Story and photos by Jacqueline Windh

What is it that makes adventure racing, at its core, completely different from other sports such as triathlon, or ultrarunning, or rogaining, or 24 hour mountain biking? There are a lot of sports out there that share aspects of AR – in terms of being off-road and adventurous, and involving multiple disciplines, and in requiring strategy and navigation skills.

I’d argue that the one thing that really makes AR unique is the team aspect of it. Not a relay team, not a cumulative-times kind of team, but a team that must stick together no matter what, and problem-solve in order to keep all members united and moving forward as quickly and as efficiently as possible.

Do people who migrate into AR have that team-player attribute genetically programmed into them? Or is it something that they learn along the way, through team experience? I don’t know – I suspect it is a bit of both. What I do know, though, is that AR racers are a unique group of athletes to hang out with – high-achieving Type A’s, for sure, but who also have a real sense of humility and humanity about them.

So it is no surprise to me at all that the Project Athena foundation – a charitable organization aimed at helping women who face life-altering medical conditions to live their athletic dreams – was the initiative of one of Adventure Racing’s greats.

Robyn Benincasa is one of the world’s original adventure racers – achieving podium finishes right from the sport’s earliest days in races that are but legends today: Eco-Challenge (2nd in Utah, 1995 and 1st Borneo, 2000); the Raid Gauloises (1st in Ecuador, 1998), New Zealand’s Southern Traverse (3rd in 2000) and Canada’s Raid the North Extreme (1st in both 1998 and 2001). She is also the only one of those pioneers of AR who still races today – sometimes even with her former team-mates’ sons alongside her! – and her more recent successes include victory in the Bull of Africa in 2005, and podium finishes at PQ (3rd in Moab, 2006, and 2nd in Montana, 2008).
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Check out this video which takes a look back at the first half of the race on Primal Quest Badlands Web Episode 6. For more videos, check out http://legendaryrandyericksenfilms.wikispaces.com/

I’ve found that the word “Baja” holds different meaning for everyone who hears you might be going. For some it mean’s fast off-road 4×4 racing through the desert. Others think of tequila and Cabo San Lucas. Still others simply think it’s just that deserted land strip past Tijuana. What most don’t know about the area is that lying between the mainland of Mexico and the Baja peninsula is one of the most biologically diverse bodies of water on our planet, the Sea of Cortez.

Home to giant manta rays, sea lions, dolphins, a plethora of whales, and more species of fish than Cousteau could dream up, the Sea of Cortez is packed with life. I took a guided trip through recently to the Island of Espiritu Santo to witness first hand what the Sea of Cortez holds for adventures. I booked this trip through Boundless Journeys, recently rated one of the world’s best adventure tour companies by National Geographic Adventure, and for good reason. Their 7 day Baja Kayaking trip is a fantastic way to experience the world below the waves, the local culture, some serious paddling, and squeeze in some quality reflection time on the beach.

The trip is doable even for those who have never slipped into a kayak before. The local guides are superb. The head guide for our trip, Miguel, has years of experience paddling the waters around Espiritu Santo and stuck close to his newbie paddlers. An introduction to basic kayaking course the first day preps you for the paddling ahead. The excellent instruction on wet exit, re-entry, and basic paddle strokes provides a solid foundation of safety for the week’s explorations.
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The below article is reprinted with permission after it originally appeared in The Tyee on Friday, November 13, 2009. Jacqueline Windh delves into the addiction to running with endurance athlete Jen Segger.

Top endurance athlete Jen Segger runs the fine line between triumph and addiction.

Jen Segger believes in setting goals. Big goals.

Segger is in Portugal this week, racing as part of Team nuun-Feed the Machine in the Adventure Racing World Championships — a 900 kilometre, non-stop EcoChallenge-style race for teams of four. The unmarked course includes trail running, mountain biking, paddling and rollerblading, as well as requires team strategy and decision-making: for example, route-finding and navigation, and deciding when, or if, to sleep.

Clearly endurance racing is her passion. But for Segger, and others who train and compete at so high a level, can it become an obsession that blurs logic and masks physical damage?

I first got to know Segger two years ago. Then 27, she was training for the 2008 Badwater Ultramarathon. Considered by some to be the toughest footrace on the planet, Badwater is a 135 mile (217 km) run, on pavement, from the lowest place in North America, searing Death Valley, California, where temperatures commonly exceed 50 C, to the top of Mount Whitney.

