Explore Sweden 2005           Newsletter 4

Explore Sweden Expedition Adventure Race
 

Hi Explore Sweden racers,

This will be the final newsletter that will be sent before the race. It’s not so many weeks left now and the race course is looking really amazing…

Flights arrival and departure

We need to have all teams’ arrival and departure times. Please hand them in to helena@exploresweden.se as soon as possible.

The aircraft that will fly to and from Örnsköldsvik will not be a big plane and you can have the problem to bring all the boxes with you, so we have arranged a special transport for the teams and it’s up to the team to decide if you want to use this extra service. 
This transport is for your luggage and will cost 80 Euro per person and then the transport will also go down to Stockholm after the race with the boxes. If you are interested in this service take contact with Helena and we will arrange so that you will meet up with the Explore Sweden crew at Stockholm Airport. This transport will take two boxes/bags from each person.

Via Ferrata set
For teams who don’t have Via Ferrata Set we can offer you sets for rent. The cost will be 25 Euro and then you will get them at the registration and your return them after the race. The Via Ferrata set is not including self-looking carabineers.

Please contact: helena@exploresweden.se if you are interested.

Schedule

Thu, May 12´05
All teams gather at the meeting point at Örnsköldsviks airport. Here all teams will go by buss and the first stop is at an outdoor shop where teams can by gas, and other things that are missing. Then the next stop will be at a Supermarket where all teams can buy the race food. Also have in mind that you probably need to buy food so you have after the race, because the food starts to serve again at the 19/5. There will be a store not far from the goal, but it’s a local store with limit groceries.

The arrival will be late evening/night at the race destination.

Fri, May 13 ´05

08.00-09.30                    Breakfast 

10.00-15.30                    Registration

12.00-14.00                    Lunch 

16.00-17.00                    Opening ceremony

18.00-19.00                    Dinner  

21.00                              Team captain meeting with race director, time for questions

22.00                              Accommodation 

Sat, May 14 ´05

08.00-09.30                    Breakfast

10.00                              Gear check-in

12.00                              RACE START

Sun, May 15 ´05               Race 

Mon, May 16 ´05              Race

Tue, May 17 ´05               Race 

Wed, May 18 ´05         

22.00                              Race course closes 

Thu, May 19 ´05

08.00-09.30                    Breakfast  

12.00-14.00                    Lunch  

18.00                              Dinner with Price ceremony, Closing party! 

Fri, May 20 ´05

08.00-09.30                    Breakfast

10.00                              Transport back to Örnsköldsvik 

15.00                              Örnsköldsviks Airport

Please note; Food will be served the whole day on the 13th and the morning of the 14th before the race, also the whole day on the 19th and the morning on the 20th.
When you arrive earlier to the finish you have to arrange your own food. But you will have a local store, with limited groceries, not far form the hotel. It will be open between 10.00 and 18.30.

Registration

The registration day will be Friday the 13/5 and will open 10.00 and last to 15.30. This will be a quite fast registration and we appreciate if teams will be prepared for this day so it will go smooth.
The maps and Roadbook will be handed out at 16.00.

These are the “stations” that you will pass during the registration;

- Registration
- Medical check
- Photo
- Gear Check
- Mountaineering/ropeworks
- Water safety

Insurance

All participants in the race are responsible for their own insurance. And at the registration it’s mandatory for all team-members to hand in a copy of their insurance.

Rules & Regulations

Rules and Regulations are updated, please take a look.

Final Disciplines

Snowshoeing/mountaineering/ ropeworks
Kayaking, down river

Mountainbike
Trekking
Cross skiing/mountaineering/ ropeworks
Orienteering
Kick bike
Kickspark
Bike & Run

Skis

You are only allowed to bring one pair of skis per person, to the meeting point at Örnsköldsvik airport and during the race.

Kickspark

In Sweden we call it a “kick”. A very fast way of transport on ice. Same technique as for Kickbike, except you are doing it on ice. Supplied by the organization.

Snow shovel

The rules say a snowshovel with out any modification to the original design and it have to be UIAA or CE approved. This equipment is for your safety.

We will not approve the “SnowClaw” or similar.

Ice Claws

This equipment is mandatory to wear around the neck on the kayak sections and during kickspark section.

Head torch

Last year we had the midnight sun. This year the race is earlier so count on 6 hours darkness during every night.

Kayaks

We will use Trapper Kayaks, special made for the Swedish Rangers.

Medical Check

Before the last mountaineering section, there will be a mandatory 5 hour medical check (instead of 4); an opportunity for the team to look after blisters, meet the medical staff, eat and sleep. It’s mandatory to rest and sleep in the big tent, supplied by the organization.

