A field of 68 participants from fifteen countries started the 22nd annual international Himalayan 100 Mile Stage Race, which took place near Darjeeling, India, on some of the most spectacular terrain in the world. The course offered views of many major Himalayan peaks, and traversed isolated jungles, pine forests, and major rivers while passing through small settlements and villages. Yaks, wild ponies, and the red panda were seen at higher elevations by some runners. At each overnight stop, meals were fully catered and accommodations were in rustic mountain huts.
The first stage started in Manebhanjang and covered 24 miles on trails to Sandakphu
(12,000 feet). It was not an easy day, as the route had over 10,000 feet of
altitude gain. Day two was out ten miles on trails to Molle and then back to
Sandakphu with spectacular views of Mt. Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, and
Makalu
(four of the five highest peaks in the world). The third stage of 26 miles was
out past Molle and then down to Rimbik (6,000 feet) on trails. Days four and
five were 13 miles and 17 miles respectively, both on rural roads.
Mr. Kevin Michael Weil (USA) won the 22nd International Himalayan 100 Mile Stage Race with an overall time of 16 Hrs. 17 Min. got the privilege to receive the Sant Nagpal Baba Memorial Gold Award with the first prize. The second and third positions were won by Mr. Rupert Fowler (UK) with time of 17 Hrs. 24 Min. and Mr. Holger Schulze (Germany) with time of 18 Hrs. 49 Min. respectively. Among the females, Ms. Elizabeth Weil (USA) with an overall time of 18 Hrs. 47 Min. won the first prize. The second position won by Ms. Rachel Carter (New Zealand) with a time of 20 Hrs. 28 Min. and Ms. Kimberly Fordham (USA) with a time of 22 Hrs. 09 Min. was declared as third winner.
The 23rd international annual Himalayan 100 Mile Stage Race is scheduled to be held during October 25 - November 01, 2013 (Eight Days / Seven Nights and from Bagdogra airport to Bagdogra airport).
Linda Van Tilborg
adds:
C. S. Pandey. and crew put on a first-class run over some of the most beautiful trails I have ever seen. My expectations and the reality of it all were far apart in some areas and close to the mark in others.
I expected the race to be difficult; I didn't expect the difficulty to be mitigated by the views. Somehow, even when you're nauseated and tired, the magnificence of the course buoys you up and makes you glad you're there.
I expected "cobblestones" to mean rounded rocks set into the tread of the road. What we got were long, rough-edged rocks set end-up into the road tread -- a more grippable surface and less slippery than anticipated (except in the riparian areas the first day, when we got patches of ice-covered cobbles). What we also got from the cobblestones was at least 30 miles of cobble-practice with some of it starting right off on the first day.
Then them was the expectation of seeing nothing in the way of vegetation above treeline. maybe 11,000 feet, like in the States, Well, there was plenty of vegetation up there. grasses. mosses, fir-type trees, hardwoods at 12.000 feet.
I expected to need supplemental oxygen up there. but no-o-o-o. the aid stations only had English tea biscuits, native bananas, and mineral water. Actually, the air was very breathable up there. (Had I spent enough time training at altitude in the States or was I just going too slowly?)
I expected to run more than I did. I am not surprised, though,
that I walked probably two-thirds of the course. Those hills were steep -- I
even walked a good deal of the downhills!
I expected to eat like a horse -- Lord knows there was enough delicious food supplied by Mr. Pandey's crews -- but no-o-o-o again, it was all I could do to cram down enough to fuel the machine for the next day's stage! Altitude, they say, does nasty things to one's appetite, and just when I had an excellent excuse to pig-out, I couldn't really take advantage of it.
I expected to be an "Ugly American" over there. Not at all! The village people we came in contact with -- I never greeted so many people while running in my life -- were gracious and excited, and the children loved to run alongside. We were welcomed and cheered everywhere we went.