Segger was aiming to be youngest woman ever to run this infamous race. But only 90 athletes are selected to toe the start line of Badwater, and they must have a running resumé that includes finishing at least one 100 mile race. It takes years to build muscles and joints up to ultramarathon running distances, and this is why ultrarunning is a field dominated by older athletes; the average age of Badwater entrants this year was 46.
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Team Checkpoint Zero won the 2009 Checkpoint Tracker Series and the opportunity to travel to Abu Dhabi early next month for the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge. We caught up with team captain Peter Jolles to get his take on racing in such a unique venue.

Can you tell us a little about the team?

Peter: The team consists of Jenn Rinderle, Julia Radmann, Paul Humphreys, and myself Peter Jolles. Paul is our token kiwi. We take him along and let him do the talking so that other teams thing we’re good. Kiwi’s started the sport after all, right? Julia is the German contingency, when it’s time to drop the hammer, we turn her loose. Jenn is our resident southern belle. She may look like a powder puff but packs the punch of a bulldozer. And me, I try and keep them pointed in the right direction all the while not trying to slow them down.

Where is the team’s home base?

Atlanta

How was the team selected for sponsorship?

We won the 2009 Checkpoint Tracker Race Series

How did the team do in 2009? Top finishes?

We won 4 events in the CP Tracker series and captured the series title. We finished 2nd at E-Fix, 4th at the MiX, numerous wins and top finishes in smaller sprint races. Overall this has been our best season yet.

What are the team’s strengths and weaknesses?

Paddling is probably our biggest weakness. We are comparable to most of the teams in the south east USA, but when compared to teams that are in areas with lots of great paddling, we generally lose time to them. I think our team cohesiveness is one of our strengths. We really enjoy hanging out together, even when we are not racing. Being friends with your team mates goes a long way when facing a challenge such as this race.

Is this the team’s first international event?

Yes, this is the first international race for this squad

What is the team doing to prepare for the race next month?

We’re going to be spending some time swimming, as there is a 900 meter swim the first day. Otherwise, our training hasn’t changed much. We are treating this race like a series of short sprint races, lots of shorter high intensity bouts vs. the longer slower 24 hour grinds we usually do.

How psyched are you to race in Abu Dhabi this year?

Completely stoked, this is a wonderful opportunity for us and we plan to make the most of it.

If we looked inside your race pack in Abu Dhabi, what would be surprised to find?

A birthday cake for Jenn, we start the race on her birthday!

What is the team’s strategy for the event?

Hang on as long as we can? Some of the best teams in the world will be there, and we just hope to keep them in sight for as long as possible. In all likelihood, it won’t be that long. Because of the stage format, we’ll get to rest up most nights which will be an interesting twist for us, as we haven’t done a race like this before.

Does the team have a sleep strategy for the race?

Since we get to sleep every night, we don’t really have to plan our rest time. There are mandatory rest periods during the desert trek, we’ve got some ideas on when to rest, but we’ll most likely be playing that as we go.

How do you stay focused and motivated for such a long race?

Since the race is broken up, I think it will be much easier to stay motivated. We won’t have to deal with sleep deprivation and the things that go along with that. It also helps that the race venue is completely foreign to us. Having completely different surroundings goes a long way to enjoying the race.

What will be the team’s hardest challenge at the event?

Probably the heat. It’s hot in Atlanta during the summer, but it’s not the same kind of hot that one finds in the desert. Staying hydrated and free of cramps is going to be one of the toughest parts of the race.

Check out this awesome footage of base jumpers Roberta Mancino and Jeb Corliss in Kuala Lumper, Malaysia. It was shot of the new GoPro HD in 1080p.

How does 43 seconds of video + FaceBook=Patagonia Expedition Race?

Simple.

I posted 43 seconds of Val Chapa after Primal Quest Badlands talking about breaking his bike.At the end I had him spell his name for the video editor. I labeled it “Val Can Still Spell His Name”and posted it to Facebook.

Then there werea bunch of comments like,”good to see you” “how are you” “what do you have planned”. Some where in this mix somebody posts “we’re going to Patagonia”. Then smart ass me says ” need a videographer”? I get a reply from Robert Finley “mmm…Maybe’

Cut to a couple of days later. I get an email from Robert. Does Paulette want to go to Patagonia in February with them? Duh!!

