All puffed out in Strathpeffer

The Bunion Boys, Pinky and Perky and The Puff Daddies may sound like something from the movies but if you go down to the woods near Strathpeffer this weekend (14th-15th January) you're in for a big surprise.

That is because they are some of the 100 teams taking part in the first ever 'Strathpuffer 24' - a 24-hour mountain bike race for solo riders and teams of two and four.

The endurance event which has been set up with financial assistance from Ross and Cromarty Enterprise (RACE) takes place at Contin, near the pretty spa town of Strathpeffer just north of Inverness.

Event organiser Alasdair Lawton said: "We have received entries from far and wide for this inaugural event. As well as several local riders and teams, there is a healthy number of entries from all over Scotland and other parts of the country.

"Endurance events like this are becoming quite popular around the UK in the summer time, but holding this event in the middle of winter when there is a real shortage of daylight hours adds another dimension to the race.

"This is a joint effort with many local people helping bring this event together. We are really looking forward to it and hope everyone has a great time here in the Scottish Highlands."

The 11km course which is made up of challenging single track and double track trails will mean competitors riding for around 17 hours of the total 24 hours in complete darkness although they will be using powerful lighting systems.

Some individuals are taking the 24-hour event on as solo riders whilst others are in teams where individual members share the amount of time they are in the saddle for.

The event is also being recorded by BBC Scotland's Adventure Show which will be televised at a future date. The show's hosts, which include TV presenter Dougie Vipond, have also entered a team in the event.

The estimated £16,000 costs of running the event include trail building, provision of catering tents, lighting and heating, professional time keeping, and marketing. Assistance of £6,400* has been approved by RACE towards these costs.

Chief executive at RACE Maitland Hyslop said: "The Strathpuffer 24 will provide recognisable benefits for the local area by attracting a large number of riders and spectators for what is likely to become a prestigious event in the Ross-shire sporting calendar in future years."

The Strathpuffer 24 starts at 10am on Saturday 14th January and ends at 10am on Sunday 15th January 2006. It has been generously sponsored by the Square Wheels bike shop in Strathpeffer, Innes and Mackay, and Munro and Noble firms of solicitors, Anderson Clarke and SGL Carbon.