Rat Race returns to the streets

Ultimate urban race returns

24 May 2006 16:49 GMT / By Chris Hall

The Rat Race Urban Adventure, supported by Columbia Sportswear, is set to take the UK’s cities by storm this year as it hits the streets of Bristol, Edinburgh and Manchester with hundreds of urban adventure racers running, jumping, climbing and abseiling across the cities’ roads, buildings and landmarks.

Traditionally adventure racing teams brave the mountains and wilderness to compete in multi-disciplined challenges of navigation, endurance, skill and guts. The Rat Race Urban Adventure brings the excitement directly into the urban jungle and sees adventure racers running through streets, kayaking waterways, climbing buildings and mountain biking down stairways.

The events are all about teamwork as well as testing nerves and stamina. Competitors range from runners and triathletes to extreme sport junkies and outdoor-types as well as plenty of city-dwellers taking part for fun.

Each Rat Race begins with the "Mean Streets" Prologue at 7pm on the Saturday with racers taking 3 hours to explore the city searching for checkpoints and competing in a series of weird and wonderful tasks from wading through fountains and traversing statues to climbing through vehicles and even playing the guitar on a stage. The aim is to take in as many of the checkpoints before the time runs out.

The race is divided into Rookie and Adventure classes, so anyone of any level of fitness can take part. The rookies race takes in the "Mean Streets" Prologue on Saturday night whilst the Adventure class Rats will go on to the 6-hour day race on Sunday.

Adventure Class Rat Racers will embark on a minimum of 6 hours’ running,
mountain biking, kayaking, climbing and abseiling, as well as a few surprises thrown in for good measure. The course, only revealed on the morning of the race, is designed to test the most hardy of adventure racer whilst allowing slower teams to take short cuts, with a time penalty.

At the heart of the city centres, and the hubs of each Rat Race weekend, are the Event Villages, featuring:

BUNGEE JUMPING/ZIP SLIDES
ACTION SPORTS DISPLAYS
CLIMBING
RETAIL STALLS
BREAK DANCING AND DJ BATTLES
LIVE MUSIC
BEER TENT

Entry costs £25 per person for the Rookie race or £80 per person for the Adventure class. The entry fee includes racing, high-value goody bags, food, prizes and entry to the legendary after party.

BRISTOL 17/18 June 06
EDINBURGH 15/16 July 06
MANCHESTER 5/6 August 06

For more information, to enter or to find teammates visit www.ratraceadventure.com or call 0845 009 4365.