Adventure Racing News The Bull Of Africa is back

South Africa is one of the countries where I took my team International Adventurers to race and we were the first International team to compete in South Africa in Africa Quest.

Now follows the announcement that The Bull of Africa will once again be part of the AR world championship series next year/



The Bull of Africa, South Africa's most prestigious expedition adventure race, is back on track for 2008. This announcement was made this week by race organizers Hano and Sonja Otto of ACE (The Adventure Centre of Excellence) and dates have already been set to run the event from 9-16 August next year.


Seven Days, 570km of expedition racing across unforgiving territory, and a select field of more than 30 local and international adventure racing teams will once again battle it out in The Bull of Africa, one of the toughest sporting challenges on earth. This unsupported expedition-style event will pose a gruelling challenge, both mentally and physically, and only the cream of the AR world need apply. These athletes will face a variety of disciplines, including ocean paddling, river rafting, coasteering, trail running, mountain biking, swimming, navigation and extreme sections of rope work.


The rugged mountains, valleys and tempestuous coastline of the Eastern Cape and legendary Transkei Wild Coast will provide a suitably dramatic backdrop to The Bull of Africa. Soaring sea cliffs, mangrove swamps, indigenous forest and Big 5 game reserves will add to the awe-inspiring experience as racers traverse the heartland of the amaXhosa people. Teams will also have the opportunity to interact with the local communities, thereby experiencing the rich tapestry of local culture and tradition.


The Bull of Africa is set to start on Women's Day (August 9th, 2008), thus focussing attention on the many women excelling in adventure racing. A separate women's race category will see female-only teams from New Zealand, Brazil, USA and South Africa competing for honours, and a number of teams have already expressed interest. The organisers also recently attended the XPD race in Australia to market the event, and the massive interest shown by the teams they approached can only bode well for the future of the race.


As a key event in the prestigious Adventure Racing World Series, the history of The Bull of Africa dates back to 2004. ACE (Adventure Centre of Excellence) hosted the first event three years ago, and it was the Canadian Team Holofiber under captain Lawrence Foster who triumphed then. In 2005, the desolate Richtersveldt region again hosted 11 overseas teams challenging the South African contingent, and once again the foreigners walked away with the spoils. This time it was Team Merrell Wigwam Adventure (USA/NZ), who crossed the finish line in just over four days.


Only a shortened version of the race was presented in 2006, and sponsorship challenges forced 'The Bull' to take a "rest" this year. The organisers have however worked hard behind the scenes, and a significant sponsorship deal was brokered with a dynamic group of young businessmen. "BUNKER CAPITAL has come on board as event partners, and we are happy to report that this secures the financial future of our exciting event", said Hano Otto. "They are as excited as us, and together we believe that we can once again make The Bull of Africa one of the premier adventure racing events on the international calendar".


Further good news for competitors is that the sponsors have put up an impressive R300 000 (US$ 40 000) in prize money. The Bull of Africa will also act as one of the qualifiers for the Adventure Racing World Championships to be held in Brazil in October 2008. This will be the culmination of the Adventure Racing World Series, an international circuit of premier AR events representing 10 countries hosting professional events over a 12 month period. The official web site for the AR World Series will be http://www.sleepmonsters.com/ while Casio Pro-trek will be the official watch sponsor. In SA, the web sites http://www.ar.co.za/ and http://www.ndorfin.co.za/ will be official partners of The Bull of Africa.

David Ogden
International Adventurers

International Adventurers - Oman Adventutre 2007 9-14 th Dec

Last chance for Entries

Registration for the third Oman Adventure, the world’s biggest bike-and-run
event, has been open since the end of June.
If you have not yet contacted us, please do so urgently to secure your spot
among the 40 participating teams.
There are a limited number of seats available on flights to this
increasingly popular destination, so it is important not to put off registering.
In order to start securing seats right away, Sinbad-Voyages, the company
responsible for non race-related logistics, has decided to offer a 5% discount
to all competitors who book before 20 September. GFC, organiser of the event
and its communications, is joining them in this initiative.
Of course, this discount applies to all the teams already registered.
The third Oman Adventure will take place in a different region to that of
the first two editions. Competitors will discover a new side to this vast and
amazing country, through an event that brings together specialist runners,
trekkers, triathletes and mountain bikers.
Pricing details for the Sinbad Voyages package can be found in the circular
included with this bulletin.
For details on the event, visit: _www.authentiqueaventure.com_
(http://www.authentiqueaventure.com/)
Event dates
9 to 14 December 2007
Trip dates
7 to 16 December 2007
Number of legs
Six, including one at night
Distance to cover
Approx. 300 km
Distance covered daily
30 to 60 km
Difference in altitude
Approx. 5,000 m. To be confirmed
Cost of registration
700 euros per team
Number of teams
40
Package price
2,000 euros _infos@sindbad-voyages.com_ (../anglais/Sindbad)
Information
GFC: +33 (0)297575357 / _omanadventure@aol.com_ (mailto:omanadventure@aol)
Equipment
1 mountain bike for two
Web site
http://www.authentiqueaventure.com/SPIP-v1-8-3/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=177




