Shirley : Yukon Ultra Day 3 Update

Luke's most recent report from Yukon Arctic Ultra 2004 makes it clear just how hard it has been for the competitors out on the course. To hear it, click below. The environment, and particularly the cold of course, which dropped to -30 at one stage, has made it an extremely tough challenge.

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Shirley Thompson retired from the race as the conditions worsened and the temperature dropped. She and a number of others were picked up by snowmobile and taken off the course during the second night.

"My experience gave me quite a scare, and had I been out on my own I doubt I would be around to tell the tale today. I really feel for everyone that's still out there. There are still 10 or 11 people who are still out on the 100 mile course. I doubt that they will be getting in till either very late tonight or in the early hours of tomorrow morning.‚"

Jacqui Kaufmann, who completed the 100 mile course last year is out there, as is David Hoile, Paul Pringle, Angela Ngamkam and Edgar Kluge and a Dutch runner.

On a cheerier note, the 100 mile course has now finished and has been won by Ray Zahab from Canada. In second place was Andrew Elder from the UK.

Hear the full audio commentary from Shirley here (Shirley-Day3.wav - 525k)