Skills on test in Lycian Challenge
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Jane Tuna
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 23, 2009 00:00
FETHİYE - Adventure enthusiasts spend two days on the shores and the mountains of the Mediterranean resort town of Fethiye, aiming to prove themselves against nature in the Lycian Challenge. Participants are happy and organizers are enthusiastic about the future of the inaugural event.
The Lycian Way, which follows the mountainous coast from Fethiye to Antalya, is not known as being a gentle Sunday afternoon ramble. For the 26 competitors who stood at the starting line in the forest just outside Fethiye for the first Lycian Adventure Challenge last weekend, it was only the beginning of a grueling journey.
The story started Saturday in Han camping in Kayaköy. A group of competitive individuals came together to test themselves to the limit, and what better way to start than with having to tape together eight A3 photocopies of a map marking the route.
This was a vital piece of equipment, without which they would have had no chance, as orienteering was integral. The challenge coordinator confirmed the course: "You will cycle for 34 kilometers, trek for 33 kilometers, sea kayak for 5 nautical miles and swim for 500 meters. In addition there will be coasting [running along the sandy shoreline] and orienteering."
Bora Borçin and the organization committee took months to prepare the weekend event in great detail. "This is an important first for us," said Borçin. "Getting it right is our first priority. We know its success will increase its popularity in years to come."
The organizers had not stinted on finding a challenging route, including mountainous tracks for off-road biking and waterfalls to rappel down. The whole course took more than 24 hours to complete and covered more than 100 kilometers.
The altitude ranged from sea level to more than 900 meters. The temperature was enough to drain any remaining energy and fry the unwary to a crisp. But if you were to think that this deterred the 10 gallant teams of lycra-covered challengers, you would be wrong.
Most competitors were young Turkish men, but there were some feisty women jostling for prime position with their compatriots and two foreigners, John Young from the United Kingdom and Diarmuid Hanley from Ireland. Like everyone present, they were tense but cheerful at the prospect of the adventure that awaited them. "For us it is a way to put months of preparation, competitive spirit and teamwork to the test. We are a little older than some of the competitors, but maybe our experience will compensate for their youth." They named themselves "Young" and "Younger."
Casualties
The first casualties came during the biking, and during the trekking section a few more succumbed to heat and exhaustion. By the end of the first day, the numbers had dwindled to 14 and by the next morning 12 as heat stroke and muscle strain took its toll.
But the valiant dozen who remained, including the "Young and Younger," set off from their camp as the sun rose. Later Hanley reflected that, "the coolness of the early morning and those first hours before the sun crept above the mountains made for a really pleasant experience."
Later the two took a tumble; Young injured his ankle and Hanley his knee. Strapped up they continued, but unfortunately for them they lost what had been considered an unassailable lead.
Rappelling down a 150-meter waterfall into Butterfly Valley would be an adventure in itself for most people Ğ it was a record for Turkey Ğ but the teams plunged into the abyss and set off to sea kayak from this dramatic location to the famous Ölüdeniz beach. From here, they ran along the shore before swimming across the lagoon and beginning the arduous climb to Kaya Village and the finish line.
Hanley took the business of coming second in his stride. "Of course it would have been great to win, but having lost so much ground after our fall, we did well enough." For most observers that would be seen as the mother of all understatements. In fact Mustafa Poyraz and Cihangir Yılmaz came first. Third place went to Ayşin Başkır, Alptekin Başkır and Selçuk Bertan. izes included a holiday at Lykia World, Ölüdeniz, a diving tour with Divers’ Delight and a tandem paragliding experience with Ikarus. These companies were also sponsors, together with Sevencapes, The North Face, Aktifpedal, Likya2teker and Jansport.
Borçin and Caner Odabaşoğlu are enthusiastic about the future. "We hope that this inaugural event will be the first of many and encourage competitors and spectators from around the world."
Although not for the faint-hearted, this kind of activity is a wonderful opportunity for Fethiye to market its unique geography, glorious environment and event organizing skills.
The story started Saturday in Han camping in Kayaköy. A group of competitive individuals came together to test themselves to the limit, and what better way to start than with having to tape together eight A3 photocopies of a map marking the route.
This was a vital piece of equipment, without which they would have had no chance, as orienteering was integral. The challenge coordinator confirmed the course: "You will cycle for 34 kilometers, trek for 33 kilometers, sea kayak for 5 nautical miles and swim for 500 meters. In addition there will be coasting [running along the sandy shoreline] and orienteering."
Bora Borçin and the organization committee took months to prepare the weekend event in great detail. "This is an important first for us," said Borçin. "Getting it right is our first priority. We know its success will increase its popularity in years to come."
The organizers had not stinted on finding a challenging route, including mountainous tracks for off-road biking and waterfalls to rappel down. The whole course took more than 24 hours to complete and covered more than 100 kilometers.
The altitude ranged from sea level to more than 900 meters. The temperature was enough to drain any remaining energy and fry the unwary to a crisp. But if you were to think that this deterred the 10 gallant teams of lycra-covered challengers, you would be wrong.
Most competitors were young Turkish men, but there were some feisty women jostling for prime position with their compatriots and two foreigners, John Young from the United Kingdom and Diarmuid Hanley from Ireland. Like everyone present, they were tense but cheerful at the prospect of the adventure that awaited them. "For us it is a way to put months of preparation, competitive spirit and teamwork to the test. We are a little older than some of the competitors, but maybe our experience will compensate for their youth." They named themselves "Young" and "Younger."
Casualties
The first casualties came during the biking, and during the trekking section a few more succumbed to heat and exhaustion. By the end of the first day, the numbers had dwindled to 14 and by the next morning 12 as heat stroke and muscle strain took its toll.
But the valiant dozen who remained, including the "Young and Younger," set off from their camp as the sun rose. Later Hanley reflected that, "the coolness of the early morning and those first hours before the sun crept above the mountains made for a really pleasant experience."
Later the two took a tumble; Young injured his ankle and Hanley his knee. Strapped up they continued, but unfortunately for them they lost what had been considered an unassailable lead.
Rappelling down a 150-meter waterfall into Butterfly Valley would be an adventure in itself for most people Ğ it was a record for Turkey Ğ but the teams plunged into the abyss and set off to sea kayak from this dramatic location to the famous Ölüdeniz beach. From here, they ran along the shore before swimming across the lagoon and beginning the arduous climb to Kaya Village and the finish line.
Hanley took the business of coming second in his stride. "Of course it would have been great to win, but having lost so much ground after our fall, we did well enough." For most observers that would be seen as the mother of all understatements. In fact Mustafa Poyraz and Cihangir Yılmaz came first. Third place went to Ayşin Başkır, Alptekin Başkır and Selçuk Bertan. izes included a holiday at Lykia World, Ölüdeniz, a diving tour with Divers’ Delight and a tandem paragliding experience with Ikarus. These companies were also sponsors, together with Sevencapes, The North Face, Aktifpedal, Likya2teker and Jansport.
Borçin and Caner Odabaşoğlu are enthusiastic about the future. "We hope that this inaugural event will be the first of many and encourage competitors and spectators from around the world."
Although not for the faint-hearted, this kind of activity is a wonderful opportunity for Fethiye to market its unique geography, glorious environment and event organizing skills.