I expected to be thrilled and exhilarated if I could finish the event on my feet, healthy, and uninjured (I tend to fall a lot). And I was. Do this one if you get a chance!
| HIMALAYAN 100 MILE STAGE RACE - 2012 :: TIME CHART | |||||||
| OCTOBER 29 - NOVEMBER 02, 2012 | |||||||
| RACE FINISH RATE - 89.70% | |||||||
| Sl. | Pax Name | Cntry | M/F | # ID | Age | Activity | Total |
| Hrs / Mints. | |||||||
| 1 | KEVIN MICHAEL WEIL | USA | M | 74 | 28 | RUN | 16:17:00 |
| 2 | RUPERT FOWLER | UK | M | 89 | 25 | RUN | 17:24:00 |
| 3 | ELIZABETH BAILEY WEIL | USA | F | 75 | 29 | RUN | 18:47:00 |
| 4 | HOLGER SCHULZE | GERMANY | M | 65 | 44 | RUN | 18:49:00 |
| 5 | LEROY BERTRAND KEELY | USA | M | 77 | 55 | RUN | 19:14:00 |
| 6 | WILLIAM ROBERT TOD FAIRBAIRN | N.ZEALAND | M | 103 | 33 | RUN | 19:26:00 |
| 7 | RICHARD JAMES VERCOE | UK | M | 108 | 41 | RUN | 19:58:00 |
| 8 | LOUIS HOLTZHAUSEN | S.A | M | 91 | 32 | RUN | 20:04:00 |
| 9 | CHRISTOPHER GEORGE VALDUS | UK | M | 113 | 36 | RUN | 20:13:00 |
| 10 | RACHEL CARTER | N.ZEALAND | F | 83 | 38 | RUN | 20:28:00 |
| 11 | TRISTAN HEYWOOD | UK | M | 61 | 33 | RUN | 21:11:00 |
| 12 | KIMBERLY FORDHAM | USA | F | 67 | 34 | RUN | 22:09:00 |
| 13 | GERALD ANGUS | SCOTLAND | M | 66 | 49 | RUN | 22:09:00 |
| 14 | SUZANNE JANE GARNEY | USA | F | 109 | 52 | RUN | 22:16:00 |
| 15 | TOSH DILEN KARA | UK | M | 85 | 36 | RUN | 22:27:00 |
| 16 | LOUISE PROVAN | UK | F | 73 | 35 | RUN | 23:19:00 |
| 17 | SHANE PATRICK JAMES | AUSTRALIA | M | 126 | 44 | RUN | 25:09:00 |
| 18 | PAULA MITCHELL | UK | F | 107 | 48 | RUN | 26:11:00 |
| 19 | SUSAN C BREEDEN | USA | F | 106 | 55 | RUN | 26:21:00 |
| 20 | PATRICIA WOODS | CANADA | F | 90 | 53 | RUN | 26:48:00 |
| 21 | DANIEL ROBERT FORD | UK | M | 119 | 36 | RUN | 26:48:00 |
| 22 | MARETHA JANSE VAN RENSBURG | S.AFRICA | F | 64 | 44 | RUN | 27:04:00 |
| 23 | RICHARD JAMES HOPE | AUSTRALIA | M | 125 | 36 | RUN | 27:56:00 |
| 24 | MIKE NUTTALL | USA | M | 69 | 63 | RUN | 28:42:00 |
| 25 | IAN DAVID MOORE | UK | M | 116 | 50 | RUN | 28:51:00 |
| 26 | JINENDRA JAIN | INDIA | M | 71 | 42 | RUN | 28:54:00 |
| 27 | KATI BELL | USA | F | 76 | 47 | RUN | 29:32:00 |
| 28 | PATRICK SINGH | CANADA | M | 81 | 53 | RUN | 29:43:00 |
| 29 | ANAND K. RAMTAHAL | USA | M | 82 | 54 | RUN | 29:43:00 |
| 30 | ADAM ALEXANDER HARVEY | UK | M | 72 | 32 | RUN | 30:12:00 |
