Welcome to the last pre-event Highland Cross 2019 bulletin!

Into the final countdown

Bike loading in Inverness starts at 17.00hrs and ends at 21.00hrs sharp on the evening of Friday 22^nd June!

At Inverness do not attempt to leave a bike before the official time. Your bike will not be registered into our keeping and may be left behind when the lorries depart.

Do not lean bikes against the fire engines! This causes justifiable annoyance to our generous hosts!

Do not over wrap bikes

Labelling

YOU are responsible for providing waterproof labels for your bike and luggage.

Your number should be written or typed on the label so there is no doubt as to its meaning.

For example “611” if read upside down could be “119” therefore write your number with an underline under it – like this 201 - to show which way up you intend it to be read.

Make sure that you have YOUR number on your bike and bags on waterproof labels/tags.

Do not attach luggage or helmets to your bike – put everything in a weather proof bag clearly marked with your number. Put a label with your Name and number inside every bag as backup.

Beauly bike loading starts 06.15. Please do not abandon a bike in the Square and get on a bus or it may be left behind – make sure that the marshals register it.

Bus Transport

We order the correct number of buses according to the bookings that YOU have made.

The last thing that we want is not having enough bus capacity in the right place at the right time to get everybody round to the right start time! PLEASE STICK TO THE CHOICE THAT YOU HAVE REGISTERED.

Your bicycle

Please ensure that you have a fully functioning cycle and have the spares and tools that YOU can use to make necessary repairs or to deal with a puncture at any point on the cycle section.

Highland Bikes will be at the Friday evening bike loading to sell spares.

Surplus gear at the Start for transfer to Beauly

There will be a bag van at the Start to take your surplus gear through to Beauly. Any gear that you want transferred must be in a bag marked with your unique participant’s number with a name and number label inside as backup. The Baggage Pound in Beauly is in the open air and the surplus kit should be in a waterproof bag.

Your change-over gear – protect it in a waterproof bag

Gear being sent to the Quarry with your bike must be packed in a waterproof bag – we suggest that you use a dry-bag. If not make sure that you have used waterproof liners inside your gear bag.

Gear going to the quarry including your cycle helmet and any cycle computers must NOT be attached to your bike and must be in a separate bag which will go in a bag van to the Quarry.

Make sure that all your baggage has a waterproof label with your unique event number attached to it and another label with your name and number inside it as a backup.

Getting your gear from the Changeover to Beauly

In the Changeover you must pack your bag and pass it to the bag van marshals if you want it taken to the Finish Baggage Pound in Beauly. It must have your number on it and on a label inside it.

Making it happen safely

We have constructed a Safety Net to support you along the route but the most important person in the safety Net is YOU!

DO NOT CARRY AN ILLNESS OR INJURY INTO THE CROSS!

Carrying an illness or injury into the Cross guarantees that you will have a poor experience and may result in serious illness or further injury afflicting you during the event.

It is also an unreasonable burden on the Safety Net as these volunteers have to deal with an incident that should not have happened and they volunteer to deal with accidents and unexpected illnesses.

We have had the experience of a participant who returned from holiday with diarrhoea but who was so committed to the event that they started. Five miles into the foot section, at a difficult place for us to access, they needed an evacuation of a different kind! The Medical Marshal had to get to them by helicopter and then have them airlifted out. If the helicopter had not reached them they would have needed a full mountain rescue stretcher carry out to safety.

If you know that you have been unwell or have an injury please withdraw before the event for your own safety.

In the interests of your own safety we expect that all participants will carry the recommended safety equipment on the day:

The weatherproof suit is vital. If you slow or have an injury it could make a huge difference to how you feel and your condition by the time resources get to you.

Cycle safely

Fasnakyle Brae is a steep, twisting downhill. Emergency vehicles may have to ascend it to get to a serious incident. RIDE IT AT ALL TIMES AS THOUGH IT IS TWO WAY TRAFFIC.

Fasnakyle to Beauly is open road shared with the public you do not have right of way. If you have to repair your bike or take a breather try to use the water stops or at least pull off the road for your own safety.

Withdrawing – try to do this at a water stop. There are support vehicles to get you to Beauly.

Affric to Fasnakyle and Beauly Toll junction – please note the safety warning at the start of the bulletin

Final cross over – be aware of traffic around you and obey the Police Officer marshalling to cross-over!

Why we make the day happen

Highland Cross exists to provide a unique crossing of Highland Scotland and most importantly generate funds for Highland Charities that seek to improve the medical and social well-being of folk in the Highlands.

