challenge also aims to complete the trip without support, which will entail having to carry enough water and food for upto 4 days at a time and will mean having to extract water from wells and bore holes along the route. It is thought the entire journey could take up to 60 days.

Phew – exhausting just writing about it but for you mountain bikers there are plenty of challenges to meet – go get em.

The argument as to whether Mount Kosciusko should be included as one of the Seven Summits will go on forever. As we explained yesterday Kosciusko is the highest mountain on mainland Australia and it is for that reason that some include it as one of the Seven Summits. Perhaps the most noteworthy fact concerning Kosciusko is that when you get to the top you can sit on a throne??

It is not for us to start banging a drum about whether it should or should not be included as a Seven Summit- perhaps the easiest solution is to refer to Eight Summits! You make your own decision but either Puncak Jaya/Carstensz Pyramid or Kosciusko will be counted as one of the Seven Summits in terms of joining the very exclusive  7 Summits Club. What is for sure is that Kosciusko is a stroll in the park in comparison to Puncak Jaya/Carstensz Pyramid.

Mount Kosciusko is 2,228 metres, 7,310 feet – a stroll in the park?

Mt Kosciusko is part of the Great Dividing Range which straddles the state boundaries of Victoria and New South Wales and then forms a chain stretching north all the way into tropical far-north Queensland. Mount Kosciusko is located half-way (280 miles/450km from each) between Sydney and Melbourne in Southeastern Australia.

Routes

Like many of Australia’s highest peaks, Mount Kosciuszko is not particularly difficult to climb. There is a road to Charlotte Pass from where it’s an 8-kilometre (5 mi) walk up a path to the summit. Anybody with a modest level of fitness should be able to walk it.

The peak may also be approached from Threbo, which is a shorter 6.5 kilometres (4 mi), and should take about 1 hour 45 minutes to reach the summit. It’s not a difficult walk and is supported by a chairlift all-year round.

When to climb

Hiking/climbing can be done year round, although you can expect snow (sometimes heavy) from June through October. And although it is not the toughest of ‘climbs’ this is an area of outstanding natural beauty with panoramic views over the national park. The red tape is minimal, you will have to pay a national park entrance fee of about $20.

If you are climbing in the winter you would be well advised to carry a pair of skis to assist your descent and remember to dress appropriately – in winter it can get very cold. And should you get taken short, fear not, for at Rawson’s Pass, at an altitude of 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) there has been installed a WC – now that would be a throne with a view!

Thanks to rocky2762 for his video below which shows what Kosciuszko is like in the winter.

Those of you who have been following our series on the highest summits on each of the seven continents will realise we have now blogged on South America, North America, Antarctica, Europe, Africa and Asia – six continents which means there should only be one left – Australasia.

Here we have a dilemma for there are those who consider the summit should be the continental shelf of Oceania which includes Australia and New Guinea and then there are those who consider it should be on the political continent of Australia.

You therefore have two choices - you can climb either Puncak Jaya – also known as the Carstensz Pyramid, which is on New Guinea in the Indonesian province of Papua and at 4,892 metres, 16,050 feet is certainly a lot higher than Kosciuszko which is in Australia and at 2,228 metres, 7,310 feet, is the smaller option.

We shall present – for your complete satisfaction  - both – starting today with Puncak Jaya

Puncak Jaya – Carstensz Pyramid

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Not an easy mountain to summit – both from the issue of actually climbing it – some believe of the seven summits this is the greatest challenge and it is held to have the highest technical rating – but also from the issue of red tape. It is not the purpose of this blog to enter into the realms of politics but let us just say there are ongoing discussions on independence between the indigenous people of Papua and the Indonesians who rule the province. These occasionally spill over into violence or kidnappings, the consequence of which is for the Indonesian army to shut the place down. So even if you have succeeded in getting a permit to climb the mountain you would  find that it was worth zip.

Puncak Jayo/Carstensz Pyramid is a steep granite wall with sharp good climbable rock. Only a few hundred people have climbed Carstensz due to the political instability and the fact that it is hidden in dense jungle and be prepared to climb in snow, rain or sunshine with your gloves being torn by the sharp rock. The expedition will last from start to finish up to 3 weeks and will cost in the region of $25,000.

