Distant Horizons

Team Number: 6

Race Position: 16

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Thrown together by the blind dating agency known as the Sleepmonsters forum, Team Distant Horizons greatest challenge may well be locating each other before the start, rather than completing the race.  With one team member based off-shore and the rest hailing from such far flung places as Dubai, Scotland, and Derby – team training sessions have just not been possible.
 
The team comprises of Chris Heppenstall, Darryl Chiles, Jayden Thrush, and Gill Watson.  For Chris, Darryl and Jayden, this will be their first time in an expedition style race, so they are hoping Gill’s wealth of experience will be able to see them through.
 
Chris has a strong background in Orienteering, and hailing from the Lake District, will hopefully provide the team with more of a “guided tour” than a navigational challenge.  He is also a keen mountain biker and has competed in a number of Open Adventure Races, Trailquests and the Cyclic Saga, which is the NZ equivalent of the Polaris, over past 3-4 years.  Chris is also a climber and is warming up for the race in the Alps, with the rest of the team hoping he makes it back in one piece.
 
Darryl is a strong runner, having completed the Comrades, Oner and 2 Oceans ultramarathons.  Darryl has been spending a lot of time on a road bike recently training for L’etape du Tour.  Based in Dubai, this has meant plenty of early morning starts to avoid the heat of the day, which will hopefully also provide good sleep deprivation training and has also used the summer months to get out on the water on his surfski. Darryl completed the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge last year. Before leaving for Dubai in 2007 he also took part in a number of uk based events.
 
Jayden is fairly new to adventure and endurance racing, having only started to compete over the last few years.  Previously he was more at home on the rugby field, but finding that rugby was becoming a little too hard on his body, he needed a new challenge.  Jayden has since taken part in a number of events including Ace Races, Polaris Challenge, LAMM and Ben Nevis Triathlon.  He also raced with Gill in the Edinburgh Rat Race last year.
 
Gill is by far the most experienced of the team.  She has always been involved in the outdoors since she was very young, and has competed in a number of high profile races in her career, with a string of good results.  She also won TV’s SAS Are You Tough Enough, so won’t have any trouble keeping the boys in check over the weekend.  Gill recently completed the Deloitte Ride Across Britain, with plenty of bike miles clocked the team hopes she has her tow rope ready.
 
The team has kindly been sponsored by Distant Horizons.  They are a company specializing in outdoor activities, journeys and expeditions.  Based in Ullswater they have a great selection of boats, and offer training on the water as well as on ropes, ideal preparation for the next challenge.
 
www.distant-horizons.co.uk