Ropeworks

The ropeworks is during the mountaineering sections. It will be steep climbs on snow, ice and rocks. You will attach the jumar to the rope and climb up with the ice axe in your other hand. You are not allowed to have any other gear in your hands; it has to be attached at the backpack.

The Via-ferrata is on wire; you always have to be secured with two points at the wire.

The extra carabineer and figure 8, is for your safety.

All routes close to the ropeworks and steep mountaineering parts will be marked with small flags. It’s mandatory to follow the flags.

The Race course

This year’s course will be the best we have ever made. We have used the terrain in the best of ways to create a natural and challenging course. We have done our best not to favor any specific discipline and the ropeworks are set up in the right places, in order to secure your travel in the mountains.

We have added Kickspark and Kickbike. Naturally these will not be for long sections but we are sure that you will enjoy them.

The kayaking section will be one of a kind. Beautiful rivers with narrow creeks, rapids in class 1-2 in the clearest icy waters. During some parts of the paddling sections, where the ice hasn’t melted, you have to transport your kayaks on land, using kayak wagons.

The navigation at the race will be challenging, with one orienteering section that will test even the best navigators and off course it’s always difficult to navigate in the mountains, especially in bad weather.

The race will have 3 mountaineering sections. The first one is 25km and will take the teams over two spectacular mountain ranges and during this section only snowshoes are allowed.

The other 2 mountaineering sections are at the end. The second one has changed a bit and will take you through the best downhill runs you ever made a mix of skiing, trekking and difficult navigation.

The third mountain section is the race highlight; a mountain range with great views, lots of ascending and descending and a mix between skis, bushwhacking, ropeworks and step mountaineering with crampons. The teams will follow steep ridges to superb downhill runs.

New Equipment

2 Kayak wagons per team, portage to stow in the hatch.

1 pair of extra warm finger gloves or mitts during cross skiing/mountaineering.

1 extra Beanie for cross skiing/mountaineering.

1 Drybag, during kayak section.

1 Ice axe, min 40 cm, during mountaineering sections.

1 Jumar, like Petzl Ascension
1 Lanyard, 60 cm. Factory sewn.

2 Trowbag per team. Minimum 20 meters.

1 Ice claws, during kayak and kickspark sections.

Final Equipment list

This equipment list is final.

All equipment must pass the inspection and be accepted at the registration.

All equipment you bring in to a section must be brought out.

It is not allowed to leave any equipment, trash or waste on the track, this leads to time penalty or disqualification.

The obligatory equipment must be shown at any time for the organization. For every missed equipment detail you will get 30 min penalty. The penalty time will be regulated at the end of the race, at a CP.

A team is allowed to have 4 boxes/bags, 4 bike hardcases and 1 ski bag.

Race suit

It is mandatory to always wear the bib vest on top.

Boxes/bags

4 boxes/bags per team. Max 182 liter per box/bag.

The organization will transport the boxes/bags.

Only 1 ski bag per team is allowed, including: 4 pair of skis, 4 pair of ski poles and skins.

Mandatory full time team equipment

- 1 Altimeter
- 2 Compasses
- 1 Cell phone, water proofed.
- 1 Whistle
- 1 Waterproof map holder, for maps and road book.
- 20 Matches, water proofed.
- 1 Red waterproof pen.

Note: GPS is forbidden.

First aid kit mandatory full time, per team

- 1 First aid pressure bandage.
- 8 Second Skin. Compeed.
- 60 cm x 2,5cm Adhesive tape.
- 1 Strobe light - White (no headlamp or bike lights) Mandatory 3km visibility. Recommended: "Princetontec Aqua strobe".

Mandatory full time personal equipment (if the Roadbook does not say otherwise)

- 1 Backpack min 25 litre , Recommended 40 litre. With attachment for skis, snowshoes, poles and iceaxe.
- 1 Beanie/Buff
- 1 Gloves, long fingers.
- 1 Long sleeves fleece top, minimum 200g.
- 1 Waterproof jacket (Gore-Tex type)
- 1 Waterproof pants (Gore-Tex type)
- 1 Head torch
- 1 Survival blanket

Mandatory equipment (on special sections)

Cross Skiing/Mountaineering team equipment

- 1 Tent, for 4 persons lying down with floor. Not just inner tent. Sup air is ok.
- 1 Stove with fuel.
- 1 Container of minimum 1 litre.
- 1 Avalanche probe of min 240cm length and more than 10mm in diameter (UIAA or CE).