Red Tape

You need several permits from different places (ministries, army, police etc) to travel to the island in general and climbing the mountain specifically. Permits are very hard to get, best is to team up with an organised trip as it will cost you months, even years to organise it yourself and even then the permits may not be valid when you arrive.

The summit ridge of Puncak Jayo – photo courtesy of Harry Kikstra

When to climb

Puncak Jayo can be climbed all year round as it is very close to the equator. It does therefore rain more often than not and in a bad storm you might feel you are in a car wash. There are also frequent snow storms on the summit ridge.

Route

The standard route is up the north face and along the summit ridge, which is all hard rock surface. Depending on the ‘political’ situation at the time you travel your typical itinerary might look something like this:

Day 1 Arrive Manado International Airport / Transfer Hotel
Day 2 Official Procedure And rest day
Day 3 Flight to Nabire in West Papua or Irian Jaya / Transfer Hotel
Day 4 Official procedure and rest day
Day 5 Flight Day to Base Camp by helicopter
Days 6 – 10 Climbing Period
Day 11 Flight to Nabire and rest day
Day 12 Flight to Manado
Day 13 Spa and Farewell party
Day 14 Flight out

This could change quite radically so you must be aware of this potential. You may not be allowed to use helicopter transport to the mountain and if this is the case a 5 day trek through the jungle is required. You are warned!

In the video below from Carstenszpyramid you can see you are going to a very different place and you will get a very good idea of the technical challenge you will be faced with whilst on the mountain.

Now before you all start yelling understand that we are talking about fish – therefore the blue whale, a mammal, which is the largest animal on the planet, cannot, in this instance be considered a fish. We are of course talking about the whale shark – Rhincodon typus – which can grow up to 40 feet long and weigh over 20 tons and because it is a filter feeder, presenting no threat to divers, and an inefficient swimmer, being capable of an average speed of about 3mph, divers can get very close to the whale shark.

As can be seen in the photo above, in comparison with the diver they are very large and inspiring.

But first some stats – as a filter feeder it has a large mouth which can be up to 1.5 meters wide. It has five pairs of large gills and 2 small eyes at the front of its flat head. It has a pair of pectoral fins and two dorsal fins. It is mainly grey in colour with a white under belly and on its back and sides has whitish/yellowish spots which are individual to each whale shark.

They feed on algae, plankton and krill and other small creatures such as squid by sucking in water and then expelling it through the gills during which time the food substances are trapped on a sieve which is called the dermal denticles before being swallowed.

They can be found around the globe in the world’s tropical and temperate seas. It is believed that they are migratory which could be for reasons of food and/or breeding. So do your research but the main places to go to dive with these graceful creature are:

• Belize – Gladden Spit
• Western Australia – Ningaloo Reef
• Honduras – Utila
• Philippines –  Batangas, Donsol and Pasacao
• Mexico, Yucatan – Islas Holbox and Mujeres
• Indonesia – Ujong Kulon national park
• Madagascar – Nosy Be
• Mozambique – Tofo Reef
• Tanzania – off the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia
• Thailand – Koh Tao

This is by no means an exhaustive list but it should get you going. It should be noted that the whale shark is fished for commercial reasons but the Philippines, India and Taiwan have banned any commercial exploitation of the fish – well done them. The species is considered vulnerable by the IUCN(International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources).

Their behaviour towards humans who are diving or snorkelling with them can be almost playful but generally they just continue with the business of survival. To behold these giants in their natural environment is an experience that you could not forget – see in the video below from LiquidVDO what these divers experienced off  Koh Tao, Thailand and then start planning your next dive adventure – extreme or what?

We recently wrote about two endurance marathons -  Furnace Creek 508 and the  Simpson Desert mountain bike race – about which more later – and so thought we would do some research into the subject. These extreme events are gaining in popularity – does this suggest a rather macabre side to the human psyche?

Our own experience of marathons is on foot and we hated almost every yard of the actual run but when you finish, when you have bested your personal best, achieved your goal and maybe even raised a few bob for your local charity the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction is huge.

It must be the same for the marathon mountain bikers…….and having made some enquiries we have found some information on the north American endurance mountain bike races which we thought you would appreciate.

