Helly Hansen Series Race

This weekend sees the last in the HH series of races, they have been going since September, and we have posted some great results at them all in the mixed and all male class.  The races have been run on Cannock Chase, various army bases near London, and this weekend the race heads north to Grisdale Forest in the Lake District.

For the final race we are putting in an all male team, Nick is popping up from London, Clive is heading over from York, and I have the luxury of being able to only have a 30min journey to the start!  The weather is looking mixed, we have had weeks of great weather here in the Lakes, and typically just as we have an event, the weather turns.  But i think so far every HH race this season has been dry, so fingers crossed the trend continues.

To make a good weekend of the race, a number of us will be heading out kayaking on Saturday, something we rarely manage to together, more often than not we are out running and biking, so with the number of races this year that have some good paddling sections in them its great to get out for some good paddle training, and it leaves the legs fresh for Sundays race.

Bruce

Building on success

Team Helly Hansen Prunesco have enjoyed unprecedented success this year. A strong squad and brilliant support from our partners and British Adventure Racing friends have driven us to home successes, a WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WIN and consecutive wins in the Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race. We can still hardly believe it but it just goes to show that perseverance, fitness, skill development and the right team can do ANYTHING.

What’s on the cards next?
We all work and fit this around life, family and friends so for 2010 we’re looking at races which offer excitement, journey, competition and fun. Obviously defence of the World Championships in Spain features on the calendar. We’re looking at Sweden, New England and, of course, the Adidas Terrex, which takes place on home soil. We’ll be at many of the shorter races across the UK and will continue to race individually in orienteering, running, mountain biking and kayaking races…… Mark even mentioned a roller blading race to try and regain equal footing with the Scandinavians in this alien event!!

Race report on the Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race 2010

After such a short notice period for last years race, this year we decided in September to head back with the same team to defend our title.  We all thought we would never go back, but the draw of crossing Tierra Del Fuego was too much for all of us, not many people get the chance to go there, let alone race through the remotest parts.…

Read More

7 Days to go….

With only 7 days to go until the team leave the UK and head to Patagonia, Nicola comments on the 2009 and 2010 event..Click Here to read.

Helly Hansen Prunesco Prepare For WPER 2010…..

Team Helly Hansen Prunesco are heading off to their first big race of 2010. The same team of Nicola MacLeod, Mark Humphrey, Andy Wilson and Bruce Duncan are going back to Patagonia to take on the 2010 Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race.

This is a huge race, it is Chile’s bi centenary year, and as such Stjepan Pavicic, the racxe director, has planned a monster of a race, set to cross almost the whole of Tierra Del Fuego, and the Beagle Channel. (see a wee interview here with him Gearjunkie)

As defending champions and also current World Champions, there will be a fair amount of pressure on the team, but they are hoping to have a steady race, they know the conditions that will face them, and are hoping that it will be tough with poor weather, which will suit the British racers fine. ‘We are used to training in rubbish weather, we know how to cope with it, and to just get our heads down an get on with it’ said Mark Humphrey, out training in the snow, ice and now mud of the UK winter.

The team have been training hard over the last few months, running and biking in some pretty harsh conditions, as well as some good tough gym sessions, and with knowing more than 2 weeks in advance unlike last year, they should be more prepared.

Bruce has had an indoor kayak trainer set up in his barn, as the lakes have all been frozen. Mark has been out pushing his wee lad around as resistance training, Nicola has been altitude training, (well, skiing in the Alps at least), and Andy has been eating lots to ensure he has enough on his body to keep warm this time.

There are some good teams heading out this year, the full list and number of teams has not been released, but there are known to be teams from Finland, Switzerland, USA, Canada and 2 teams from the UK. Fast and Light, headed up by Simon Fisher has been onto Helly Hansen Prunesco for advice and tips on how to race, and they are keen to help each other out to ensure both teams finish, and finish well.

With only 12 days to go till the race starts, the team are rushing around trying to get all the kit from all our sponsors, and to make sure it all fits into our bags! We have had some great help from sponsors over the past year, and hope this year to be able to get them even more coverage.

I will try and post another update before we head off to Chile, but remember to keep tabs on us during the race from the race website
www.patagonianexpeditionrace.com

Team Helly Hansen Prunesco
www.teamhellyhansenuk.com

Also follow us on Twitter: @bikingbruce, @mark_humphrey, @teamhellyhansen

Photos From The 2009 Event….

First insight into the WPER 2010 course…

Back from a two-week scouting expedition to the wilds of Tierra del Fuego, Chile, Race Director Stjepan Pavicic, Ann Meidinger, and other members of the Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race team have completed the planning and layout for much of the 2010 course. This interview with Pavicic is a trip report and a sneak peek on some details of the upcoming race, which kicks off on February 9. Click Here for report

Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race 2010………

With the start of the New Year team Helly Hansen – Prunesco are already preparing for the first expedition race of the year….

It only feels like yesterday that the winning team of the 2009 WPER were discussing the feasibility of heading back to Chile to have another crack at this amazing wilderness race. Now with less than four weeks to the start behind the scenes the team members Mark, Nic, Andy and Bruce are starting to prepare.

The journey to Punta Arenas will entail three different flight connections and 15 hours of flying. When travelling to these far out destinations there are a number of challenges which must be faced, before the race has even begun. Packing the right kit will be essential, as although it is technically summer time, the conditions will be very wet and extremely cold especially at night. However with all airlines operating a very strict weight allowance for luggage you have to hope for a kind check in person to sneak those extra kilos through.

The email traffic between the team members and race organisation is gradually increasing to ensure that the team arrives with all the correct insurances and the specific equipment required for safe racing. Due to the wilderness location there will be no opportunity for buying extra gear if something is forgotten! They are also in close contact with the other team sponsors to ensure everything is despatched in time for packing.
With only 4 weeks remaining, the team members have been making good use of the current snow conditions in the UK, spending most of their time on their feet. Unfortunately the cold snap doesn’t help with the paddling, especially when your local training canal is completely frozen.

The team members are all very excited about returning to compete in another epic expedition race in a truly stunning country, and look forward to seeing the race organisation and other fellow competitors. Once again you can follow all the teams live during the event via the WPER website and follow our build up on Twitter with pre and post race photos and comments from the team.

The Helly Hansen boys win at Hawley

Fresh from World Championships victory Tom Gibbs, racing with Bruce Duncan and Paul Pickering (a kind, and fast, last minute replacement) managed to seize a win over VO2 in Hawley. Tom’s Portugal race had been strategic and lasted 6 days and 900km. Sunday’s was a marked route over about 2.5 hours including wet and technical mountain biking, wet and technical running and wet but not very technical kayaking. A different experience entirely! Read More

Nicola interviewed on Gearjunkie

Gearjunkie interview: looking back at the World Championships and forward to the Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race here!

MSN Video winning ARWC

Winning the World Champs video on MSN news, click here