After two previous years of gale force winds and rain, fine weather finally blessed the third Cairngorm Charmer event. Hopefully the 66 teams competing were able to enjoy the amazing views and the landscape that the route is set in and it was great to see so many supporters and spectators out on the course cheering the teams on as they battled up the ‘wee hill’ at the end…

The fine weather and good underfoot conditions made a real difference to the finishing times with many competitors beating the personal bests from previous years and seven course category records being bettered! Congratulations go to all those who broke records or set new personal bests but congratulations really go to everyone for taking part and for completing a ‘charming’ but in places ‘challenging’ course…

…it is of course an old cliché but it really is all about taking part, completing your own personal challenge and hopefully enjoying it. The event is aimed at attracting teams of all shapes and sizes, ages and ability, mixes and matches and their own objectives whether to get the record, get a personal best, get under 3 hours or just get round. It doesn’t matter why or how quick you do it – just do it in a charming way!  

Thanks to participants and marshal feedback from previous years, and spurred on by some significant flood damage to the river bank, a small change to the end of the cycle route was instigated this year. This allowed a far better set up at the Hayfield transition area with the run and bike sections completely separated and a really ‘charming’ wee track climb and a grassy descent for the bikes into the transition arena which was a great spectator advantage too; the flagged lines for runners and bikers routes into transition seemed to work well too.

Lessons learnt from previous years when the severe high winds caused some route signage to move (or actually blow away) hopefully meant that the increased number of signs, doubling signs up and more robust securing were adequate this year. I know that one or two teams missed a turn here and there and will continue to look at any improvements that can be made to course signage.

Once again, the amazing ‘event support team’ were fantastic in all their efforts from setting up in the days before the event, marshalling on the day and helping to restore everything afterwards. I am very fortunate that so many helpers return each year which results in an incredibly knowledgeable and experienced support team who are able to improve the event year on year and make my job so much more enjoyable. I am indebted and sincerely grateful to all the event support team in all the many event roles they undertake.                   

As ever, I am extremely appreciative for all the incredible support given so willingly to the event from so many different people and organisations; this includes funding, access permission, equipment and facilities, prizes and awards and often just time and labour. Please see the supporters/links web page for a list of those who support the event and without whose support the event would not be possible.

Particular thanks go to Cairngorm Mountain Ltd and staff who provide the wonderful location and many facilities for the event and to all the staff who undoubtedly go the extra mile to support the event and to warmly look after all those taking part- they are quite a special bunch ‘up there’ – thanks!

All proceeds from the event are going to the national charity Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) and the Aviemore Community School project; my thanks go to all those who made a donation or were sponsored for their efforts. Thanks too to those who brought along and donated articles of kit, clothing or other items for the CHSS charity shop in Inverness; this worked really well and is a great way of supporting the charity. It really does make a difference.

There are some great photos from the 2009 event which can be found at: http://www.flickr.com/groups/cairngormcharmer09 - thanks to Ian Whitaker of CML
and also http://www.action-heroes.co.uk/galleries2/Charmer2009/index.html - thanks to Peter Diender of Action-Heroes

Paul Corrigan
Event Organiser
October 2009