Javier Montero takes lead on day one of The Coastal Challenge

By Greg Dawson

Two-time champion Javier Montero of Costa Rica is in position to take an unprecedented third win after stage one of The Coastal Challenge, a six-day adventure race in Costa Rica.

While un-matched in the previous two races, Montero will have his toughest challenge yet with newcomer and local Costa Rican Ceasar Ortega. Ortega trailed Montero by less than three minutes by the end of the stage with a finishing time of 02:41:45.

Rounding out the top five finishers of stage one are Ty Stevens (USA), Victor Zuniga (CRC) and Mark Lattansi (USA) with finishing times of 03:02:00, 03:14:10 and 03:14:32, respectively.

Margaret Phillips (USA) lead the women’s division with a finish time of 04:01:42.

For more information or to follow the race, visit www.tccadventures.com.

Photo at right by J. Andres Vargas

Some people talk about the weather when they have nothing else to talk about, whereas climbers and cyclists and runners and skiers, etc. talk about it all the time – as it plays a crucial role in their adventures. Weather patterns affect everything from the clothes they wear, the gear they bring, and when they head out. Recently, SLATE.COM posted an article about the Wind Chill Factor being somewhat deceptive and outdated. Apparently, for the past 60 years, the windchill factor has been grossly exaggerated, and a new “toned down” system has been created that is more accurately calibrated with the effects of the wind.

In it´s simplest form, the Wind Chill Factor means that whatever the temperature is outside, it is going to feel colder in windy conditions. To this day there are no instruments that measure the wind chill factor as it is merely a sensation felt by human skin, and since 1945 we have been using a formula derived by two Polar Explorers: Paul Siple and Charles Passel. According to SLATE, “the two men left plastic bottles of water outside in the wind and observed the rate at which they froze. The equation they worked out used the wind speed and air temperature to describe the rate at which the bottles gave off heat, expressed in watts per square meter.”

In other words, it is a way to determine the rate of heat loss in watts per square meter and correlate it to a rate produced without influence of the wind – AND SO – in 30mph winds, 5 degree weather could match the rate of heat loss in -19 degree weather with little wind. Below certain temperatures we lose heat from our skin faster than our body can warm it. At around -13 deg. Farehnheit your skin will begin to freeze, and at -35 degF your skin will freeze in minutes.

In 2001, scientists had come up with a more accurate system to account for the wind chill factor, largely because it took into account the human body, since they can play a huge role in how we are able to cope with the cold – i.e. a tall slim build will suffer more from the cold than a short round figure. Two scientists, Osczevski and Bluestein, modeled heat loss using the approximate size and shape of the human face considering that the face would be the most exposed part of the body, and would reflect heat losses more accurately than would the shape of a bottle (and the face would be most exposed while bundled up and the source of most heat loss). They also assumed a baseline wind speed of 3mph to reflect the average walking speed (the old equation used 4 mph). Lastly, since different skin types respond differently to the cold, they factored the equation to address the skinny body types that would be most affected by the cold.
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Americans have been inundated with images and stories coming out of Haiti amidst the devastation. People are constantly wondering what they can do to help. One man has found his solution! On February 15, Abe Clark is attempting to run over 2800 miles solo and unsupported across the United States. If he is successful, he will join the ranks of only a small handful of individuals who have made this ocean to ocean run.

Abe is trying to raise $100,000 and spread awareness for Living Water International’s goal of repairing 500 incapacitated handpumps in Haiti during 2010. These handpumps are crucial to providing one of the basic neccesities of life and achieving their goal could provide drinking water for at least 250,000 people.

He plans to push a baby jogger in which to carry all of his supplies.

When we asked him how people could help out, this is what he had to say:

1. Donate to LWI to help him reach his goal of raising $100,000. There is a donate button on his site www.runningwater.cc

2. He is looking for places to speak along the way about the run, dreams, goals and LWI.

3. People can check out his route and if he happens to be coming your way…”they can house me, feed me and send me off again! People are also welcome to come out and run with me.”

We wish Abe the best in his quest to run across America and in raising money for a very wothwhile goal.