| 31 | CHRISTOPHER PAUL BENT | UK | M | 121 | 66 | RUN | 30:15:00 |
| 32 | LEIGH JAYNE CLARKE | UK | F | 117 | 39 | RUN | 30:18:00 |
| 33 | JAMES MARSHALL MORRISON | UK | M | 114 | 60 | RUN | 30:31:00 |
| 34 | ANGELA MARY BENT | UK | F | 122 | 59 | RUN | 30:52:00 |
| 35 | KELLY VICTORIA THORN | UK | F | 78 | 37 | RUN | 30:58:00 |
| 36 | LOUIS HENDRIK HOLTZHAUSEN | S.A | M | 93 | 56 | RUN | 31:00:00 |
| 37 | ALAN ANTHONY YOUNG | UK | M | 118 | 52 | RUN | 31:14:00 |
| 38 | HELEN PATRICIA NEARY | UK | F | 115 | 61 | RUN | 31:52:00 |
| 39 | PETER JAMES SATCHELL | UK | M | 62 | 53 | RUN | 31:54:00 |
| 40 | HILARY EWART | UK | F | 105 | 47 | RUN | 32:17:00 |
| 41 | LISHE MARY ESTHER O'KIELY | CANADA | F | 99 | 54 | RUN | 32:17:00 |
| 42 | ELIZABETH JUNE TOD | CANADA | F | 100 | 54 | RUN | 32:17:00 |
| 43 | WYNAND JACOBUS BEZUIDENHOUT | S.A | M | 95 | 58 | RUN | 32:56:00 |
| 44 | CELESTE LIEBENBERG | S.A | F | 92 | 32 | RUN | 34:54:00 |
| 45 | EMMA KAY HINCHLIFFE | UK | F | 120 | 44 | RUN | 36:24:00 |
| 46 | CATHERINE ELIZABETH BURKE | UK | F | 112 | 51 | RUN | 37:30:00 |
| 47 | PATRICK JASON TOROSIAN | USA | M | 79 | 44 | RUN | 37:40:00 |
| 48 | MANOJ HAVERI | INDIA | M | 87 | 46 | RUN | 40:01:00 |
| 49 | CATHERINE MARIE CULNANE | USA | F | 80 | 50 | RUN | 41:08:00 |
| 50 | VITTORIO DE BENEDETTI | ITALY | M | 84 | 73 | RUN | 41:15:00 |
| 51 | DR. NEERAJ JAIN | INDIA | M | 58 | 58 | RUN | 45:45:00 |
| 52 | KATHERINE HAY HEDDLE | UK | F | 102 | 38 | WALK | - |
| 53 | ANNE MARIE DUNHILL | FRANCE | F | 132 | 49 | WALK | - |
| 54 | DIANE P. KOCH | USA | F | 131 | 51 | WALK | - |
| 55 | SUSANNA WILHELMINA DU PLESSIS | S.A | F | 94 | 53 | WALK | - |
| 56 | JUAN CARLOS CASTILLO GIL | EQUADORA | M | 128 | 46 | WALK | - |
| 57 | CARLOS W. ALBERTONI | ARGENTINA | M | 129 | 47 | WALK | - |
| 58 | DANIEL JAMES KANE | USA | M | 110 | 52 | WALK | - |
| 59 | ADAM SULLIVAN BEAN | USA | M | 130 | 52 | WALK | - |
| 60 | MARTIN JOHN BURKE | UK | M | 111 | 56 | WALK | - |
| 61 | TEERSKE BEZUIDENHOUT | S.A | F | 96 | 55 | WALK | - |
| 62 | SARAH REARDON | UK | F | 63 | 51 | RUN | DNF |
| 63 | THEO GATES FLEMING | UK | M | 68 | 20 | RUN | DNF |
| 64 | VANESSA THOMAS | UK | F | 70 | 32 | RUN | DNF |
| 65 | AJAY KHANDELWAL | UK | M | 86 | 40 | RUN | DNF |
| 66 | BONNIE OVERTON | USA | F | 88 | 37 | RUN | DNF |
