Busy Times for Team Accelerate

25 AUG2011

A busy week lies ahead for all members of Team Accelerate, as both the young stage racers and more experienced expeditionary racers enter the fray of competition at the Coast 2 Coast and Raid in France events respectively.

Earlier in the year, Dan Halliday (winner of many Open 5 events and part of last year's Accelerate Team that completed and finished second at the Terrex XPD race) suggested that the younger generations at Team Accelerate would like to take part in relays or stage races. And so it was, Dan was named captain and preparations began for the 2011 Coast 2 Coast (an adventure race starting in St Bees Head and finishing in the spectacular Robin Hood's Bay).

Dan will be joined by his younger, speedier, brother Matt an upcoming orienteerer who represents Great Britain, and completing the racing trio is Maria Leijerstam, who in 2009 raced the Coast 2 Coast as a soloist and finished in second place! She has also raced abroad and brings experience and a cool head to the Team.

No team at the Coast 2 Coast is complete without its own support crew and crucially for the Team, 'support man' Alasdair Bruce is used to quick transitions and logistical challenges having raced on the World Scene with Accelerate.

Over the weekend, Team Accelerate will find themselves racing against Olympian Gold Medalist and now adventure racer, James Cracknell, who will be joining the race this year as a member of Team adidas TERREX.

And so to Team Accelerate's 'older' generation where Dave Spence will be leading Caz Bullard, Kev Honeysett and Stuart Walker into the unknown on French soil. This year's Raid in France will be a tough challenge with competitors requiring total self sufficiency as they are only allowed access to their kit boxes twice throughout the race.

The event theme has been described as 'Back to Nature' by organisers and will last around five days for the faster teams. Little else has been announced although disciplines will include everything you would expect from adventure racing.

The Team has plenty of experience between them and has been making good progress, last year Caz, Dave and Kev were second at the Terrex XPD race with Caz and Dave going on to finish third at Expedition Africa in May of this year.

For Stuart this will be only his second XPD style event having raced in Switzerland earlier this year for an Accelerate team that pulled out mid-race due to injury of another team member. He has however raced the Lakeland 100 finishing 8th, and is the current record holder for running unsupported across Hadrian's Wall.

All at Team Accelerate would like to thank the Team Partners, especially the additional support received from New Balance, High Five and SKINS.

Check out northernrunningguide.com next week to find out both teams fared.