THE TRUE FACE OF IRAN REVEALED

At 1300hrs on the 18th January 2010, after 60 days and 1700km, professional explorer, adventurer and speaker Mark Kalch completed a solo trek across the Islamic Republic of Iran from its northern border on the Caspian Sea to its southerly border in the Persian Gulf. Beginning in the coastal city of Chalus, he crossed the Alborz Mountains heading south to the capital Tehran, before continuing south-west to Qom, Esfahan, through the Zagros Mountains, and onto the Persian Gulf at Bushehr.

Mark trekked and climbed through subtropical forest, 5000m+ mountains, high plateau and desert landscapes. The aim? To reveal a country much misunderstood and misrepresented in the West.

Mark says, “Iran is not simply about demonstrations, nuclear ambitions and politics. Its people are some of the most hospitable on the planet and its geography some of the most extreme and diverse. After travelling across the entire country on foot and living with so many of its people I know this to be true”.

He continues, “Our view in the West of Iran has come about only through the narrow view of the latest breaking headlines. We do not see a country of people going about their lives in much the same way we do. I hope that having traveled the length of Iran on foot and meeting the average Iranian citizen, I can now help to expose the glaring similarities between Iran and the West.”

Mark slept in mosques, sheds, hospitals, fields, huts, homes, stadiums and of course his tent. He crossed 2 of the major mountain ranges on earth, the Alborz and Zagros, as well as Iran’s inhospitable central plateau. He was welcomed with open arms in every settlement, village, town and city he passed through.

For further information please visit www.markkalch.com/expeditioniran OR www.markkalch.com

For information on Mark’s previous expedition please visit www.expeditionamazonas.com

Mark Kalch is a professional explorer, adventurer and speaker who has completed successful and exceptionally difficult expeditions all over the world. The 2 most recent being a 60 day, 1700km solo and on foot crossing of the Islamic Republic of Iran (www.markkalch.com/expeditioniran) and a human-powered, 153 day, 6800km, source to sea descent of the Amazon River (www.expeditionamazonas.com). Mark’s presentations regarding these journeys have been given to schools and universities across the UK and Australia, Royal Geographical Society, National Geographic Society, public audiences and corporates. He has written numerous articles for print and online publications and has begun work on a book regarding his expedition in Iran.

Australia is a captivating country and one, for many, synonomous with adventure.  Hot on the heels of the announcement that XPD Australia will host the 2011 AR World Championship, let me preview their 2010 race scheduled for May 19 – 28, 2010.  This is the 4th installment here at Adventure World examining the full calendar of races in the 2010 Adventure Racing World Series (start with the first post in the series if you need to catch up).

The Australian race in the AR World Series delivers everything you would think of when you imagine adventure racing in Australia.  While they base their race acound to a core of trekking/mountain biking/paddling XPD Australia has been known to include fun disciplines like snorkeling, 100 meter rappels, and geocache segments.

The winning team will cross the XPD Australia finish line in 4-5 days, while slower teams may take up to 10 days to reach the finish.  In an interesting twist, the race always includes a 6 hour mandatory rest stop mid-way through the race — this guarantees teams will sleep more than in a typical non-stop race, but doesn’t turn it into a stage race since it’s just once and there is no mass restart.

In terms of the broader AR World Championship qualification, this race is vital.  There are no other “close” races in the World Series for teams from Australia, New Zealand, or places like South Africa to earn their ticket to the Championships in Spain this October.  XPD Australia is the only World Series event south of the Equator after February 2010, so ambitious teams will turn out for this May Australian event.  In fact, the race is already sold out so teams recognize this as a special opportunity to compete in a beautiful area and seize the chance to race in Spain this Fall.

With that in mind, we can peek at the list of registered teams they’ve posted online and hazard some predictions.  Blackheart.com.eu is a very strong team and, I might add, quite friendly — I had a quick chat with them in the Portugal airport last November; Blackheart won this race last time and will be looking to defend their title.  The OrionHealth team, the winners of XPD Australia in 2007 and AR World Champions in 2008, will challenge Blackheart at the front and should be considered the early pre-race favorites . . . one caveat being there will be a shake-up in the OrionHealth roster with the announced retirement of one of their key players.  The Kiwis have a deep pool of adventurers to pull from, though, so keep your eye on Orion at this Australian race.