| 67 | JAMES COCKBURN | UK | M | 123 | 47 | RUN | DNF |
| 68 | TRACY ANNE LYNCH | UK | F | 124 | 34 | RUN | DNF |
| MT. EVEREST CHALLENGE MARATHON - 2012 | |||||||
| OCTOBER 31, 2012 (WEDNESDAY) | |||||||
| FINISH RATE - 100% | |||||||
| Sl. | Pax Name | Cntry | M/F | # ID | Age | Activity | Total Hrs |
| 1 | KEVIN MICHAEL WEIL | USA | M | 74 | 28 | RUN | 4:30:00 |
| 2 | RUPERT FOWLER | UK | M | 89 | 25 | RUN | 4:55:00 |
| 3 | RICHARD JAMES VERCOE | UK | M | 108 | 41 | RUN | 5:12:00 |
| 4 | HOLGER SCHULZE | GERMANY | M | 65 | 44 | RUN | 5:30:00 |
| 5 | ELIZABETH BAILEY WEIL | USA | F | 75 | 29 | RUN | 5:33:00 |
| 6 | WILLIAM ROBERT TOD FAIRBAIRN | N.ZEALAND | M | 103 | 33 | RUN | 5:41:00 |
| 7 | LEROY BERTRAND KEELY | USA | M | 77 | 55 | RUN | 6:01:00 |
| 8 | CHRISTOPHER GEORGE VALDUS | UK | M | 113 | 36 | RUN | 6:02:00 |
| 9 | RACHEL CARTER | N.ZEALAND | F | 83 | 38 | RUN | 6:13:00 |
| 10 | TOSH DILEN KARA | UK | M | 85 | 36 | RUN | 6:28:00 |
| 11 | TRISTAN HEYWOOD | UK | M | 61 | 33 | RUN | 6:28:00 |
| 12 | KIMBERLY FORDHAM | USA | F | 67 | 34 | RUN | 6:35:00 |
| 13 | GERALD ANGUS | SCOTLAND | M | 66 | 49 | RUN | 6:35:00 |
| 14 | SUZANNE JANE GARNEY | USA | F | 109 | 52 | RUN | 6:49:00 |
| 15 | SHANE PATRICK JAMES | AUSTRALIA | M | 126 | 44 | RUN | 7:19:00 |
| 16 | LOUIS HOLTZHAUSEN | S.A | M | 91 | 32 | RUN | 7:29:00 |
| 17 | LOUISE PROVAN | UK | F | 73 | 35 | RUN | 7:31:00 |
| 18 | PAULA MITCHELL | UK | F | 107 | 48 | RUN | 7:32:00 |
| 19 | DANIEL ROBERT FORD | UK | M | 119 | 36 | RUN | 8:04:00 |
| 20 | PATRICIA WOODS | CANADA | F | 90 | 53 | RUN | 8:11:00 |
| 21 | SUSAN C BREEDEN | USA | F | 106 | 55 | RUN | 8:12:00 |
| 22 | CHRISTOPHER PAUL BENT | UK | M | 121 | 66 | RUN | 8:12:00 |
| 23 | JAMES MARSHALL MORRISON | UK | M | 114 | 60 | RUN | 8:24:00 |
| 24 | ADAM ALEXANDER HARVEY | UK | M | 72 | 32 | RUN | 8:40:00 |
| 25 | PATRICK SINGH | CANADA | M | 81 | 53 | RUN | 8:51:00 |
| 26 | ANAND K. RAMTAHAL | USA | M | 82 | 54 | RUN | 8:51:00 |
| 27 | RICHARD JAMES HOPE | AUSTRALIA | M | 125 | 36 | WALK | 8:53:00 |
| 28 | ALAN ANTHONY YOUNG | UK | M | 118 | 52 | RUN | 8:54:00 |
| 29 | MARETHA JANSE VAN RENSBURG | S.AFRICA | F | 64 | 44 | RUN | 8:55:00 |
| 30 | ANGELA MARY BENT | UK | F | 122 | 59 | RUN | 8:55:00 |
| 31 | LEIGH JAYNE CLARKE | UK | F | 117 | 39 | RUN | 9:02:00 |