Now a little back story. Paulette started Team South Dakota to do Primal Quest Badlands. For a lot of reasons She drop off the Team in June. Don Mann and Chris Caul said keep training, there is always a team that needs a last minute replacement. Since we live in the Black Hills she was the perfect person to be a replacement. We heard from 3 teams leading up to the race and they all found somebody before Paulette could say yes.It was a real roller coaster.

One week before the race we got an email from Team Semper Fi. They needed a women. Paulette said yes. She met the guys Tuesday before the race. They didn’t finish the race, but it was a good experience that left Paulette wanting more. So when She first started talking with Robert it was with the attitude this will be cool but…
It took one week of email and phone calls before Robert was sending the registration,looking for flights,everybody checking on what gear they have and what they need to get.

It seems to be just the right amount of time to get ready,long enough to get everything done, but short enough not to have to much worry time.

The focus of this Posting will be how the Team gets ready to do the race. They are spread out. Nevada,East Coast, South Dakota. The good news Paulette and I will be in Vegas twice. She will be able to train with Robert and Druce,and do one of the Desert Winds Series races before Patagonia.

No when it is all said and done I won’t be able to go. I will be shooting and producing the DVDs for Desert Winds and some video post of the team training.

What do you expect for 43 seconds?

We wanted to interview some of the sponsored teams heading to this year’s Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge (ADAC) next month. We caught up with Lisa de Speville and she shared with us a little about her team that she selected via an application process.

Who will make up the team for this year’s event?

Lisa de Speville (33) – the owner and editor of South Africa’s adventure racing website, www.AR.co.za. Her day job is in public relations and media. She has 10 years of adventure racing and ultradistance running to her credit; she is strongest on foot and competent in other disciplines.
Christo Viljoen (33) – he’s a future trader by day and a bass player in a local band by night. He’s an all-round athlete, strongest on foot, with many years of multiday adventure racing experience.
Alex Pope (21) – a 4th year electrical engineering student, he is one of South Africa’s top orienteers and has represented his country internationally at championship events. He has a lot of experience in short 2hr to one day events; this will be his longest race.
Francois Jooste (20) – a 3rd year mechanical engineering student, he is an accomplished mountain biker. He has been doing 24hr mountain bike races for years and he got into adventure racing through the schools league.

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Watch what teams do at a transition area on Primal Quest Badlands Web Episode 5. For more videos, check out http://legendaryrandyericksenfilms.wikispaces.com/

Sportsister: A new sports magazine for women recently popped up in the U.K. and features a great website with everything from training tips to news and gear reviews.

Here is an excerpt from their “Guide to Adventure Racing“:

Adventure racing is essentially a multi-sport race, involving a minimum of trail running and mountain biking and also usually flatwater canoeing or kayaking.

Any number of additional activities can be involved, depending on the individual race format, with races sometimes including zip wires, abseils, canyoning, via ferratas, inline skating or rafting, and sometimes even more esoteric challenges.
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Ocean waves crashed to my right; more waves to my left.  I sat on a narrow spit of beach with the Atlantic to either side.  The beach landscape here was stunning, with sandstone formations and pillars of rock jutting up at extreme angles.  It’s as if rock structures from the Utah desert had been magically  transported to the ocean side.  This was the scenic finish to the 2009 Adventure Racing World Championship, and while the race organizers took heat for their unorthodox race format, nobody can question their selection of dramatic race finish locations.

For a specific look at the race format, see this piece published earlier today.

The real racing started on Monday morning Nov 9, with teams battling through the tallest mountains in Portugal and reaching over to the Spanish border.  Besides the furious pace set by the race leaders, the early highlight had to be the medieval castle that served as an early transition area for the course.  Teams made their way through the course, struggling through cold, wind, and dense fog much of the way.

Early reports had Nike firmly in the lead, and with the withdrawal due to medical reasons of several top Scandinavian teams, the race looked like it was Nike’s to lose.  However, quietly at the transition area of the first paddle leg, the Helly Hansen/Prunesco team from the UK took their time and made decisions worthy of a future World Champion.  In the words of Tom Gibbs, navigator for the team,

“We set out the maps to see the next 2 legs (65km trek, 160km bike) and we knew we couldn’t do it all before the cut off. The run was very linear so that only left the bike as having opportunity. We worked out we could cut 3 Cp’s and 80 km off the route with an easy 35km ride on road. A quick look at a road atlas showed us the key town name we had to head too. No other team did this in transition and I think it is where our victory charge started.”
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One of the big stories of the 2009 AR World Championships was the style of the race.  I had the opportunity to see the event myself, and it took me a few days of asking questions to piece together how this race worked.  Let me share with you what I learned.

