FOLLOWING the major success of the inaugural Ultra Tour of Arran in 2018, Rat Race Adventure Sports will again stage the audacious 100km off-road running challenge on the Isle of Arran, ‘Scotland in miniature’, on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 April 2019.
On Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 April 2019, Rat Race Adventure Sports, one of the UK’s favourite adventure challenge event organisers, will return to Scotland’s west coast for The Ultra Tour of Arran (UTA), a two-day, fully-supported and way-marked, off-road adventure run, packing a hefty 100km ultra distance route around the island with an overall vertical gain of 10,679 feet. With entries closing at midnight on 07 April 2019, there is still plenty of time to sign up.
View the video trailer – https://youtu.be/6mL6RT7vNbc
They say that the mythical Isle of Arran is ‘Scotland in miniature’, the perfect outdoor playground, and the fantastically varied and distinct 50km trail running routes on the two days of audacious adventure highlight this perfectly. There are delights at every turn, from dense enchanting forests and coastal beaches in the south on day one to the iconic castles, deep glens and dramatic mountains, including Goatfell at 2,867 feet, in the north on day two. View both routes – http://ratrace.com/uta/the-route/
Jim Mee, MD of Rat Race Adventure Sports, said: “We are very pleased to be returning to Arran in 2019. The island has so much to offer our Rat Racers and their supporters over and above the huge variety of running terrain from north to south. It has its own whisky distillery, brewery, craft gin, artisan cheese, aromatics, quality local food and drink – together with that incredibly special island hospitality.
“What seemed to appeal most to our 2018 participants was setting sail to a stunning and dramatic location where they felt a million miles away, yet they were less than an hour from the mainland; a true adventure weekend.”
The UTA is suited to a range of athletes from elite fell runners to amateur sporting enthusiasts with a good base level of fitness. It is an achievable step up from a marathon into ultra-running territory, for both solos and pairs, who have prepared well and put in the training miles.
David Hellard was the first to cross the finish line in 2018 after two days of tough off road running in a time of 10:27:21. David’s girlfriend, Claire Briggs, was the first female to finish in a time 12:00:51. The average time for the 100km distance from 239 runners that took part over the weekend was 15:15:00. Can the winning times be beaten by one of the 500 runners who have already signed up for the challenge in 2019?
Allie Bailey, a female ambassador for Rat Race Adventure Sports who took part in the UTA in 2018, said: “I love Scotland and I love a challenge. It was my first time on Arran and the island is glorious. The landscape is beautiful with such a great diversity of terrain. During the race we reached many places that other people would not ordinarily see. I will be back to do it again. I enjoyed it so much.”
When signing up runners will have the option to take on the challenge of day one only (45km) or the full two-day 100km Ultra distance. Day one (between four and eight hours of running) is characterised by quiet paths, forest trails, some boardwalk sections, some tarmac sections through villages and a lot of forest dirt roads. Day two (between six and 12 hours of running) is virtually all off-road with some serious mountain sections (there might even be snow on the hilltops), where the going is decidedly rough underfoot. There will be several scheduled pit stops interspersed on the route each day, for that much needed quick rest and refuel.
Jim Mee added: “We are delighted to have the support of EventScotland for the Ultra Tour of Arran this year, helping us to bring more runners and multisport enthusiasts to Scotland to experience the stunning range of adventure playgrounds.”
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s director of Events, said: “Arran is the perfect stage for such an exciting and challenging adventure run. With such a varied landscape, taking in glens, beaches, forests and more, we are sure participants, families and friends alike will enjoy a stunning event on one of Scotland’s most beautiful islands.”
As with all of their events, to ensure runners, their families and friends have the best weekend possible Rat Race will operate from a central Basecamp, for UTA located in Brodickjust one kilometre from the island’s ferry terminal.
This hub will have all the quality trappings of a Rat Race event – good food and drink, great amenities, friendly and hospitable staff and Saturday night entertainment. A complimentary shuttle service from the ferry, together with camping, full serviced glamping; and limited paid parking options will also be available.
All runners still looking to tame the challenge of The Ultra Tour of Arran should head to the website for more information and to sign up: http://ratrace.com/uta/. Prices vary depending on when you enter.
