Team Format
Hebridean Challenge - 'Team of Five'hill running, sea kayaking, road biking, mountain biking and swimming. |
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     This is the original Heb Challenge format and the UK's toughest Mountain Multi-sport Adventure Race. A relay format with the team covering all disciplines; running, MTB, cycling, swim, kayak. Not all team members need to do every discipline/stage. |
Hebridean Challenge - 'Pairs'hill running, sea kayaking, road biking, mountain biking and swimming. |
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Team of Two – covering all disciplines, (as above) in a self supporting relay. One of the pair needs to be sea kayak specialist, and ideally the other a swimmer; both will need to run, cycle, MTB... it’s a busy race experience. |
Hebridean Trio Challenge - HTChill running, road biking, mountain biking and swimming (no sea kayaking). |
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"three mates in a car"
This new non-kayaking class is the simplest and cheapest way to access The Heb, as it can be done using the average sized car with just two bikes. The logistics and slightly easier route choices and 'accessibility' is designed for Heb newcomers and those wanting a relatively easy/stress free adventure. It will also be an excellent way to 'suss' The Heb for future years. |
Three or Five Person Teams
Team composition varies greatly and part of the challenge of the event will be for each team to make decisions that play to its strengths.
Generally teams have one or two stronger hill runners who concentrate on that, with other team members doing a mix of biking and running. It is logistically possible for one team member to do all of the swimming, though with an extra person prepared to swim, teams have more options open to them.
Team of Five usually employ one specialist kayaker to do all of the kayaking sections, though there are usually a few teams who split the kayaking between two or more team members. For those teams that are unable to find a kayaker (or don't want to) choose the Hebridean Trio Challenge.
The more team members who can drive the team vehicle the better as this opens up more choice about how to deploy people.
Often teams are made up of groups of friends, but it is quite common for a core group of two or three to form a team and then advertise for others to come and join. In particular teams often need to find a paddler, which they usually do and often these scratch teams seem to have the most fun.
Pairs
Pairs will be completely self sufficient so no support crews are allowed; the partner not racing on the course must drive the team vehicle and be prepared to have food/drinks/equipment/clothing etc ready for the other member. Pairs will need their own vehicle, most suitable is probably an estate car/people carrier or small van.