Instead of the traditional “first team across the finish line wins” race format, this Portuguese organization is known for an alternative style where the team who obtains the most checkpoints is the winner.  The main rules are easy to summarize:
-The team who visits the most checkpoints wins
-The race is divided into several Stages
-Each race Stage has a set cut-off time and no team will get credit for visiting checkpoints on a Stage after the cut-off time
-If a team is still on a Stage after the cut-off time, they will be routed on a shorter course for the next Stage and have significantly fewer checkpoints available to them for that next Stage

This all doesn’t sound too strange, but consider that in a regular adventure race if you miss a cut-off, you’re forever ranked below all the teams who successfully made the cut-off; it has a permanent impact on your race result.  At this race, when you missed a cut-off, you are penalized by having fewer checkpoints available to you for the next section of the race . . . but it’s not permanent, and you end up spending less time on this next section because you’re on a shorter course.  At the end of this shortened section, you resume racing on the “full” course again and can obtain as many checkpoints as you can again.  In practice, missing a cut-off can be a jumpstart for teams to speed past parts of the race that don’t suit them or are particularly tough; teams who realized this early enough during the race decided to intentioanlly miss cut-offs and strategically decide to focus on specific parts of the course.

This is compounded by the fact that teams were not given a clear and concise explanation of the race format, so many teams were learning as the race went on.  Even worse, at the pre-race briefing teams were told that it was a key idea *not* to miss any cut-offs, and if teams were confused by the format, that they should keep that one concept in mind.

One final complication with the race format was the inclusion of “clustered” checkpoints on the race course.  Some checkpoints would be labeled 56A, 56B, and 56C on the maps.  In order to get credit for checkpoint 56, teams would have to visit 56A, 56B, and 56C — and if they just obtained 56A, for example, they would get no credit at all.  I spoke with several teams that didn’t know this until the final day of the race, and so they may have visited 56B and 56C, but bypassed 56A and not gotten credit for anything.

I can see the attraction of a race style such as this: all the teams crossed the finish line within 4 hours of one another, and throughout the course teams were grouped much closer together than at a conventional race.  Considering most expedition adventure race winners cross the finish line days before the last teams, this format in Portugal has appeal in that regard.

There are other positives, too, such as forcing teams to evaluate their route options closely and really understand their strengths and weaknesses.

Unfortunately, the absence of communications about the race format is more an issue than the particulars of this race style.  If all the teams understand how the race is operated, it’s a level playing field where everyone has the same information.   Then the focus on the race course can be on out-racing the competition, instead of figuring out how the race operates.

This race format is not the norm in Europe, and besides some races in the United Kingdom and this one race in Portugal, there are no other organizations I know of hosting events in this style.  There were many sighs of relief when the 2010 Adventure Racing World Championships in Spain announced that their race format would be “traditional, first across the finish line wins.”

At just 22 years old (as of September!), ultrarunner Alexa Dickerson (sponsored by recovery drink Genr8 Vitargo)  has already cruised through the standard race distances from 5K to recently finishing her first 100 mile race, the Javalina Jundred.  I caught up with Alexa to get the lowdown on everything from how she started running to the hardest part about running a 100 mile race.

AM: How long have you been running?

AD:  I started running my freshman year of high school. I ran track and cross country and have been running ever since. In high school we would do a lot of trail runs at Whiting Ranch, which is right behind my house.  I would go running back there by myself a lot, which probably wasn’t the smartest idea. I ran my first marathon when I was 19 and then 2 months later I ran my first 50k, Mt. Disappointment, which I for sure wasn’t ready for, but I finished.

AM:  Why did you decide to start running in ultras?

AD:  I really wanted to run a marathon when I graduated high school. I thought that was the furthest race there was and that I was so cool because I was training for a marathon. Then I joined a trail running group and found out about ultras because a lot of the other members ran them,so right after I finished my first marathon I signed up for a 50k. Even though I thought it was the hardest thing I had ever done, it was just such a great feeling of accomplishment and I had a lot of fun. I just got kind of addicted to it and then wanted to push myself further and further.

