Coleman Open Challenge Series 2008

We are proud to have Coleman Exponents as an Official Sponsor for our 2008 Series of Challenge & Adventure Events.

The Coleman Open Challenge Series 2008 offers 8 Adventure Challenges, ranging from the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge to the National UK Three Peaks Challenge, the Welsh 3000's Challenge to Adventure Races in north Wales and northern England.

http://www.merseyventure.com/openchallenge08/

Enter an event and have a goal for getting fit in 2008..!

Event 1: 24/25 May 2008 - Spring Stroller Three Peaks Challenge (Teams of 4-6 walkers plus 2 drivers). 24 hour National Three Peaks.

Event 2: 6/7 June 2008 - Corporate Team Challenge Three Peaks Challenge (Teams of 6-8 walkers plus 2 drivers). 24 hour National Three Peaks.

Event 3: 13/15 June 2008 - Welsh 3000's (14 Peaks) Teams of 4 walkers. 24 hour continuous challenge attempt.

Event 4: 30 June/1 July 2008 - Late Shift Challenge Three Peaks Challenge (Teams of 4-6 walkers plus 2 drivers). 24 hour National Three Peaks.

Event 5: 2 August 2008 - Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge - Solo, or Teams of 4. 24 hour 12 hour Yorkshire Three Peaks.

Event 6: 9/10 August 2008 - Adventure Challenge - north Wales. Canoeing, mountain biking, orienteering, night navigation, trail running/hiking. Solo, pairs, or teams of 4. Adventure Race for all standards including beginners.

Event 7: 27/28 September 2008 - Die Hard Trilogy Three Peaks Challenge (Teams of 4-6 walkers plus 2 drivers). 24 hour National Three Peaks.

Event 8: 4/5 October 2008 - Adventure Challenge - northern England. Canoeing, mountain biking, orienteering, night navigation, trail running/hiking. Solo, pairs, or teams of 4. Adventure Race for all standards including beginners.

http://www.merseyventure.com/openchallenge08/

See you in 2008?

3 Peaks Bid Driver On Sleep Crash Rap
21 September 2007


A DAD of two attempting to climb the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales in 24 hours caused an accident after falling asleep at the wheel.

Neil Campbell, 32, smashed into another car in the middle of the Three Peaks Challenge, a court heard. The other driver, Janet Nicholson, suffered head injuries and has been left with short-term memory loss and concentration problems.

After climbing Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike, Campbell was in Cumbria on his way to attempt Snowdonia when he nodded off and his Honda Accord drifted into the oncoming lane.
Campbell, of Blairforge, Kelty, Fife, had been due to stand trial but pled guilty to dangerous driving on July 15 last year at Foxfield. Robert Golinski, prosecuting, said Ms Nicholson had left her home in Kirkby-in-Furness when her car was struck by Campbell. He said: "He came across the white line and collided with Ms Nicholson's car on a bend.

"There was nothing that she could do. She has little recollection of the collision due to the head injuries that she suffered."

He said there could have been a change of drivers or a break. Campbell, the dad of a two-year-old and a three-month-old baby, admitted after the crash: "It was so stupid, I was going to pull in a mile down the road." He was also hurt and his passenger suffered a back injury.

Mark Kellett, defending, said Campbell, who had recently been promoted to divisional manager, was a "responsible, caring individual other than this moment of stupidity".
Recorder Teresa Pepper told Campbell at Preston Crown Court: "I am keen to do justice to all and that includes you."

Sentence was put off until October 19 for background reports and Campbell was bailed.

Wasdale (Scafell Pike) Training & Familiarisation Days 2008.

If you are a team leader, or a Three Peaks Challenge event organiser, or are organising your own challenge, then you may be interested in our Wasdale Training & Familiarisation days on Scafell Pike - assuming you will be using this route and not Seathwaite..!

Each year we organise a number of training courses around the Wasdale area, and on Scafell Pike itself. The courses are split into two days over a weekend, and consist of one day doing some basic navigation - both in the classroom and out in the surrounding area - and one day simply walking Scafell Pike from Wasdale, paying careful attention to the navigation problems encountered.

Some people opt to make a full weekend of it and attend both the navigation day on Saturday, then the Scafell Pike walk on Sunday - whereas others just turn up Sunday to familiarise themselves with the route up and down Scafell Pike, which many teams will encounter in the dark on the challenge itself..!

