Experts... Welcome to Nokia Coast to Coast

For Expert Category Coast to Coasters we have put together a new downloadable page of information to help you prepare for the event. The latest news mainly relates to Rules and Guidance for safety and racing fairness, and kayaking rules, and can be accessed quickly HERE.

Nokia –Interactive Course Guide and Training Apps
Nokia have teamed up with adventure racer Bruce Duncan to provide top training advice to help you prepare for the Nokia Coast to Coast. Also at the Nokia Outdoor Series site you can use the interactive course guide which allows you to view the course and receive expert advice on how to tackle the key features en route. See stunning photos in here and breath in.

Once you know the course like the back of your hand give your training a boost by choosing one of thousands of apps available from the Ovi Store on your Nokia:
· The Sports Tracker app is your ultimate training companion, monitoring your distance, speed and time so you know what you’ve done in training.
· Download free Sat Nav to your Nokia forever and free Lonely Planet with Ovi Maps. With Ovi Maps on your Nokia you can view the entire Nokia Coast to Coast course and make your way hassle free to the start line with free Sat Nav.

As part of Nokia’s support they’ve captured some beautiful scenes from across the course for a free downloadable screensaver that can be found on the http://www.scotlandcoasttocoast.co.uk/screensaver.html. The screensaver has been designed to inspire and spur you on with your preparations for the event. Also, anyone on the sidelines is in for a treat – just take a look at the screensaver and see what we mean.

Registration and Timings
These are unchanged.

Friday Sep 17th and Saturday Sep 18th
- Registration open 1200 – 2300 (Nairn)

Sunday Sep 19th Start 0600 (Nairn)
- Finish From 1600 – 2000 (Glencoe)
- Post Race Party 2000 – late! (Glencoe)

Distances and Kit
These are unchanged.

• Trek/Run - 7 miles (5 miles off-road)
• Road Cycle - 34 miles
• Kayak - 11 miles
• Off-Road & Road Cycle - 33 miles (16 miles off-road)
• Trek/Run - 14 miles (12 miles off-road)
• Kayak - 1 mile
• Short run to finish line
• TOTAL JOURNEY - 100 miles

Expert Specific Category: Rules and Guidance
It’s great that you are entered into the inaugural year of what is sure to be a classic event, and we wish you a great journey, and importantly for Experts, a great race and successful completion. You are joining 49 other participants in this category. We are keen not to set out a deep set of rules for this format, and certainly not in year 1. In this way, we can see what works well for you, for the event, and we can then grow or change the category. However, we do require that you follow certain key rules and have certain etiquettes, to ensure that the competition is fair and safe.

We have published a rules guide and ask that you study these.

We have also published more detailed rules and guidance for matters related to Kayaking.

All accessed on Expert page HERE.

IMPORTANT: We are calling for the copies of your BCU UKCC 2 Star certificates by September 6th.

Other Participants
You are part of a much larger event. There are 950 others in this Nokia Coast to Coast event. The Challenger Category will have set off the day before, and you might catch the tail of them on the final run. You will be amongst the Racer Category on the day, and they will get ahead of you while you are kayaking Loch Ness. You might catch them again before the end of the day. We would expect a Racer to be first to the Finishline. But of course, you are not racing them are you?! We do not expect any elitist attitudes or behaviours and have accordingly called the Category Expert rather than Elite, from the outset.

Bike Choices for Expert Category
Here are some tips on bike choice and riding surfaces. This will help make your ride as comfortable as possible. If you own one bike then perhaps this has already dictated your thinking. For the Expert Category you can use any bike / wheel types and you will be able to change bikes / wheels at the Fort Augustus transition. The off-road sections are all ride-able. The only section(s) that might require you to dismount are one or two short and sharp ascents of 50 metres or so.

• A road bike is most suitable for the first bike stage
• A mountain bike is allowable for the first bike stage
• If choosing the latter you might choose to fit faster, ‘semi-slick’ or ‘road’ tyres
• ONCE YOU HAVE LEFT FORT AUGUSTUS NO FURTHER BIKE CHANGES ARE ALLOWABLE.
• A road bike is least suitable for the second stage as this has off-road riding. There is very little mud or slippery sections but pinch punctures are distinctly possible on the stony paths.
• A mountain bike is most suitable for the second stage
• A hybrid bike is OK for the second stage too.
• The ultimate bike for the second stage is a Cyclo-Cross bike.
• We ask that you fit a bike bell, and use it

In the next mailout you will be introduced to more detail on the exact route, including specific locations for transitions.

Until then, happy boating, biking and running.

The Nokia Coast To Coast Team