That is why you have committed to the £500 per team minimum pledge. It is fantastic to see so much fundraising activity going on through online pages and we know that teams are holding fundraising events to boost their contribution. Thank you for that commitment and please continue it for as long as possible - the five excellent causes nominated this year need our help.

Please follow the page for information and updates on the event 

Notes to Team owners/contacts

Safety Warning

Junction between the Strathglass road (A 831) and the road to Beauly (A 862) at Lovat Bridge

During a route survey it was identified that there are rough road surface conditions at the bend where you leave the Strathglass road and join the Inverness to Beauly road for the last mile into Beauly.  Participants must anticipate this area and ride with appropriate caution.  Remember the road at this stage is open to normal traffic - you do not have priority and vehicles may be coming towards you on the uphill carriageway.

The bend is at Grid Reference 514 449 on OS Sheet 26

We are having discussions with Highland Council who have already repaired the area but the damage has re-appeared. We will keep participants updated as we receive more information.

Bus Transport

We carefully order the correct number of buses according to the bookings that YOU have made.

On the day, please stick to the booking that you have made.  If you need to change bus bookings – changes can be made through the SiEntries website up until 17.00hrs on Monday 17^th June.    If you need to change later, please email us on info@highlandcross.co.uk

Morvich “Breakfast Bar”

We are delighted to be able to announce that Loch Duich School Pupils and Parents will once again be running their famous Breakfast Bar before the Start at Morvich!  This is fast becoming a Highland Cross institution and participants are reminded to pack some cash if they want to fill up on calories before the Start.  Funds raised go directly to the School Fund.

Transport of gear from Morvich to Beauly

There is a Bag Van at Morvich which will take surplus gear from the Start to Beauly.  Gear should be packed in a waterproof bag marked with your individual participant’s number on a waterproof label.  It is recommended that you put another label with your number inside the bag.  The baggage will go to the open air baggage pound behind the Phipps Hall in Beauly for collection after the event.  There is no weather protection to this Pound area so please use a waterproof bag and label!

Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance…

With just over one week to go to the Cross, whether you are an athlete going for a record or a “get acrosser”, you will be in your final preparations.

Fuel and Drink

By now you should know what works for you in terms of taking on fuel and drink in the days leading up to the event on the day itself. Every individual has different needs in this respect – we will provide water and Isostar rehydration fluid along the route. Use these as YOU know your body needs.

Consider what food you are going to take with you on the day and send up with your bike and bag to the “Change-over” area at Affric.  We have had a number of incidents where cyclists simply fall off their bikes or cycle off the road in the area after Fasnakyle Brae.  The folk we have spoken to believed that they were hydrating well on the way across but perhaps they had not eaten enough.  Please think about what you are going to eat – energy gels etc give a quick boost but for the long haul your body may need something more substantial with more complex carbohydrates.  Bananas, cheese sandwiches, heavy duty cereal bars all seem to feature on the menu in the Quarry! Know the fuel that YOU will need and send it to the Quarry in your change-over bag.

Your bicycle

Please ensure that you have a fully functioning cycle and have the spares and tools that YOU can use to make necessary repairs or to deal with a puncture at any point on the cycle section.

Your change-over gear – protect it in a waterproof bag

Gear being sent to the Quarry with your bike must be packed in a waterproof bag – we suggest that you use a dry-bag.   If not, make sure that you have used waterproof liners inside your gear bag.

Gear going to the Quarry including your cycle helmet and any cycle computers must NOT be attached to your bike and must be in a separate bag which will go in a bag van to the Quarry.

Arriving at the Quarry to get into fresh cycling gear that is dry and ready to go is far preferable to the alternative of wet gear.  Prepare your kit bag for the change-over and for the Finish and you will reap the benefit.

Remember both the change-over in the Quarry and the Finish bag compound are open to the elements and we cannot protect your gear.

Make sure that all your baggage has a waterproof label with your unique event number attached to it and another label with your name and number inside it as a backup.

Substitution arrangements

If you need to withdraw for any reason a substitute entry can be made for a replacement participant for your team through SiEntries up until 17.00hrs on Monday 17^th June.   The rules governing substitution are in your information booklet and on the front page and FAQs section of the event website.

Making it happen safely

We have constructed a Safety Net to support you along the route but the most important person in the safety Net is YOU!

As a minimum, Highland Cross Organisers expect every participant to carry with them at all times during the event the following:

In the interests of your own safety we expect that all participants will carry the recommended safety equipment on the day.