All participants arrived safe and sound in Phuket on Sunday, marking the beginning of the Accor Race to Survive Phuket 2010. Warm welcomes greeted them at the Mercure Phuket Patong from the hotel team and ushered them straight into a safety and event briefing, followed by a dinner at the hotel where “carbo loading” was the order of the day.

In total 23 teams and 92 racers from 13 countries made the trip to Phuket. The impressive turnout was even more so given how hard they worked to get here. The fund raising efforts have been amazing, with most teams raising more than the US$7,000, the minimum required to reach the starting line.

This morning saw the ‘Accor Race to Survive Phuket 2010’ get off to a scorching hot start! All racers made it to the beginning of the course nice and early to find the first run leg was to be in 36 degree temperatures and 98 % humidity! Regardless smiles were abound as the race got off prematurely, with a honk on a bull horn from a overly excited marshal.

Soon after the start, Kung Fu Pandas team quickly disposed of their Panda Bear back packs to ensure they retained their aero dynamics for race competitiveness.

The racers headed along the Patong Beach foreshore before tackling the first climb up past the Novotel and following the beach to the halfway turning point some 3.25km away. The hot conditions brought out the team spirit with fellow participants slowing to encourage those that were finding the going tough.

All were very happy to soon after dive in the turquoise blue Andaman Sea for a 1.25 kilometre swim before collapsing in the shallows. While the leaders caught their breath, they were able to take in the amazing conditions that were bestowed upon them for the first day, with a glassy ocean and only disturbed by the swimmers and the occasional European Paraglider dangling overhead.

As the plunged into the waters some were seen to be entering the water with Bolle Sunglasses rather than Speedo swimming goggles, clearly indicating a little less intense competitiveness during this leg. All swimmers managed to get around the course with all limbs intact and even those sporting life vests made it to the beach finish line.

After a tasty box lunch of fried rice and boiled eggs, came the biggest challenge of the day: a 25-kilometre bike ride through the sweltering mosquito infested rubber plantations of the island’s centre. This part of Phuket is extremely hilly with racers either going up hill or down hill and offering little respite to re-energise. This leg was not without spills, with Benedicte Cacciola of the Fysical Fiscals team taking a fall enroute. The brave participant picked herself up, dusted herself off and finished the ride before seeking attention from the ambulance that tracked the group all day.

Things got rougher at the end of the first days racing when racers arrived to build camp on an island in the middle of Nai Harn Lake. The tents went up with rather much amusement and confusion and foam mattresses unrolled, smelly socks hung to dry and some personal time found with ipod’s.

After a hearty dinner provided by All Seasons Nai Harn most were wondering why they are in tents when the gaze back across the lake too the beautiful all seasons Nai Harn, ‘but its all for the kids’ said Paul Stevens – Accor Race to Survive Phuket 2010 Event Director. Most are sure to turn in early to rest up for another hard day of activity on Tuesday.

When asked how he chose his rather unfashionable swimming attire, Clinton Lovell, General Manager of Mercure Samui Buri Resort commented “I live on a tropical island and don’t usually have to think about what to wear to swim in the ocean, I just grabbed the first pair of bathers at the top of the pile!”

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