Merrel and Robyn Benincasa will be racing XPD Australia this May, also.  It will be interesting to see Robyn’s rebound from surgery last summer, and I expect Merrell to be a better organized team than the one that came to New England last July.

Other teams coming “down under” for the race from North America include the Dancing Pandas, Dirty Avocados,  and Western Canada’s Race the Rockies team.  No doubt there are others, my apologies, but I can’t tell for sure from just the team name on the roster!

Australia has won the hosting rights for the Adventure Racing World Championships in 2011 which will be held in the state of Tasmania.

Race Director Craig Bycroft said “Tasmania as a world renowned adventure destination and support from Events Tasmania were two of the key factors in us winning the Adventure Racing World Championships”. Geoff Hunt, ARWorld Series Director said “I’m sure the 2011 Adventure Racing World Championship will be a huge success and look forward to exploring the state of Tasmania.”

Produced for the Adventure Racing World Championships will be a 1hr Destination/Adventure Sports Documentary to be aired locally and internationally. It will have a key focus on the athletes and the adventure landscape of Tasmania.

XPD will now begin seeking event partners and supporters to provide the world the best Adventure Racing World Championships possible. Already on board as a media partner is Australia’s premier adventure and outdoors magazine, Outer Edge, which will cover the event in the lead up to and during the Championships.”

The race is scheduled for late 2011. Teams of four will race day and night for over 700km in the disciplines of mountain biking, trekking and kayaking. The course will take in some of the best adventure “hot spots” in the Tasmania.

The Adventure Racing World Series is an international circuit of premiere adventure races in 10 countries culminating every 12 months in the Adventure Racing World Championships.

In 2006 the 2nd Edition of XPD was successfully held in Tasmania and received great support from the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service, Forestry Tasmania, Hydro Tasmania and the Hobart City Council.

The Adventure Racing World Championship in 2011 is supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania.

The www.arwc2011.com website will be launched soon. For details on the current XPD Expedition race www.xpd.com.au .

Photos by Owen Hughes

By Travis Macy • Photos by Monica Dalmasso

In 1994, when I was 11 years old, I watched from the support car as my dad, Mark, ran 146 miles from Death Valley, California to the summit of Mt. Whitney, more than 14,000 feet above. The Badwater
Ultramarathon is one of the hardest races on earth, and during those two days in the support car a lifelong reverence for the desert grew within me. While I always relished brief forays into the empty, dry spaces of North America, nothing I had done previously compared to what I would experience in Abu Dhabi in December of 2009.

Flying out of Denver International Airport just ahead of a looming snowstorm, I realized that missing a few good powder skiing days in Colorado was a small price to pay for a chance to race in the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, a six-day multisport race in some of the most inspiring, unique, and unforgiving terrain on earth. For the next week, I would run, bike, paddle, swim, and climb through the vast sand dunes, deserted trails, sprawling seas, steep cliffs, and incredible cities that make Abu Dhabi a true treasure of the Middle East. Although the temperature at my house was well below freezing, I hoped that running through deep snow in the weeks before the race would prepare me for romping up
and down sand dunes.

The Players
The stakes were high with 40 coed, four-person teams from 20 countries competing for the largest cash purse in adventure racing. Like most international adventure races, the field included a disproportionate number of Kiwis. Race-hardened in the unforgiving climate and steep hills of the Southlands, the experienced athletes of Team Qasr Al Sarab and Team ADCO (who had both gained the support of local sponsors for this race) could be expected to contend for podium positions.

The Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge is a distant descendent of the original Raid Galouise and Raid World Championship, and a number of competitive French teams toed the line in an event organized by a French company called Community. Other familiar faces included the Swedes of Team Lundhags Adventure and Spanish/French of Team Buff Thermocool.

Strikingly absent were the Americans of Team Nike, the most successful adventure racing team in history, but interestingly present were the Germans of Team Abu Dhabi Triathlon. Led by Faris Al-Sultan, winner of Ironman Hawaii in 2005, this team of uber-triathletes generated whispers across the field and media before the race.

Would the fittest triathletes in the world have what it takes to complete a multi-day adventure race? Could they win?

