Right in the middle of Tiree Wave Classic week is the Adventure Race from Tiree to Coll – run yesterday (14th October). It’s a sort of triathlon, starting with a run, then a windsurf over to Coll and finally a bike ride on the course of the Coll Half Marathon. Taxing or what?

Anyway – that was the plan but, like yesterday. although the sunshine island lived up to its name, the wind stayed home.

The run was no problem – three miles on wet sand out and back on Crossapol beach. One of the cameramen at the event stood in for Timo Mullen who’s nursing the aftermath of a knee operation. The stand-in, would you believe, just pipped Will Wright from Tiree into second place.

Will bikes, runs, windsurfs and teaches it to young Tiree rookies. He’s also married to Becky, who runs her firm Rebecca Wright Jewellery from Tiree and is half of seductive island shop, Chocolates and Charms. Becky was one of the final three on the shortlist for the Argyll 2009 Yong Entrepreneur of the Year, run by the Princes Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT). (This was won by Philip Price of LIch Visions – a wildlife photography business on Loch Awe.)

Anyway – on to the windsurfing leg of the Adventure Race – or not. John HIbbard, Alan Jackson and Rich Jones were the hot tips and the three of them with seven others were in the line up. BIg kit was the order of the day – virtually no wind so daggerboards, 8 metre sails and Konas.

They did a couple of short races:

• about a mile out to an offshore boat and back, won by Alan Jackson
• two miles or so from Crossapol to Gott Bay, won by Simon Brook.

Nobody could plane so the big boards were way out front.

Last heard and with so little wind, the event organisers were talking about taking the competitors over to Coll by boat. While this wasn’t the plan, it may be the only option. They and Coll are expecting the 11 mile mountain bike ride around Coll’s Haf Marathon track. We’ll let you know the final result as soon as we have it. The after-party in Coll last night clearly stopped our reporter in his tracks.

Good news for the event, though, It fits perfectly into Tiree Wave Classic Week and the pros like the format. They’re planning to train properly for it next year  and will bring the appropriate big kit with them. This pone should – literally – run and run.