The night before launch

By Dan Wedgwood

Aaaaaand, they're almost off!

2009 Mongol Derby veteran and now full-time Adventurist Katy Willings spoke to some of the brave and hardy souls about to embark on this year's event during the evening's feasting and entertainments, sharing some ales and tales around a roaring campfire.

As the sun sets on a final glorious day of Pre-Race training, riders continue to perfect their race strategies, jettison equipment from their precious luggage allowance, and get their equine adventuring ducks in a row in preparation for the weigh-in and the long-anticipated start gun tomorrow morning, Saturday August 7th. Only a solemn blessing and a final plea from the medics to be careful- "or else you'll wake up in Seoul"- stand between our sixteen brave riders and 1000kms of magnificent Mongolian wilderness.

Plucky Sophie de Selliers has resolved her underwear dilemma, to the relief of all. Praise be, she will be clad in the champion underpants of none other than 2009 Derby Victor Charles van Wyk, who is our photographer in the field for this year's event. Apparently, they feel "fantastic". What, I wondered, was Charles getting in return? Sophie's padded jodhpurs! Pictures of Charles in said garment to follow just as soon as we can procure some in an underhand manner.

All have been delighted and suprised by the luxury and hospitality at the start camp, near the ruins of the ancient capital of Kharkhorin, where rumour has it chips have been served, hot showers taken and mattresses slept on. The riders will be shaken from this indulgent stupor once they have mounted tomorrow morning, but for their final day clasped to the collective Adventurists Bosom (Mongolia branch) all stops were pulled out to show them a good time. Said dual Olympian Madonna Harris of the afternoon's entertainments, which included traditional Mongolian throat singers, acrobats, mounted archers, and a mini-Naadam-style horse race, "they gave me goosebumps. It was so special". Alexandra van Heeren added, "whilst we were watching the throat singers perform, the herdsmen were moving 20-30 horses. We were totally transfixed, it was like visiting another time. It was deeply moving".

When asked how the riders are feeling on the eve of this magnificent challenge, there was a variety of responses. Some were un-nerved by a rather sobering medical briefing this morning; Camilla Swift admitted she had not expected to be told how to re-set a femur, and found herself absent-mindedly fondling the "Medical Emergency" button on her satellite tracker throughout the afternoon. Others were still scratching their heads as to what to bring with them on their 1000kms odyssey. For Anna Bradbury, this was one conundrum she was spared, given that her luggage is still somewhere in Beijing, leaving her an unwitting poster-girl for the merits of travelling light. Time, and the SPOT trackers, will reveal how fortuitous this may be.

Richard Dyer was tempted in the current gleaming sunshine to ditch much of his clothing, though he ruefully admitted to feeling the chill of the Mongolian nights, which may require a rather closer relationship with his steeds than he had initially envisaged. Whilst several riders have descried their equine partners as "cute", none so far have dared to deem them "cuddly", and Richard's success in sharing body heat with his horses is sure to be the subject of fierce speculation.

Riders have drawn horses for tomorrow's opening leg, with South Africa's Saskia van Heeren, a returnee from the inaugural Mongol Derby in 2009, delighted with her "strapping" mount for the morning. Absenting herself from the draw for a lavatory break, something she didn't have much luck with last year, her sister and fellow rider Alex drew on her behalf. Drawn on 'lucky for some' Number 13, or 'Mr T' in homage to the mohawk haircut so popular among the Mongolian horses, is Sophie de Selliers of Belgium. Once they have thundered off the start, riders will select horses based on their own judgement, with faster riders having a wider selection of horses to choose from, adding a fascinating tactical element to the adventure. Especially given the remarkable diversity in the appearance of the horses. Madonna Harris commented that she had ridden three very different types of horse in the three days on Pre-Race Training, and was still non-plussed as to what constituted a fast horse.

Official Launch from Kharkhorin tomorrow!

Under the tutelage of the Adventurists team and our esteemed pre-race trainer Maggie Pattinson, all seem to have mastered the dark art of at least switching on their GPS machines. Susi Saddler confessed to being "bemused" by the welcome message, "Hello, Sex Kitten", which displays prominently on her handset every time she switches it on, but she is taking this as a good omen, and has been blessed with three excellent mounts during training.

Miss Ants, Commander-in-Chief of the Derby staff, pronounced herself to be quite satisfied with the opening engagements between man and beast, and filled with confidence for the epic days to follow.

Tally ho!.

Report filed by Miss Kate Willings, Head of Equitation and Tack Cleaning, The Adventurists, from Bristol, UK.

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They are clearly bonkers. I won't be getting on any horses...especially after seeing this lot in action. 

Anna Crossley, one of the Prometheus Medical Team providing top-notch back-up, and a healthy dose of scepticism, for our riders

I'm terrified! I'll be wearing the 2009 winner's pants, at least.

Sophie de Selliers, ex-commando

 

I've had to jettison all of my food. I am intending to smuggle a pot of peanut butter down my jods for the weigh-in

Camilla Swift, furtive calorie-hoarder

Pre-Race Training has been very helpful, but it's still a case of 'suck it and see'. I'd like to get 2 or 3 urtuus under my belt tomorrow.

Richard Dyer...quietly competitive?