Check out this video to see some of the horror stories from the trail on Primal Quest Badlands Web Episode 10. For more videos, check out http://legendaryrandyericksenfilms.wikispaces.com/

We have only one more web episode to post in the near future.

Another crucial piece of technical gear to tote with you? You might be skeptical at first, but only long enough until you pop open your GoLite Chrome Dome and find shelter from the rain or shine.

Whether bike touring, trekking, adventure racing, or even just running errands around the city, you will wonder how you ever got along without a technical umbrella. The biggest surprise I found was how nice it was in sunny conditions, the reflective surface of the umbrella creates a perfect source of shade, drastically reducing temperatures underneath it´s canopy. Sometimes, while camping in the desert or altiplano outside the tent, I´d want to sleep in after the sun rose but the overwhelming sun forced me to get up. With the umbrella I could quickly open up a shelter from the heat and sun burning down on my face.

Obviously, it´s best suited to protect you from the the rain. Although, there are some remarkably effective breathable fabrics in the jackets these days, there is still contact between the fabric and your body, a limitation that inevitably creates a more humid environment, that makes the temperatures more extreme. The beauty of the umbrella is that it eliminates that contact.
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Early morning, teams piled into the traditional colorful Colombian Chivo (translates to Goat) Busses and climbed up the steep mountains surrounding the city of Medellin where they would kick the race off with boxcarts.

As the teams prepared for the screaming descent of over 8 kilometers of cliffed lined roads, a little extra dose of nervous energy was surging through the teams. In an effort to minimize some of the chaos, teams were lined with their carts based on their standing. Different approaches were considered; some planned to carry their cart through the crowds before getting on them, while others tried to push from the very beginning, but all the groups found themselves caught up in the initial pandemonium– crashing into each other and the carts. Two dozen teams were then zipping down the contours of the mountain, trying to keep control along the switchbacks, and passing by quiet country homes with their inhabitants enthusiastically cheering them on.

Colombian flags were waved proudly in the tiny village they got off the carts and began a lengthy trek across the Colombian Andes to their next checkpoint. A dominant feature of the race would turn out to be navigating across such extreme topography. Many teams would find themselves having to take alternative routes and backtracking in order to find the checkpoints.

Teams looked strong as they made it to the first transition point and switched to bikes and began grinding their way up the heavy climbs. Early in this stage the clouds cleared up and brought out the full force of the tropical sun – another prominent challenge teams had to overcome, as every pedal stroke became that much more exhaustive as the temperatures climbed.

After crossing the finish line, Outti from Team Multisport from Finland shared, “For us, the most difficult thing about the race was the heat. And, well, the hills. They are so big here. And then you have the heat and the hills. Very difficult combination.”
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Women’s EMU Stinger Hi & 2 Up Stinger

I LOVE these boots. They are so comfy and warm. They keep your feet toasty warm but not too hot. They are perfect for wearing outside when it is freezing! They do fit about a half size larger than marked. So I would recommend if you wear a 7.5 just buy the size 7. I also found that I still had enough room to wear nice wool socks with them too. This boot is like wearing house shoes all the time. I heard some one say they are so comfortable you would want to sleep in them. I agree!

The bootshaft accomodates a muscular calf, all you fitness fanatics! These boots hold their form. Normally boots will fold at the base of the shaft, but these stay tall and true! And, they come up high enough to keep entire lower leg warm. The sole is made for walking in comfort. There is arch support and footbed padding in these boots thanks to dual-density EVA foam. It does have a pretty thick sole compared to other boots similar in style.

I chose the taller boots, because if you are going to wear this type of boot in cold weather, greater ankle and leg coverage is preferable. In addition, the lining, outer material and overall craftsmanship are high quality. I love that I can put them on with barefeet, go out in the cold and shovel snow, and my feet stay toasty warm and dry. The sheepskin naturally wicks away moisture and deals with odor. I also like the double stitched seams for added strength. I highly recommend this boot. Continue Reading

Having just turned 16 in October, Abby Sunderland set out from Marina del Rey on Saturday to become the youngest sailor to circle the globe solo.

Abby’s brother Zac set the record for the youngest to complete the feat at 17-years-old just last year before being dethroned by British teen, Mike Perham who was 2 months younger than Zac when he finished the voyage. Zac took 13 months for his voyage.