UCI

The world of mountain biking comes under the jurisdiction of the UCI – Union Cycliste Internationale (International Cycling Union) which is based in Switzerland. They run/manage all world championship events such as the recent UCI mountain bike and trials world championships that were held in Canberra, Australia. The UCI were established in 1900 but it was not until 2004 that the UCI held marathon mountain bike championships. The 2009 event was held in Austria with Roel Paulissen from Belgium winning the men’s event and Sabine Spitz  from Germany winning the women’s event.

Non-UCI events routinely cover much longer distances. The typical event in the USA is either based on time, usually 6, 12 or 24 hours, or distance, the most common being 100 miles (161 km) Events based on hours typically allow either people to compete individually or as part of the team. Distances events are almost all solo events. The number of these events and those taking part in them have grown greatly. The first such events began to be held routinely in the early 1990s Typical each year there were less than 10 events each with less than 50 racers. In 2006 nearly 100 events were held and most had more than 150 racers.

It is these non UCI events that we will report on today.

Montezuma’s Revenge is a 24 hour endurance mountain bike wilderness race held in Colorado each August. Competitors are required to climb a 14,272-foot (4,350 m) mountain-Gray’s Peak. The course varies from year to year but is always extremely demanding. The winner is determined by who covers the most distance in the 24 hour period.

Wilderness 101 Mountain Bicycle Race is a 101 mile (162 km) race held annually in late July. The race starts and ends in Coburn, Pennsylvania. The course is a single loop covering roads, forest roads and trails. The total climbing in the race is approximately 10,000 feet (3050 meters.)

Chupacabras is a 100 km race in Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico.  The annual race has taken place every October since 1997. It is sponsored entirely by the private sector and draws hundreds of competitors each year, primarily from Mexico and the southern US.

Leadville Trail 100 MTB is one of the oldest of a growing number of 100-mile (160 km) races. It was first run in 1994 and has become one of the best known marathon events in mountain bike racing. Entry is by lottery, with entries due by the end of January each year for the race that is run the second Saturday in August.

Breackenridge 100 is an endurance mountain bike race held annually in mid July Breckenridge, Colorado. The race offers two distance classes, 100 miles (161 km) and 100 km (62.5 miles). No awards are presented to those doing the shorter version, it simply offers easier alternative for those riders not ready to take race the full 100 miles.

Mohican MTB 100 is an endurance race of 100 miles (161 km) held annually in early June in North Central Ohio. The course contains over 11,000 feet of climbing on singletrack, doubletrack and dirt roads. This course is very scenic, almost entirely tree covered and more than 90% on dirt. This course is only one lap and is almost entirely in the 5,000 acre (20 km²) Mohican State Park.

Lumberjack 100 is an endurance race held in June at Michigan’s Big M Cross Country Ski and Mountain Bike Trail in the Manistee National Forest.  The race course consists of four 25 mile laps in the Udell Hills area.  The course contains over 8,000 feet of climbing and is 99% singletrack. Due to venue limitations, only 250 racers are allowed to participate.

Shenandoah 100 is a 100 mile (162 km) endurance race held annually on the Sunday during Labour Day weekend. The race course start and finish points are near Stokesville, Virginia and is mostly contained in the George Washington National Forest and has nearly 12,500 feet of vertical climbing over the 100 miles.

Endurance 100 is an endurance race of 100 miles (162 kms) held annually in late August in Utah.

So there you have a brief compendium of the main endurance marathons held in the US – we hope you will get yourselves motivated to take on this challenge – get yourself fit and then glow in the aftermath personal satisfaction and achievement. Below is some action from Utah in the video from BrianHeadInsiders

We promised to update you on how the crazy guys are in the Simpson Desert classic – day 3 and its getting tougher – still one man with 100% – thanks to Sue George of www.cyclingnews.com for this extract.

‘Once again the Simpson Desert threw in a bag of tricks for the riders. A change from the normal race route has been necessary as the Warburton Crossing leading onto the Birdsville Track is impassable. Day three was diverted up the little used sand track, known as the K1 Line.

Good conditions were experienced for the first few hours of the stage. However, by around 10:00 am riders were pushing into a northerly headwind while slugging through soft sand. By 10:45 am, the wind blew up a massive dust storm that has continued through most of the day and evening.

Nevertheless, 13 riders completed the morning stage, including the one remaining 100% rider, Alan Keenleside from NSW. Keenleside was well supported throughout the day by 2008 winner Lynton Stretton, who despite suffering a knee injury, is doing everything possible to help him remain undefeated by the desert.’