So… We’re having our last proper breakfast before we’re shipped into the Desert today.. We meet 1300hrs UK time today for all of the pre-race meetings and check-in etc.. Then we’re busses out to the back and beyond..

Anyway, after 1100hrs UK time, we’re taking no more entries into the prize pot, however you can continue to donate to Cancer Research UK…

Also follow our race blogs at www.4deserts.com/atacamacrossing look for Chris Laws or teamHSX to read the blog..

teamHSX on Atacama have spent the day exploring the town of San Pedro de Atacama today and getting to know where all the cafes are.. The town which sits at 2400metres within the driest desert on Earth also gets looked over by the snow capped Andes (check out the picture below)… Which is just cool..

The team also saw the finish line today as the race which starts 0800 Sunday morning finishes in the town square..

Also this afternoon, Emily has left the boys to join the other volunteers for her volunteer training, which starts tomorrow…

All in all, we’re all having a splendid time…

teamHSX on Atacama recieved emails today with details on the course…

It makes for interesting reading..

Distance of Each Stage
The approximate distances of each stage are detailed below.  There are checkpoints approximately every 10 kilometers / 6 miles along the course where volunteers and a medical doctor are stationed to give you water and support.  Each checkpoint also has a tent providing shade.
 
Stage 1 – 35.2 km / 21.9 miles
Stage 2 – 41.8 km / 26.0 miles
Stage 3 – 40.0 km / 24.9 miles
Stage 4 – 42.8 km / 26.6 miles
Stage 5 – 73.6 km / 45.7 miles
Stage 6 – 16.0 km / 9.9 miles

 
Terrain
The terrain is varied.  You can expect salt flats, sand dunes, loose rock and dirt, grassy plains, canyons and hard-packed dirt tracks.  There are also a few water crossings throughout the week.
 
Altitude
The course starts at its highest altitude.  Camp 1 is just over 3,000 meters / 10,000 feet.  Each Stage takes competitors to a lower level, with the week finishing in San Pedro de Atacama at 2,443 meters / 7,780 feet.
 
Climate
The climate of the Atacama Desert is hot and dry.  Course temperatures can reach higher than 40°C / 104°F (with lows of 5°C / 41°F at night).

Good luck to us…..

As mentioned yesterday, teamHSX on Atacama were on today’s news.

This link takes you to the main article :-

http://www.itv.com/meridian-west/ultimate-chile-challenge61727/

and this link is the small snippet on the lunch time bulletin :-

http://www.itv.com/meridian-west/afternoon-news39133/

Also, this evening we broke the £1,ooo mark for our Cancer research fundraising.. please help us get to £6,690… Thanks..

Today, teamHSX on Atacama were joined at Hengitsbury Head (Southbourne, Dorset) by Divya Kohli, ace reporter from Meridian News. She filmed a piece on us to be shown on the Meridian News tomorrow (Monday 17/1/2011) night on the main bulletin.

Divya, even said they are keen to join us on our Malaga training session and are even talking about joining us in Chile for the race….

teamHSX on Atacama then went on to complete a 25km training run along Bournemouth & Poole beaches and back…

Today was also great as we recieved our new team kit….. It felt great.. Thanks Russ and Simon Furlong for helping us with this..

Don’t forget now, with only about six weeks left until we fly out, it would be great if you bought a time slot and sponsored us… Go to the Atacama pages to find out more…. www.hsx.org.uk/Atacama

As with every year, HSX had their annual forum on the approach to Christmas and has been the tradition for the past three years, this year was also the Adventure Race.

Once again, the weather kept us on our toes. 2008 had rain and floods, 2009 had ice and cold and 2010 saw a fresh supply of snow dump on the Friday night..

Anyway, thanks to Chris Laws for putting it together and Alan for helping out the course out (especially the checkpoint in the middle of the pond)..

In first place this year we had Chris Slater & Ollie Robinson.. Well done to you two, you also get to organise next years..

Great news…

After a successful training run on Butser Hill last night teamHSX on Atacama (Rich Batstone, Chris Laws & Alan Braithwaite) who are running across the Atacama Desert in March 2011 and are trying to raise some cash for Cancer Research are pleased to announce that their pages are now open..

If you’d like to find out more and hopefully donate a bit of money please go to hsx.org.uk/atacama

Keep on running…

Now in it’s 2nd year, the eagerly anticipated HSX Winter Adventure Race gave 18 competitors the opportunity to lose all feeling in their feet. Sub zero temperatures and some sneaky control placements meant some runners learnt some route choice lessons the hard way, by ending up waste deep in freezing bogs. The route planner (me) also learnt something about remembering to tell everyone about moving controls to a different location. Still, everyone returned with smiles on their faces and there was even talk of a summer race (anyone want to volunter to set the route?)

With only 2 teams arriving withing the time limit of 3 hours and 2 points lost per minute late, the scores threw up some interesting results. Overall winners were Alan and Chris, having collected all 10 checkpoints but returning around 20 minutes late, finishing with an impressive score of ~160.

Full results will appear below (when I manage to make it through the snow to work, where the piece of paper with the scores is)

Open Class
1) Alan and Chris
2) Rich and Rich
3) Craig and Tom
4) To come
5) To come

Rookie
To come

Solo
To come

Triple
To come

Female
Charlotte and Hayley

What a year at the OMM it was. This year due to the rain and media storm last year, the organiser’s had moved the start away from the Event HQ, this added some time onto everybody’s day, but nothing too bad..

The Elan Valley, Builth Wells & Ian’s parents house were all great settings for The OMM. Having never been to the Elan valley before and having not experienced the legendary tussocks, I would go back again for a bimble..

Anyway…. Results.

Tim Clarke & James Fry came 40th in the Medium Score class….

Alan Braithwaite & Jon Hallam came 76th in the C Class…

Chris Laws & Dan Gray came 28th in the C Class…

Tom Percy & James Jones did not finish the C Class (we hope James’ knee is ok)…

Stu Rose & Terry Massey came 121st in the Short Score…

Neil Gregory & Andy Reed came 120th in the Short Score…

Ian Furlong & Selwyn Fisher came 11th in the B Class…

Well done to all and see you next year……