Abby has a more southerly route planned and intends to do the voyage without any stops on land. If everything goes according to plans, she will be at sea for 5-6 months. Her yacht is much faster than her brother’s and designed for the swells that she will definitely encounter on her more southerly route.

If successful with her itinerary, Abby would set a second record by becoming the youngest person to sail around the world unassisted. The current record is held by Australia’s Jesse Martin who completed his unassisted voyage at 18-years-old in 1999.

We wish Abby the best in her endeavor.

The producers of the TV program for the 2009 AR World Championships in Portugal have published their program to YouTube . . . check it out over at www.untamedadventure.com/post/World-Championship-TV-Program-Now-Online.aspx

In the Colombian town of Medellin, there are currently 23 teams racing across this concrete jungle in the 4th running of the 7 Cerros Urban Adventure Race.

The 3 day event began with an adrenaline filled boxcar descent down a steep and windy road cutting across one of the cities many forested parks. Teams ran to grab the first available boxcar and then had to maneuver their way through the chaos of two dozen boxcars trying to get by. Once they slipped out of the mass of competitors, the biggest challenging was controlling the rickety box cars as they reached speeds of up 20+ mph. They were greeted at the bottom with a checkpoint and were sent straight back up the hill in search of the next one. Racers then continued with lengthier trekking sections, utilizing the race maps that offered limited information, they had to find their way through a complex maze of streets, waterways, and tunnels to get to the various checkpoints.

Around mid-day they replaced their running shoes with bike cleats and got on a city bike track where they had 25 laps to complete before they could continue. Jaako, of Team Multisport (Finlandia) said, “I have never cycled on a track before and was afraid it would be boring, but every lap people cheered `vamanos Finlandia – Let´s go Finland` and it made it much more enjoyable.”

Other teams shared a similar experience throughout the race, as they ran past markets and soccer matches, the people would all stop what they were doing; and whether they had any idea of the adventure race or not, they would all invariably cheer them on.

Locals from Medellin competing in the race were even surprised to encounter parts of the city that they had never been to, while the other national and international teams got a crash course on the beauty of Colombia and the city of Medellin. Urban adventure races inevitably change your perspective of a city – while you might have normally continued down the street to a bridge over a shallow canal, you realize that you can easily just jump right over the water and get across much quicker or instead of taking the streets you might just recognize a great little singletrack on your way. In the end, these races have the ability to turn your every day city into an epic playground.
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My previous two pieces in this series (part 1 & part 2) looked at the early 2010 races in the AR World Series.  I’m continuing into the Spring with the events in May, starting with the race in Portugal.  XPD Australia is also in May, but I’ll save that race for next week since I’ve been informed that a big announcement is coming from the Australian AR World Series race in the next few days.

To preview the May XPD Portugal race, I should start with a caveat:

The Portuguese  haven’t officially announced race dates or confirmed that the event is going to happen.  Remember, this is the organization that just finished hosting the World Championship in November, so it’s understandable that they’re late getting 2010 events firmed-up.  I’m thinking they must be a bit burned-out!

I spoke with the leadership in Portugal last week and they indicated they were “very likely” to run a smaller, 3-day, race in May 2010; they were making sure sponsorship support was there etc.  Unofficially, talking with some friends inside the organization, they told me they were fairly certain that there would be an XPD Portugal race in May and that I should look for firm details in the next few weeks.  They also told me Portugal is beautiful in May, and that I should come race . . . and I just might.

Having disclosed the fact that there isn’t truly an official confirmed race date or specifics for Portugal, I do know conceptually that XPD Portugal would like this 3-day race to showcase some of the course alternatives that were left out of the 2009 World Championships.  This likely means a combination of mountains/beaches with some historic castles and quaint villages added for spice.  Sounds pretty good to me!

XPD Portugal is also considered the first race to use the 3-wheel “Trikke” bikes (they started including them in their races about 5 years ago), so it’s a safe bet that you’d see them again in 2010.  There are actually some “Trikke clubs” springing up around the USA, apparently, such as this one in Colorado.

