'Life-changing adventure' from stunning Wester Ross is brought to the TV screen
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THE inside story of an extreme adventure challenge in Wester Ross is set to be screened on TV tonight.
Friday night’s Adventure Show on BBC Scotland features the Celtman, an extreme triathlon which took place against the stunning backdrop of Torridon in Wester Ross last weekend.
Founded and organised by Borders man Paul McGreal, the Celtman has been described as "a life-changing adventure in a country of legends".
“It’s one of the two most extreme events in the world,” said executive producer Richard Else, from Adventure Show Productions.
Competitors endure a 3.4km swim in cold Atlantic waters, a 202km cycle along exposed coastal roads gaining 2000m of height, and then a run of 42km over two mountains.
The first Celtman event was in 2012, in homage to the Norseman in Norway. Now it’s an internationally famous race, attracting competitors from around the world to the Highland villages of Shieldaig and Torridon.
“When I first thought of this race I had no idea it would catch fire the way it has,” said Paul McGreal of Durty Events, the organiser and founder of the Celtman. "The local Highland communities have embraced it as their own. International friendships have developed above and beyond the race, between locals, participants and crew. The local primary school welcomes in the athletes every year and learn so much from their stories.”
Participants are selected from a ballot which closes in November – and 800 applied this year, with 250 being awarded a place in the race. 206 people started and 168 completed. “There’s more than one way to win,” said Paul. “For example in this year’s winner was mid pack in the swim, and gained in the bike race, but really pulled out the stops in the run, to win.”
The independent production company Adventure Show Productions which produced the television programme included seven cameramen – one of them running, ex-Marine Donny Campbell, one of Scotland’s top long distance runners.
Extreme Scottish triathlon features on Adventure Show from 7pm on BBC Scotland.
For a taster, see https://www.facebook.com/adventureshow/videos/1298273443664461/
