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MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1993
GURKHAS TAKE UP EVEREST CHALLENGE
SIX MEMBERS OF THE BRIGADE OF GURKHAS WILL SET
THE
OUT FOR NEPAL FOURTH EVEREST MARATHON
ON THURSDAY ( (OCTOBER 7) TO PREPARE FOR SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 26.
IN THE PREVIOUS THREE
GURKHAS FROM HONG KONG HAVE DONE WELL EVEREST MARATHONS WHICH HAVE BEEN HELD EVERY OTHER YEAR SINCE 1987.
IN 1989 THEY TOOK
FIVE OF THE
FIRST 10 PLACES, INCLUDING SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH AND IN 1991 AGAIN CLAIMED THE MAJOR PLACINGS, ALTHOUGH OUTRIGHT VICTORY STILL ELUDES THEM.
THIS YEAR'S TEAM COMPRISES TWO BRITISH SOLDIERS TO THE BRIGADE OF GURKHAS AND FOUR GURKHAS.
ON ATTACHMENT
THE RACE
COURSE IS A
STANDARD MARATHON
DISTANCE
BUT
THE
SCENERY EN ROUTE IS RATHER MORE THAN MOST MARATHONS CAN OFFER.
FROM THE START AT GORAK SHEP (17,000 FEET) AT THE FOOT
MOUNTAIN, COMPETITORS HIGHEST
FOLLOW
WORLD'S NAMCHE BAZAAR NEARLY 6,000 FEET LOWER.
OF THE MOUNTAIN TRAILS TO
AN EVENT STOMACH CRAMPS AND
A HIGH LEVEL OF FITNESS AND STAMINA IS ESSENTIAL FOR WHICH INVOLVES SUCH HAZARDS AS ALTITUDE SICKNESS, KNEE STRAIN.
HONG KONG AND IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT THE TEAM ARE LEAVING
THE RACE, SO THAT SIX WEEKS BEFORE
THEY CAN
AT TRAIN PROPERLY PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR ALTITUDE AND
PROBABLY THE MOST GRUELLING
MARATHON IN THE WORLD.
THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE 1993 EVENT HAS ONLY
FROM A NUMBER OF
BEEN POSSIBLE, SPORTS EQUIPMENT
THANKS TO GENEROUS SPONSORSHIP SUPPLIERS, MOST NOTABLY REEBOK WHO HAVE KITTED THEM OUT WITH ALL THEIR
AND NIKKO (HK) LTD WHO TRAINING AND RUNNING GEAR, RUCKSACKS AND OTHER ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT.
HAVE PROVIDED
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NOTE TO EDITORS:
1993 GURKHA EVEREST THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THE
CENTRAL MARATHON TEAM AT HQ BRITISH FORCES, PRINCE OF WALES BARRACKS, AT 3 PM TOMORROW (TUESDAY) BEFORE THEY LEAVE FOR NEPAL.
MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD ARRIVE AT THE OF WALES BARRACKS, BY 2.45 PM.
MAIN GATE,
PRINCE
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MAJOR SPONSORS WILL ALSO ATTEND.
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