The dates for the first open training weekend in 2008 will be:

Saturday 19th April 2008: Navigation & Three Peaks Planning

Sunday 20th April 2008: Scafell Pike from Wasdale Walk

Saturday 19th April 2008: Navigation & Three Peaks Planning

Cost per person: £60 Course limit: 10 people

Course Itinerary:

1000: Meet at 'The Green', Wasdale. Travel short distance to indoor 'classroom'

1015: Navigation theory & Three Peaks Planning

1200: Short orienteering course, Wasdale valley

1300 - 1400: Lunch at Wasdale (not provided)

1400: Navigation around the Scafell Massif

2000: End of course at the Wasdale Head Inn.

This course includes:

MLTE qualified instructor Indoor 'classroom' for theory work

Coffee breaks whilst in 'classroom'

Laminated A4 map of navigation area

Laminated A4 map of orienteering course

Sport Ident orienteering controls and timekeeping

Challenge handouts and planning information

Use of VHF radio safety comms

Use of emergency group shelters

Not included:

Lunch at Wasdale

Drinks after the course at Wasdale Head Inn

Any accommodation

Notes: This Navigation and Three Peaks Planning Day is designed to help team leaders or event organisers plan a safe and successful Three Peaks Challenge. However, the level of navigation will be very basic, and will be specifically aimed at known navigational problems which may be encountered on a Three Peaks Challenge. It is assumed that people attending will have little previous navigational experience. All navigation will use established tracks, footpaths and bridleways. Theory work will be less than 2 hours, so please do not expect this course to enable you to safely navigate to the summit of K2...

Sunday 20th April 2008: Scafell Pike ascent from Wasdale

Cost per person: £35 Walk limit: 30 people

Walk Itinerary:

1000: Meet at 'The Green', Wasdale. Short safety briefing & kit check.

1020: Depart Wasdale for Scafell Pike summit.

1330: Reach summit, lunch on top.

1700: Return to Wasdale. Drinks at Wasdale Head Inn.

This walk includes:

MLTE qualified instructor (1 per 8 walkers)

Laminated A4 map of navigation area

Laminated Beacon Guide licenced by Harvey Maps.

Use of VHF radio safety comms

Use of emergency group shelters

Not included:

Any food or drinks

Drinks after the course at Wasdale Head Inn

Any accommodation

Notes: This walk will be at slow pace - not a test of fitness and endurance. We will stop at each point of navigational importance, and all walkers will be encouraged to shadow our navigation. You will have plenty of opportunity to discuss the route with our mountain guides, and we will make full use of emergency equipment on the hill. If we reach full capacity (as usual) we will split into smaller groups of 6-8 when on the mountain.

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Three Peaks for sale...

Undoubtably, the national 3 Peaks Challenge is a huge opportunity for any corporate to get their name noticed, and for any charity to attract a large amount of sponsorship from willing corporate teams. And we are of course, more than willing to organise an environmentaly sound challenge to suit their needs and demands.

However, we feel that our responsibility extends further, to help educate and inform other groups that may organise their own, independent challenge - and to encourage responsible use of some sensitive mountain areas.

So - we are quite shocked to see websites climbing up the Google search pages that claim to be the 'Official' Three Peaks Challenge websites, offering certificates, medals and other merchendise - with zero input into this somewhat enviromentaly and ecologicaly delicate challenge.

After spending some 10 years trying to educate groups about the effect their challenge may have on local residents, local businesses and tourists - this new website doesn't seem to address any of the locals concerns.

www. national3peaks. co .uk (url split so the website is not promoted from here)!

What do you think?

Richie..

Zibrant Reach The Summit Of Scafell Pike

On Friday 3rd August, one team member from each of the teams taking part in the Zibrant Three Peaks Challenge, attended a Training & Familiarisation Day at Wasdale, Cumbria, to get the low down on the local area, and to experience the footpaths of Scafell Pike, the navigational problems around Hollow Stones, and the descent on slippery, rocky paths.

In the morning, the group were split into two smaller groups, one staying indoors to do some classroom and theory work with Johnbo, whilst the other group got to try their plaaning and navigation on an orienteering course around Nether Wasdale.

The orienteering opened some team members eyes, with 50% of all teams returning back late to the finish. Some teams over-estimated their abilities, some forgot to keep a close eye on the time - others simply got lost..! However, everyone returned safely in the end.

After lunch at the Wasdale Head Inn, the heavens opened over Wasdale, and the valley became engulfed by thick mist. The group steadily climbed Scafell Pike, taking time to checkout all of the important path junctions, river crossings and track bends, which would be so useful to find in the dark. The teams also got to use some safety kit, VHF radios, group shelters, and of course - their maps and compasses.

The group safely returned to the Green, Wasdale, within 5 hours of setting off - which is not a bad time at all.

The teams can continue their fitness and mountain training, ready for their challenge over 20/21st September 2007.

For more details, visit http://www.zibrant3peakchallenge.co.uk/home.html

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