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Monavie-Cannondale team worked their way up the volcanoes on Stage 3. Tinker Juarez did an outstanding climb towards the Irazú Volcano, he ascended like it was his last climb.

Jeremiah Bishop followed Juarez with a gap of close to 3 minutes along with Deiber Esquivel and Marc Trayter, both trying to break the trio apart and move upfront on the hunt for Tinker.

Manuel Prado fell back throughout the climb, he mentioned that this was nit his day and thanked the outstanding labor of his teammate Benjamin Bostrom did to give Prado enough leverage to make it to the finish line and stick to his overall leadership of the race.

The Irazú and Turrialba Volcanoes, both covered with clouds, greeted racers with a cold and wet passage through the surrounding forests. Abandoned roads of rocky terrains at an angle inviting racers to fly head first down the slopes towards the town of Turrialba hosted a cold and extremely technical route.

Costa Rica’s Adriana Rojas continues ahead of the pack of women. A solid display of technical skills and strength in the past 3 stages could get her in the 1st place in the podium on the last stage tomorrow.

Stage 4 is composed of 121 kilometers of dirt roads, defying climbs and an eternal railroad segment that will lead racers to the Caribbean coast, north of the port of Moín, Limón. Racers will ride a final 12 kilometers of marshy, abandoned roads parallel to the coast.

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Men’s Stage Results:

1. Deiber Esquivel – 03:53:01

2. Benjamin Sontaag – 04:01:33

3. Alex Grant – 04:01:34

Women’s Stage Results:

1. Louise Kobin – 04:58:30

2. Adriana Rojas – 05:01:50

3. Emma Smith – 06:11:12

Photography Credits – J. Andrés Vargas

via Press Release

The Estoril Portugal XPD Race has already covered two thirds out of the 900 Kms track, and teams are having to make major strategic decisions. Title holders are having a hard time keeping up with the the leaders. Tonight’s paddle in Castelo do Bode dam may be decisive.

Casualties have not been significant, taking into account the 600Kms that teams have already covered, in a track that is traversing the centre of the country until Saturday. So far, only nine out of the 59 teams that came from 25 different countries to take on this adventure have withdrawn.

After charging through the highlands, teams have come down to the Geodesic Centre of Portugal and they shall be passing through Vila de Rei within the next few hours. Before that, the track – which has alternated trekking sections with long mountain bike hauls – passed through some of the most remarkable landmarks of the North-East Alentejo. This competition is ultimately playing an important role on promoting tourism, by placing mandatory checkpoints in destinations like Castelo de Vide and Marvão.

North-American Team Nike/Beaver Creek are still leading the pack, but a number of other teams are also very well placed to fight for victory – a very demanding paddling section is expected to occur tonight in Castelo do Bode dam. Title holders, Team OrionHealth from New-Zealand, are in fourth place surprised by this Estoril Portugal XPD Race’s track. Team leader Wayne Oxenham explains; “The track is very rough and it’s impossible to collect all the checkpoints and that has somewhat disturbed our strategy”.

Out of the Portuguese and after the withdrawal of Team Aldeias do Xisto, there are still four teams racing. Team Extreme Challenger/IGeoE is 12th and keeps high hopes for a good final result; leader José Marques prefers not to unveil their objective; “We are following our strategy and it’s working out fine. We have only slept for a couple of hours since Sunday but feeling well enough to keep the pace and fight for a good final position.”

Photos by Paulo Calisto

via Press Release

One of La Ruta’s strongest ascents was ridden today nearly one and a half kilometers after the start of the stage, a wall that took riders from 800 meters up to 1400 meters above sea level within 8 kilometers.

Top racers showed their world-class level making the first ascent seem like a ride in the park although several elite riders paid the price of a rapid pace and a grueling push to the top. Such was the case of Ben Sonntag when at a mere 100 meters from reaching the top of the mountain his chain sunk within the depths of his rear cassette.

Paolo Montoya from team Giant-Italy who was near the scene as a spectator (due to recent injury), mentioned that Ben held a top-five position when the chain got jammed in the cassette. He lost over twenty minutes and more than half an entire participant list, yet he managed to make it into 10th position.

Costa Rica’s Deiber Esquivel in Stage 2 did another amazing comeback from previous hardware malfunction. After finishing in 13th position on Stage 1 Esquivel came in 1st on today’s stage, 30 seconds before Manuel Prado who still holds 1st place in the general standings.