Rat Race is partnered with Children With Cancer UK, a leading national children’s charity dedicated to the fight against childhood cancer, in a pledge to fight the UK’s biggest child killer. Rat Racers have raised over £1,000,000, across all Rat Race events, since the campaign began in 2015. If runners take part in the Ultra Tour of Arran 2019 and raise £750 through Virgin Money Giving for Children with Cancer UK before race day, Rat Race will return their entry fee. For details go to http://ratrace.com/uta/run-for-charity/.
ENDS
Media contact:
For images, interviews, further information contact:
Paddy Cuthbert | Littlehouse Media | E: paddy@littlehousemedia.co.uk
M: +44 (0)7913 951717
If you are keen to take part in the Ultra Tour of Arran for a commissioned feature, please contact Paddy Cuthbert to discuss a funded press trip.
For downloadable images of The Ultra Tour of Arran go to https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dia0sv921enoneu/AAAWSdp_o5cqlhh4uC73zECva?dl=0. Please credit Leo Francis / Rat Race Adventure Sports
To find out what it is like to take part in the Ultra Tour of Arran from 2018 participants go to – https://www.fionaoutdoors.co.uk/2018/05/what-is-it-like-to-race-the-ultra-tour-of-arran.html
Notes for editors:
Rat Race Adventure Sports on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ratraceadventuresports
Rat Race Adventure Spots on Twitter https://twitter.com/RatRaceHQ
Rat Race Adventure Sports (http://ratrace.com/), a successful Scotland-registered company, now based in York, are one the UK’s best-known adventure challenge event organisers, providing one of the largest selections of mass participation, multi-sport events and challenges, annually; 50 per cent of their annual events programme is now staged in Scotland.
It also offers a branded range of its own sporting apparel and an online clothing and equipment store.
Their event programme has always been focused on Scotland – urban and wilderness playgrounds of the highest quality. They have an exemplary track record in promoting Scotland as a world-class destination for adventure events and multi-sport endurance challenges, exploiting the:
- Stunning scenery and urban and wilderness playgrounds of the highest quality
- Hugely evocative and iconic locations
- Rugged, varied and ever-changing terrain over relatively short distances – perfect for outdoor multisport adventures
- Adventurers from the UK, Europe and further afield keen to explore the best of what the country has to offer through fully-supported and achievable adventure events
- Huge potential of shareable, user generated video and photography, inspiring target audiences to plan their own independent Scottish adventures.
Rat Race Adventure Sports has a global outlook, operating across the world, yet Scotland remains a really strong focus strategically going forward with new events being added annually.
Rat Race Adventure Sports’ 2019 Scottish event programme:
In 2019, Rat Race Urban Adventure Sports, who were forged on the streets of Edinburgh in 2004 with the staging of their first event, The Edinburgh Rat Race, will again showcase Scotland as a world-class adventure destination with achievable multi-sport and endurance challenges on foot, bike and kayak.
These epic journeys and unbeatable adventures, full of camaraderie, fun and good humour, utilise the rugged and varied terrain of the country’s stunning landscapes and historic, iconic and evocative landmarks; urban and wilderness playgrounds of the highest quality. The Scottish events programme includes:
16 March – The Mighty Deerstalker, Innerleithen – http://ratrace.com/mightydeerstalker
13 – 14 April – Ultra Tour of Arran – http://ratrace.com/uta
14 – 15 September – Coast to Coast – http://ratrace.com/coasttocoast/
Rat Race’s original adventure race returns to the wild hills of Scotland. Join 1,000 #RatRacers as they run, bike and kayak over 105 miles following the Great Glen from East to West, through one of the most famous mountain landscapes in the world. Awe-inspiring views and a stunningly epic course await you in the Scottish Highlands.
20 October – Ultra Tour of Edinburgh – http://ratrace.com/ute/
The third edition of the 34.2-mile ultra distance tour of the Scottish capital; a tough, fully waymarked, mixed terrain route of tarmac and off-road trail running, with 3,000 feet of ascent and descent. From the Braveheart charge down the Royal Mile to the finish at The Commonwealth Pool; with the occasional sojourn totally off-road to enjoy the hill top views of the Pentland Hills to the coastal waters and harbours of Newhaven and Leith in the east.
EventScotland
EventScotland is working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org. Follow EventScotland on Twitter @EventScotNews.
EventScotland is a team within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, the national tourism organisation which markets Scotland as a tourism destination across the world, gives support to the tourism industry and brings sustainable tourism growth to Scotland. For more information about VisitScotland see www.visitscotland.org or for consumer information on Scotland as a visitor destination see www.visitscotland.com.
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