| 32 | IAN DAVID MOORE | UK | M | 116 | 50 | RUN | 9:02:00 |
| 33 | KATI BELL | USA | F | 76 | 47 | RUN | 9:29:00 |
| 34 | MIKE NUTTALL | USA | M | 69 | 63 | RUN | 9:29:00 |
| 35 | HILARY EWART | UK | F | 105 | 47 | RUN | 9:34:00 |
| 36 | LISHE MARY ESTHER O'KIELY | CANADA | F | 99 | 54 | RUN | 9:34:00 |
| 37 | ELIZABETH JUNE TOD | CANADA | F | 100 | 54 | RUN | 9:34:00 |
| 38 | CELESTE LIEBENBERG | S.A | F | 92 | 32 | RUN | 9:36:00 |
| 39 | LOUIS HENDRIK HOLTZHAUSEN | S.A | M | 93 | 56 | RUN | 9:36:00 |
| 40 | WYNAND JACOBUS BEZUIDENHOUT | S.A | M | 95 | 58 | RUN | 9:36:00 |
| 41 | JINENDRA JAIN | INDIA | M | 71 | 42 | RUN | 9:50:00 |
| 42 | KELLY VICTORIA THORN | UK | F | 78 | 37 | RUN | 9:53:00 |
| 43 | HELEN PATRICIA NEARY | UK | F | 115 | 61 | RUN | 10:09:00 |
| 44 | SARAH REARDON | UK | F | 63 | 51 | RUN | 10:10:00 |
| 45 | PETER JAMES SATCHELL | UK | M | 62 | 53 | RUN | 10:10:00 |
| 46 | AJAY KHANDELWAL | UK | M | 86 | 40 | RUN | 10:58:00 |
| 47 | CATHERINE ELIZABETH BURKE | UK | F | 112 | 51 | RUN | 11:15:00 |
| 48 | BONNIE OVERTON | USA | F | 88 | 37 | RUN | 11:45:00 |
| 49 | KATHERINE HAY HEDDLE | UK | F | 102 | 38 | RUN | 11:45:00 |
| 50 | EMMA KAY HINCHLIFFE | UK | F | 120 | 44 | RUN | 12:24:00 |
| 51 | VANESSA THOMAS | UK | F | 70 | 32 | RUN | 12:27:00 |
| 52 | THEO GATES FLEMING | UK | M | 68 | 20 | RUN | 12:27:00 |
| 53 | VITTORIO DE BENEDETTI | ITALY | M | 84 | 73 | RUN | 13:14:00 |
| 54 | CATHERINE MARIE CULNANE | USA | F | 80 | 50 | RUN | 13:31:00 |
| 55 | PATRICK JASON TOROSIAN | USA | M | 79 | 44 | RUN | 13:31:00 |
| 56 | MANOJ HAVERI | INDIA | M | 87 | 46 | RUN | 13:54:00 |
| 57 | DR. NEERAJ JAIN | INDIA | M | 133 | 58 | RUN | 13:54:00 |
| 58 | ANNE MARIE DUNHILL | FRANCE | F | 132 | 49 | WALK | - |
| 59 | DIANE P. KOCH | USA | F | 131 | 51 | WALK | - |
| 60 | SUSANNA WILHELMINA DU PLESSIS | S.A | F | 94 | 53 | WALK | - |
| 61 | TEERSKE BEZUIDENHOUT | S.A | F | 96 | 55 | WALK | - |
| 62 | JUAN CARLOS CASTILLO GIL | EQUADORA | M | 128 | 46 | WALK | - |
| 63 | JAMES COCKBURN | UK | M | 123 | 47 | WALK | - |
| 64 | CARLOS W. ALBERTONI | ARGENTINA | M | 129 | 47 | WALK | - |
| 65 | ADAM SULLIVAN BEAN | USA | M | 130 | 52 | WALK | - |
| 66 | MARTIN JOHN BURKE | UK | M | 111 | 56 | WALK | - |
| 67 | TRACY ANNE LYNCH | UK | F | 124 | 34 | WALK | - |
| 68 | DANIEL JAMES KANE | USA | M | 110 | 52 | WALK | - |