Deiber is the only elite racer from team Economy-Citi-Blue. The Costa Rican Cycling Federation threatened with upcoming event disqualifications to those elite local riders that would participate in La Ruta. The event, considered too far on the adventure racing side of the fence for UCI’s regulations 3 years ago is amidst allegations from the local cycling federation which claims La Ruta must pay honoraries and percentages for purposes unclear to this day.

Both Esquivel and Prado would be subject to sanctions yet have clearly stated that their main goal throughout the season has been to prepare for La Ruta and are willing to undergo penalties to represent their country and teams.

Monavie-Cannondale’s Tinker Juarez was not able to finish the stage when finding himself lost on an abandoned road for over an hour, immediately followed by an unfortunate flat tire which set him down to a car ride from his nearby location.

“It’s truly unfortunate, but these things happen…” said Tinker, he will continue unranked and keeps a signature smile on his face, always available for a photograph with his loyal fans.

Tomorrow awaits one of the toughest stages of the race, the climb to Irazú and Turrialba volcanoes, reaching a height of close to 3400 meters above sea level.

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Men’s Stage Results:

1. Deiber Esquivel – 03:45:27

2. Manuel Prado – 03:45::58

3. Marc Trayter – 03:46:02

Women’s Stage Results:

1. Louise Kobin – 04:42:34

2. Adriana Rojas – 04:44:52

3. Yesennia Villalta – 06:23:30

Photography Credits – J. Andrés Vargas

via Press Release

You have got to love technology (especially when it is working)…this update just came in from Grant Killian (via his iPhone) who is on ground there in Portugal.

The rain started to come down just as the local church started tolling midnight. 12 midnight was the deadline teams had to LEAVE Assistance Pt 4, and so just before the hour a parade of dirty, tired, and committed racers checked out and headed for a short trek, then a long bike ride, then a “paddle” — although reports are that water levels are too low to paddle in some parts. It was quite the scene: an international band of elite athletes shuffling down the road with bags of food, drinks, and equipment.

At this late stage of the adventure race, it will boil down to who can slow down the least — and this race format makes it hard to report the current standings, so I think many teams will push hard for that finish line.

Saturday morning is when the first teams should finish, but who will win is still undecided. Nike has a lead — I’m pretty sure — and after that I really can’t say. Orion, Helly Hanson, Buff, and Quechua are all certainly in the running. I think Lundhags took a step back by missing the midnight cutoff. They weren’t alone, as ATP/Salomon, Blackheart, Cyanosis, and others were still unaccounted for when I left the Assistamce Point.

There are also some teams who have flown low on the radar, like Kinetic from Canada and nuun from the US. A team from Poland (name escapes me) and a couple others have saved their energy for this final day and a half of racing so they could turn things on here.

As frustrating as this race is to try and make sense of, the spirits of the teams and their support crews are impressive and there is a spectacle of endurance on display here in Portugal. Teams are running low on fuel, their bodies breaking down, but they press on.

A total distance of 108 kilometers were ridden today by 225 racers from 17 different countries in a terrain as defying as the untamed tropics can hide deep within its foliage.

An early lead out of the Carara National Park by three-time Vuelta a España winner Roberto Heras, one of the favorites for the race, was short-lived when apparently a beverage he drank the night before affected his stomach.

Manuel Prado from Costa Rica, Heinz Soerweg from Austria and Marc Trayter from Spain initiated a rapid ascent towards the Central Valley, leaving behind Roberto Heras and Milton Ramos from Spain, the compact group of five that had made it out of the mud bath in Carara first.

The steady, grueling pace at which Manuel and Heinz where cruising by was enough to get them to the finish line with a difference of one second from each other. Manuel wins his first La Ruta stage ever, stage which he dedicates to his brother who passed away three years ago.

The Spaniard Marc Trayter came in third and showed an amazing performance that was applauded by everyone.

Team Monavie-Cannondale’s Jeremiah Bishop reappears at La Ruta to fight for a title. Bishop he believes he craved the title too bad in 2007 when he had an unfortunate accident back in 2007 which sent him to the hospital during Stage 3 and says, “a boxer that fights with anger will lose, a boxer that fights with tactic will most likely win…” Continue Reading

This was the 3rd day of the competition and the harshness of the mountains has already caused the first casualties in the Estoril Portugal XPD Race, forcing 7 teams – out of the 59 that started – to abandon the race. Title holders – New Zealand’s “Orion Health” – are still well placed in front, closely followed by the North-American “Nike/Beaver Creek”.