Cross skiing/Mountaineering personal equipment

- 1 pair of Back Country ski boots.
- 1 pair of Skis with steel edges.
- 1 pair of Ski poles.
- 1 pair of Crampons. Covering the whole sole.
- 1 approved UIAA climbing helmet (biking helmet not accepted). Recommended: Petzl Meteor, Kong Scarab.
- 1 Snow shovel, without any modification to the original design (UIAA or CE).
- 1 Down jacket, minimum 400g. Synthetic fill power is ok. Down vest is ok, as long the weight is min. 400g.
- 1 Sleeping bag, water protected, minimum 500g.
- 1 Avalanche transceiver, attached directly on the body. Sending frequency 457 kHz (standard).
- 1 pair of extra warm finger gloves or mitts.
- 1 extra Beanie.
- 1 approved UIAA climbing harness
- 1 Descender/belay device, like ATC or figure 8.
- 2 Self locking carabineers. Unacceptable: screw carabineers.
- 1 Via-Ferrata set, including 2 self locking carabineer. Recommended Petzl Zyper-Y.
- 1 Iceaxe, min 40 cm
- 1 jumar, like Petzl Ascension
- 1 Lanyard, 60 cm. Factory sewn.

Note: 4 self-locking carabineers in total. Only one pair of skis per person is allowed. Extra poles and skins are allowed. You are recommended to bring the snowshoes during the cross skiing section, but not mandatory.

Snowshoeing/ Mountaineering personal equipment

- 1 pair of Snowshoes. Must be a series made snowshoe.
- 1 pair of Gore-tex shoes or boots.
- 1 pair of Gaiters.
- 1 pair of Crampons. Covering the whole sole.
- 1 approved UIAA climbing helmet (biking helmet not accepted). Recommended: Petzl Meteor, Kong Scarab.
- 1 Snowshovel with out any modification to the original design (UIAA or CE).
- 1 Down jacket, minimum 400g. Synthetic fill power is ok. Down vest is ok, as long the weight is min. 400g.
- 1 Avalanche transceiver, attached directly on the body. Sending frequency 457 kHz (standard).
- 1 approved UIAA climbing harness
- 1 Descender/belay device, like ATC or figure 8.
- 2 Self-locking carabineers. Unacceptable: screw carabineers.
- 1 Ice axe, min 40 cm
- 1 jumar, like Petzl Ascension
- 1 Lanyard, 60 cm. Factory sewn.

Note: You are not allowed to take skis with you on snowshoe section.

Mountainbike personal equipment

- 1 Mountain bike.
- 1 Helmet, Climbing helmet is ok.
- 1 Red light (mounted on the back of the bike).
- 1 Spare tube.
- 1 pair Bike shoes.
- 1-2 Bike tights.
- 1 Bike hardcase.

Mountainbike team equipment

- 4 Bike toolkits. (To put together and apart your bike).
- 2 Pumps per team.

The organization will transport the bikes and hardcases between the sections. The team must take apart and put together the bikes by themselves.

Besides the helmet, only the mountainbike gear listed above shall be inside the bike hardcase during transport. Food is not allowed in the bike hardcases.

Kayaking team equipment

- 2 Throwbags. Minimum 20 meters.
- 2 Kayak wagons per team, portage to stow in the hatch.

Kayaking personal equipment

- 1 Life jacket. Type 3. Inflatable life jackets are not acceptable.
- 1 Whistle attached to the life jacket.
- 1 Wetsuit. Long john, minimum 3mm.
- 1 Kayak paddle.
- 1 Ice claws.

Mandatory team equipment supplied by the organisation

- 2 Double kayaks, including 3 spray decks per kayak.
- 4 Kickbikes offroad
- 4 Kicksparks
- 1 set of Road book and map kit. The maps are on the scale of: 1:100.000 with vertical interval of 20 meters and 1:25.000.
- 4 Bib-vest to be worn at all times, even on top of the life-jackets.
- 4 Number plates on the bike bar.
- Number stickers to attach to boxes/bags, bike hardcases, ski bag and climbing helmet.

Please note: It's mandatory to wear the helmet during these sections:

Ropeworks, Mountaineering, Mountainbike, Kayaking, Kickbike and Bike & Run.

Sweden and Explore Sweden staff welcome you with open arms!

Explore Sweden is a member of the AR World Series.

Please visit the webpage at: www.exploresweden.se

Do not hesitate to ask questions. We hope to see you in Sweden in May!

Best regards,

Explore Sweden

info@exploresweden.se

EXPLORE SWEDEN                              ARWorldSeries

www.exploresweden.se                       www.arworldseries.com