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….