Racing into the depth of the Portuguese highlands, the 3rd day of the adventure racing world championship – Estoril Portugal XPD Race – has taken charge of enforcing natural selection among the 59 teams that came from 25 different nations for the competition.

Through hills up high and valleys down low, teams went through the Lousã, Açor and Estrela mountain ranges on a stage that was done mostly on foot and mountain bike. News on the first casualties in the caravan came in the early hours of the day; Team Finland, one of the favourite teams, were forced to quit due to one of their members injured foot. Team leader Tommi Putkuri said “I still can’t believe we stepped down from favourites to mere spectators!…”. One of the seven official withdrawals so far, is the Portuguese “Team Ippon”; all other Portuguese teams are still racing.

Positively surprised by the extreme beauty of the landscape and the warmth of the people (there was even a surprise meal waiting for the teams at Fajão last night), the North-American “Nike/Beaver Creek” are taking the lead. Mike Kloser, describes their first three days of the race; “We are impressed with the harshness of the track as we honestly expected to be going faster. For now our strategy is to collect all the checkpoints, but it hasn’t been easy so far.”. World champions (Team Orion Health – New Zealand) are also well positioned in the race and may still be able to revalidate their title.

Photos by Paulo Calisto

via Press Release

Alex Hibbert, at only 23-years-old, has spent more than 18 weeks unsupported in the Arctic. He recently completed the Trans Greenland Expedition. At 1374 miles, is the longest fully unsupported polar expedition in history. Alex plans to release his first book, The Long Haul in March 2010. We caught up with Alex to ask him about his inspiration and motivation for expeditions around the globe.

What historic expedition do you draw inspiration from?

Alex: The expedition which has always gripped my imagination and held my admiration was the 1995 unsupported journey to and from the North Pole by Richard Weber and Misha Malakhov. The distance and technical difficulty of their expedition was enormous and they kept going despite most ‘experts’ claiming they would fail.

What sparked your passion for ‘adventure’?

I did not grow up in ‘the wild’ and had a fairly conventional upbringing in England. When I turned fifteen I started to discover lots of unusual sports, such as ultra-distance kayaking, and began to read about the polar regions and the mountains. They had me spell-bound and I decided I simply had to get involved. Each mini-adventure I went on then led on to something a bit bigger and it grew from there.

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Watch Team Bones on the ropes course in Primal Quest Badlands Web Episode 4. For more videos, check out http://legendaryrandyericksenfilms.wikispaces.com/

Leaving the Atlantic coast behind, teams racing for the adventure racing world title have resumed action today deep inside central Portugal’s mountainous region. Estoril Portugal XPD Race has invaded the Schist Villages, aiming at Serra da Estrela. Nordic Teams are leading the pack so far.

After the Estoril coast, Sintra and Cascais, the 59 teams coming from 25 countries, racing for the adventure racing world title, have been regrouped at the Village of Lousã in order to resume action. As of now, there will be no more stops in this unusual competition, with about 900 kilometers to complete within 120 hours.

Proper management of effort as well as that of sleep (or lack of it) and most of all strategy – not to mention physical performance – are the key factors for electing this year’s World Champions.

At the start line, at Lousã’s Castle this morning, all eyes were set on the “Lundhags Adventure” Swedish team – leading the pack after the 1st Stage of this year’s Estoril Portugal XPD Race. Even so, team captain Mattias Nystrom sounded imune to pressure; “I believe we are in the lead due to our vast experience in short races, but we know how little that means. We will have to keep calm and manage our resting times properly in order not to compromise our final objective – Top 5”.

Among the Portuguese teams, a special highlight to “Team Greenland ATV”, who are racing for a cause. Team captain Pedro Roque explains: “We want to dedicate our race to Operação Nariz Vermelho who are playing an extremely relevant role and therefore deserve our total commitment”. Obviously, they started this stage with their clown’s red noses on!

During this day teams evolved mostly on foot and mountain bike, with some intense pauses for a rappel and a surprising cannyoning section, spreading the teams over mountains and valleys approaching the country’s highest mountain. During the night, with increasing navigation difficulties, the cold will also be the enemy that teams must fight.

More info at: www.arwc2009.com

Photos by Paulo Calisto

Via Press Release