Prima Solutions Adventure Challenge post-event report

A grey and uninviting dawn greeted the bleary-eyed arrivals at the start of the Prima Solutions Adventure Challenge on Saturday, but the early start and ominous clouds gathering over the mountains weren’t enough to quell the excitement and good humour of the participating teams.

Fingers remained firmly crossed that the forecast downpours would hold out until the end of the day, sparing the 12 hour canoeing, mountain biking and hiking challenge from a soaking! Teams from Womenswear Buyer, Menswear Buyer, Mulberry, Timberland, Connect 2 Agencies, Marks and Spencer and Prima Solutions got stuck into their high-energy breakfasts before donning the neoprene shoes and cagoules in preparation for the first event of the day - a canoe relay across the beautiful Coniston Water.

The rainclouds held out but the event nevertheless began with a splash as shouts of encouragement and shrieks of laughter broke the early-morning silence across the Coniston valley and the calm of the lake made way for adrenaline-fuelled competition. Teams completed the canoe relay with enthusiasm, all finishing in impressive time, with Marks and Spencer and Mulberry taking an early joint lead with a time of 37 minutes. They were followed closely by Timberland, who finished the relay in just 39 minutes, setting the scene for a closely-fought contest for the winning spot!

Teams had a brief break to dry off and recover before embarking upon challenge number 2, a tough mountain biking route through Grizedale Forest. The track took teams up a gruelling ascent, and wound through the forest before opening out at the top of High Crag to stunning views across the beautiful Southern Lakes. Sadly the clear weather was shortlived, and during the mountain bike descent the heavens opened and teams returned soaked but smiling to the challenge base.

Once again teams had a short time to change and refuel in advance of the longest challenge, the trek up the imposing Old Man of Coniston, the summit of which teams had regarded with trepidation on their arrival. Unfortunately for the flagging teams, the inclement weather had set in for the rest of the day and the summit was no longer visible, having instead become enshrouded with a thick blanket of cloud. Energy drinks in hand and waterproof pockets stuffed with snacks, teams took to the rainy, windswept slopes with the necessary positive mental attitude! 

The trek up the Old Man took its toll on morale for many teams, and frequent radio communications with the base betrayed a waning enthusiasm and sagging energy levels. The Challenge staff and volunteers remaining at the base cheered teams on over the radio, and to everyone’s delight every team made it through the driving rain to the top of the mountain. A weary array of wet and weathered teams made the steep descent and returned to base, crossing the long-awaited finish line with smiles and laughter that put the wet weather it its place.

A well-earned dinner reception at the Windermere Hydro followed the event, where teams welcomed the chance to sit down, eat a delicious dinner and get started on the beer and wine. Awards were given to the winning Team, Marks and Spencer, for completing the whole challenge in the remarkable time of 6 hours and 39 minutes. Marks and Spencer also picked up the fundraising prize for their fantastic pledge of approximately £6,000!  Huge thanks went to sponsors Prima Solutions whose ongoing support has so far made three CARE Challenges for the fashion industry possible. Enormous thanks were also extended to media partners Womenswear Buyer, Menswear Buyer, Fashion Extras and Footwear Today for their invaluable support of the event.

Following dinner, CARE International Chairman Richard Greenhalgh put the day’s sodden weather into stark perspective with a talk about the drought in Ethiopia, and CARE’s work in the region. Teams were reminded that every penny painstakingly raised for CARE makes a real difference to CARE’s overseas projects.

CARE Manager Michele Evans said, “The Prima Solutions Adventure Challenge was a fantastic success. Despite the weather, teams pulled together and completed the challenge in impressive time and more importantly, everyone enjoyed it. We’re enormously grateful to everyone who took part and very much hope they will join us again for another Challenge next season.”

Isabella Galuschka of Womenswear Buyer said, “It’s very much about personal achievement, but even more than that it’s about achieving something genuinely important in helping CARE’s fantastic work. We thought the event was really well organised and we very much enjoyed it- we’re very proud to be involved with CARE and to have been their media partners for this event. It’s been a tough day but really, really rewarding.”

You can browse through pictures from the Challenge in our Photo Gallery here.

Team Results

Company Name & Teamleader	Call Sign	Bike	Canoe	Hike	Briefings/ Recovery	Total
Marks & Spencer - Nick Jones	Farming	01:06	00:37	02:26	02:30	06:39
Mulberry - Ian D Scott	Justice	01:07	00:37	02:30	02:30	06:44
Prima Solutions Team 2 - Tim Barnet	Urban	01:17	00:40	03:36	02:30	08:03
Prima Solutions Team 1 - John Norman	Food	01:29	00:42	03:28	02:30	08:09
Timberland - Deap Khambay	Shelter	01:55	00:39	03:08	02:30	08:12
Menswear Buyer - Sean O'Connor	Trade	02:08	00:40	03:30	02:30	08:48
Womenswear Buyer - Debra Baverstock	Market	01:52	00:43	04:23	02:30	09:28
Connect 2 Agencies - Karen Curtet	Health	02:31	00:41	04:22	02:30	10:04