This event is scheduled for Spring 2009 - exact details TBC. Keep watching this space.

The IWX Challenge is a gruelling 12 hour adventure race set on the seas and land of the Isle of Wight. Designed as an ultimate challenge to the 240 competitors, IWX will involve racing in the prestigious 68ft Clipper round the world yachts, mountain biking, a military assault course and a demanding cross country run. IWX will test the fitness, mental toughness, stamina and resolve of every participant. Taking part is one thing, finishing it is a real achievement!

Through the event we hope to raise £100,000 for the charity Help for Heroes www.helpforheroes.org.uk which is doing a fantastic job helping those heroes from our armed forces who have been injured fighting for our country. 

You will need to turn up at Cowes on the Isle of Wight on Friday 10th October for a sieries of race briefings and to be given your race kit. Following this you can get your head down ready for a 7am race start. Half the competitors will be on the Clippers in the morning and the other half doing the land race and all will swap at lunch time. The race should be finished by 7pm and following a quick shower and change of clothes there will be a end of challenge party and awards ceremony.

This is not going to be an easy race, there will be cut off time that teams must avoid to prevent disqualification. Teams will need a range of skills, brute force and co-ordination for the boats, navigation and stamina for the land race as well as team work and of course all round fitness and grit.

Teams will comprise of 6 people with 2 teams being on each yacht (taking half the boat each), all teams will need to complete the land race as a team. If people can't get a team of 6 together we will help find you a team but we cannot be held responsible for differences in fitness levels and ability.

We have done a deal on accommodation for the Friday night and Saturday night and a free minibus shuttle bus will run between the race start and accommodation. Once you have signed up we will send you the details, all accommodation is on a first come first served basis.

Full race details will be sent out on payment of deposit.

IWX

Clippers

To sail the world famous Clipper round the world yachts you need a mixture of stamina, brute strength, co-ordination and teamwork. These boats are designed to face the rigours or the roughest seas a transworld race can throw at them, our teams will be doing their best to push these boats to their limits in order to gain a tactical advantage.

Two teams will be in the boat at the same time. Teams can either pick the team they compete with or be entered into the draw. Each team will work on their half of the boat, with the skipper and mate co-ordination the two teams together.

Prior to the race start the there will be at least an hours training and practice with your skipper and mate turning those less experienced to efficient salining machines.

After the race the boats will drop you back in Cowes where there will be a transition period for some food and preparation for the land race.

To see the Clipper racing stations click here

                                                                                                            Mountain Biking 35k

The natural terrain of the Isle of Wight will be the challenge for competitors in this another energy sapping stage, steep technically difficult down hills, slow long grassy slopes, hard track sprints, over stiles and as much mud as we can find!

The course will be marked and marshalled at certain sections but competitors will also have to navigate their way around the course.

For those teams making good time on the race there will be a opportunity to pick up extra points in an orienteering exercise.

Everyone will need to bring their own mountain bikes with them, they can be taken on the ferry. There will be secure lock-up facilities at the Start / Finish point to leave bikes.

 

 

Running 10k

Half way around the mountain bike route competitors will drop their bikes and start running the 5k route into the assault course. Following the assault course they will retrace thier steps back to the bikes and then cycle back to the finish line.

The run is mostly flat but includes varied terrain  including going through woods, across rough fields and on dirt tracks, some area's are single file but others give plenty of space for catching up and over taking other teams.

Competitors will need to arrive at the assault course as a team so there is no advantage of running ahead of your team.

 

                                                                                                                Assault Course

Half way through the run teams will be faced with a former military assault course set in the forest of the WWII artillery battery at Fort Bouldnor. Technical ability and teamwork are key to a swift execution of the course.

Durning the safety briefing on Friday night qalified BMF military instructors will talk through the safest and quickest methods of tackling the assault course, there will be no trial run teams will go straight into the course when they arrive after the first half of the run.

 

After the Race

After a quick shower and a change into some clean clothes competitors will come together at the UKSA sailing base for a BBQ and post challenge party including an awards ceremony. Stories will be swapped and aches and pains compared but the pain will fade as the party continues!

Environmentally Friendly

The Isle of Wight is aiming to be the most eco friendly island in the world by 2020. IWX is going to help achieve this goal, the whole event has been designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible and apart from heath and safety necessity the minimum of vehicles will be used.

Other measures taken to be eco-friendly:

• Sourcing local produce as much as possible
• Using as many local staff as possible to avoid road travel
• Competitors can get to the event without using cars
• Free mini bus shuttles to accommodation to avoid car use
• All sponsors encouraged to carbon offset their involvement in the event
• All correspondance by email
• Recycling of all event materials (where possible)

Sign up for the Event Online

The event is £350 per person and we are asking people to do their best to raise £400 for Help for Heroes. To sign up for this event now in the BMF online shop click here. Places will run out quickly!

Race Partners

  Official Charity

- Help for Heroes was launched on 1st October 2007 to achieve something practical for the men and women of our Armed Forces who have been wounded while serving in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. So far they have raised over £4 million. www.helpforheroes.org.uk

   Official Charity and event partner

- The UK Sailing Association UKSA has been at the forefront of promoting excellence in maritime training for more than 20 years. A charity with the goal to advance the education and development of children and young people. www.uksa.org

  Environmental Partner

- Eco Island is an ambitious change programme. It will turn the Isle of Wight into the ultimate Eco Island, with strong communities and the lowest carbon footprint in England by 2020. www.eco-island.org.uk

  Sailing Partner

- Clipper Ventures Plc was founded by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston in 1995. Clipper Ventures develops and promotes major marine events capable of attracting significant participation, media coverage and associated sponsorship revenue, including the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. www.clipper-ventures.com

Sponsorship Partner

- RVM will be sourcing and delivering sponsorship for the event ensuring all our partners maximise the value for their investment. If your company is interested or for more information please email rupert@rvmanagement.co.uk or call 020 7193 4582.

Media Partner

We are currently looking for media partners who will all guarantee coverage of the event, for more information please contact laura@promotepr.com or call 01753 740074

 

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