800-km unicycle marathon to be held this June in Nova Scotia
What’s next? From Tuesday’s Nova Scotia News:
Twelve teams are registered for Nova Scotia’s first international unicycling marathon. Ride the Lobster is a five-day, 800-kilometre unicycle race across Nova Scotia from Yarmouth to Baddeck on Cape Breton Island, said a news release from organizers. The event kicks off June 16.
One of the recent entries is Team Nova Scotia, the release said. Teams must have three riders each.The Hans Islanders are a joint Danish/Canadian entry. Yam Power, Totally Doable and Team Yellow Line Fever are all from California, said the release. Team Venus is an all-female entry.
American Mojo is a team from the eastern seaboard and the Korean Dream Team is coming from half a world away. Three teams from the United Kingdom include the Goonies, Lost Wheelers and the Old Peculiers.
Another Canadian entry, Toronto’s Team Atlas, rounds out the slate of entries. But organizers say in their latest release that teams from Spain and the Philippines are engaged in the qualifying process.
To qualify for the Nova Scotia event, a prospective participant must ride a minimum number of kilometres over two days.
The formula is based on conditions likely to be encountered like headwinds or uneven terrain, event spokesman William Dockrill said last December before the opening of team registrations on Jan. 1, 2008.
At that time, organizers said 17 countries, 17 American states and 8 Canadian provinces would be represented, bringing the number of teams to 25.
Participating teams will be required to pedal about 200 kilometres each day over four days, with the fifth day planned for time trials.
That means each team member will need to ride about 70 kilometres each day. And not all of the riding will be on smooth, level terrain.
Participants are expected to wheel through as many as 100 Nova Scotia communities and some roads may not even be paved, organizers have said.
The race will be available for viewing live on the Internet and will be filmed.
Teams will be tracked by satellite using global positioning transponders on the riders.