Much has been made over the last few months about the creative XPD Portugal race format, and I won’t cover that topic in detail here.  Instead, I refer you to the summary of the rules I compiled at Adventure World Mag back in November (unfotunately, these were rules many learned during or after the race — including myself!).  Some call it a modified “rogaine” format.  No matter what you label it, I think it’s critical for any team racing an XPD Portugal event to know the rules and strategy implications before lining up at the starting line.  ‘Nuff said.

As for the broader AR World Series picture in 2010, XPD Portugal in May would be the first European non-winter race in the Series for 2010 and I suspect it would be well-attended because the World Championships are close by in Spain this October.  Plenty of regional teams would be eager to earn their place in the World Championships and see Portugal as a warm-up for the Championships.   If the race is announced at 3-days in duration, which all sources are pointing to, you could brace for a fast and furious 3-days of racing in Portugal because the competition will be fierce.

My next instalment in this series will be on the other World Series race in May, way on the other side of the planet in Australia.  As I mentioned earlier, I’ll wait to publish that piece until later on next week.

After a night of sleeping in the car and several hours of following Goggle Maps to the wrong spot over and over I managed to find the right spot on Lake Mead. 24 adventure racers unloading boats,getting bikes ready,and all those last minute “things” you need to do before a race . This is why I like filming and not racing. I don’t have that pre race nervous feeling. I always hated waiting to start. When I am filming I start the minute that I get out of the car. Plus I like to annoy people and how annoying is it for someone to stick a camera in your face while you try to put the wheels on your bike.

The race field wasn’t that large but they came from all over. There was the 3 person CITOO from Canada, Militant Hippies from Park City and Durango, plus Teams from Arizona, California, and Nevada.

There were 2 first timers on the Kayak Lake Mead team.

At precisely some where around 9 the race started with a half mile portage. The Racers had to paddle out around a point to find there race book/passport.

Leg 1 was a 10k paddle with 5 CPs.

I headed for the high ground. I went to the top of o 400 ft ridge and had a great view of the paddling course. When the first team headed back towards the TA I raced them to their takeout. Downhill on foot beats kayaking when the distances are the same as at Desert Winds and the kayaks don’t know they are racing you.

The Militant Hippies were the first out of the water followed by Kayak Lake Mead a few minutes later.

The first leg of the bike was transitional to the trekking leg. The Racers stashed the bikes in a culvert and plotted the route. This was the make or break section of the race. I ran with the Hippies to the first CP, then climbed up out of the canyon to wait for the next team. It is more of a challenge to film a race when you don’t have the checkpoints on your map and in a GPS. I had to parasite off the teams the firsy couple of CPs. Then I could wonder around just like them.
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UGG Australia – Lo Pro Drawstring

Sporty cotton style with thermal lining and shearling insole.

If you are looking for a pair of shoes that are light but will keep your feet warm, these are the shoes for you! I have found them to be comfy and fashionable. I also liked these because they are not your typical style from Ugg, they are great if you’re looking for a boot that isn’t quite as heavy. The cotton upper is a little thinner than other Uggs and the fit definitely runs smaller than most Ugg boots. I wear a size 7, and ordered an 8, they fit perfectly! Since they are not as bulky as other boots of this style, it is a nice alternative and they look a little sleeker. The drawstring is great for adjusting with different pants, too. They look great over a pair of skinny jeans or with a jean skirt. They are a good weight for living in the south where you don’t need extremely warm boots for most of the winter. I found them to have a good fit! Not sure I would wear them in the snow or rain! I also like that they compact down to almost nothing. I recently took them in my carry-on while flying, and ended up changing into them when my higher heeled boots became uncomfortable… instant relief!!

Product Details:
Cotton jersey knit upper with a drawstring tie-up on top half of shaft
Approximate boot shaft height: 11”
Approximate boot circumference at opening: 12.5″
a suede heel guard, and nylon twill binding.
Sheepskin sockliner that naturally wicks away moisture and helps keep feet dry.
Features a light and flexible molded EVA outsole
10 oz.
1/2″ heel

MSRP: $140.00

This is my 2nd installment in the Adventure World Magazine preview of the Adventure Racing World Series.  If you haven’t already, be sure to check out post #1 providing a broad overview for 2010 and a look at Ecuador’s race in the World Series.

February has three races in the World Series, the two I haven’t discussed previously are the Poland Winter Challenge and the Xtremo6000 in Argentina.  The two races are vastly different; the race in Poland emphasizes winter skills like skiing and biking on snow while the Argentine race is in the middle of the warm months for the southern hemisphere, and “traditional” disciplines like paddling, trekking, and regular mountain biking are on the agenda for Xtremo6000.

The Poland Winter challenge has a long history; formerly the Bergson Winter Challenge — and before that the Lion Winter challenge — the race is currently without a title sponsor hence the generic “Poland Winter Challenge” name.  It’s a 5 day race advertising cross-country skiing, trekking, mountain biking, and ropes as the main activities.  They pepper their course with many smaller “special task” challenges such as a tyrolean traverse with your bike, rappels/ascents, or a zip line.  The reports I’ve heard are that these special tasks are very popular and break up the race nicely — not like the “stupid human tricks” some races occasionally include (like this race in Florida had me throwing potatoes in a bucket 20 meters away . . . but I digress).

John Laughlin, racer with the World Champion Helly Hanson/Prunesco team, explained that this Poland Winter Race is a mix of skiing on and off groomed ski trails (“often not groomed” to quote John), mountain biking on snow and ice, snowshoeing, and dramatic rope challenges.  In warm years, there is less snow and it resembles a traditional adventure race a bit more — you might have to hike with your skis a bit — but in most years there is lots of snowy fun.  Furthermore, John remarks that the race “is very affordable, very well organized . . . I’ve done it 3 times and thoroughly recommend it!”
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The Desert Winds Adventure Series has been providing quality adventure races for teams from all over the United States since 2007. This year, The Desert Winds will be producing its first expedition length race September 18th – 25th 2010 in the Mojave Desert just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. This 310 mile (or 500km) race will consist of trekking, mountain biking, rappelling, desert navigation, paddling, and surprises throughout the incredible terrain.

Registration for The Desert Winds Expedition Race is open now at www.desertwindsexpeditionrace.com. Live tracking for this race will be provided on the SPOT Satellite Messenger. The Leaderboard will be provided by Checkpoint Tracker available at www.checkpointtracker.com. Live video updates will be available during the race at www.youtube.com and the race site. The Desert Winds Expedition Race will be a part of the Checkpoint Tracker Series for 2010.

Because we are expecting over 40 teams to participate in the only expedition length race in the west, we are offering discounted registration for the teams that register early. The registration price structure is as follows:

Teams 1 – 20 $2400
Teams 21 – 40 $3000
Teams 41 – 50 $3600
Teams 51 and over $4000
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It was somewhere over Lake Mead when reality started to kick in. Why was I headed to Sin City for an adventure race?

Isn’t an adventure in Vegas doubling down on 18, or making eye contact with one of the guys handing out escort cards.

Luckily for me I was headed to the desert to film the first race in the Desert Winds Adventure Race Series.

I met Robert Finlay, the Race Director, at Primal Quest Badlands last Summer. Through a long complicated  chain of events that some how worked out,He asked me to come to the desert film and produce DVDs for the racers. Two 12 hour,one 24, and a 5 day expidition race in September. Oh yeah, and my wife Paulette Kirby is going with Robert, his son Druce, and Val Chapa to Patagonia next month to race.

I haven’t been to any of the Desert Winds races but I have done my research and found a lot of positive buzz about them.Robert has the same kind of attitude that Paulette and I have, “I’m not sure where we are but it looks fun that way” this should make for an interesting course.

This is what I know so far. The paddle is 15 milesish on Lake Mead. There is a 15 mountain bike ride , and 10 miles on foot. I think you better be on your navigation game if you want to be competitive.

Now is the weird part, I fly into Vegas  and have some time to kill.  I make a lap of the Strip. But a couple of hours of that and  the Fear starts to creep in.  How many strange people can one town hold and how can so many of them be so out of shape that they can’t even climb one flight of stairs without stopping.I head for the desert.

The desert is calm and dark. Soon I will be in my sleeping bag in my rented Toyota. This is the difference between racing and documenting a race. I have no pre race jitters. Just a good night sleep and a day of sticking my camera in their face.

Tomorrow the race.