Gérard Fusil Consultants
Botergollec
56 400 Brech - France
tel +33 (0) 2 97 57 53 57
fax +33 (0) 2 97 57 50 35
mail : _gfusilcy@aol.com_ (mailto:gfusilcy@aol.com) , _omanadventure@aol.com_
(mailto:omanadventure@aol.com)
http://www.authentiqueaventure.com/SPIP-v1-8-3/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=177

Oman Adventure is the toughest Bike And Run competition worldwide, an 8 days
adventure-race
organized every year by GFC in Sultanate of Oman and internationally aired
by major networks

David Ogden
International Adventurers

Third addition of Oman Adventure Bike and Run 9-14th December

The third Oman Adventure will take place like every year in December, from 9 to 14, and will once again be held in an entirely different region. The Sultanate of Oman is a vast and varied country that could be the setting for innumerable races in open nature between its mountain summits that rise to 3,000 metres, its 1,700 kilometres of magnificent coastline, its deserts of all kinds and its wadis dotted with oases.

The formula of the race has not changed. The basic discipline is bike and run: one bike for two. All strategies are permitted, giving bike and run its full range of possibilities in Oman Adventure. Team spirit plays an essential role in the event. The little "tricks" to gain time are decisive. Moreover, two contestants with a mountain bike can go nearly everywhere. When it is not possible, on certain sections, the 4X4 takes over to carry the bikes and the contestants set out on foot, hiking down rivers (aquarando) or overland.

Oman Adventure is a very open competition. It attracts raiders, triathletes, trailers and marathon runners who prepare for the event by working on the direction-finding bases with GPS points provided in advance.

The competition, as it should be in all races in which the spirit of adventure plays an important role, is open to all. The best produce astonishing averages but the runners-up also experience a competition adapted to their level thanks to the two rankings: Extreme and Adventure. Everyone spends each night camping out in an unspoiled natural setting in an atmosphere that contestants say is unforgettable.

Loyal to their principles, the GFC organisers are pulling out all the stops to ensure that this competition is financially affordable by the greatest number of contestants. The fee for registering a team with GFC is 700 euros and the tour operator Sinbad-Voyages has prepared a complete package including the flights, the transfers, the hotel nights, the 4X4 backup with driver, the breakfasts and the dinners.

GFC also ensures that the sponsors of teams get significant media coverage thanks to the large-scale production of images, with material sent out each day to all the televisions of the world, and thanks to its solid know-how in disseminating information on all the continents.

Registrations are now open. The places will be limited this year to forty teams for reasons of logistical infrastructures. Twelve teams have signed up, so there is no time to waste. A down payment of 200 euros enables the teams to book their place in the race.


Dates of the race 9 to 14 December 2007
Dates of the round trip 7 to 16 December 2007
Number of legs Six including one night leg
Distance to cover +/- 300 km
Distance per day 30 to 60 km
Difference in height +/- 5,000 metres. To be specified later
Registration fee 700 euros per team
Number of teams 40
Package price Set by Sinbad-Voyages infos@sindbad-voyages.com
Information
GFC: 02 97 57 53 57/

Here is route of last years race


Equipment
1 mountain bike for two
Website http://www.authentiqueaventure.com/

Nike Win ARWorld Championship in Scotland

David Ogden
International Adventurers


Team Nike re-crowned ARWorld champions for the 2nd year in succession at 0612 Today . yesterday they forced the pace over the Mountains of Glen Coe, leaving long time leaders Helly Hansen in their wake, so Large was the lead that they finished before the 2nd place team start the ascent of Ben Nevis.

French Team Wilsa Helly Hansen were unable to match the speed of Nike Who broke away from them crossing Rannoch Moor carrying Kayaks, and then extended their lead in the mountains surrounding Glen Coe


A Disappointed Balance Vector will cross the line behind them but they missed a crucial cut-off yesterday so are on a shortened route with a time penalty. Like many teams they had been caught out by the cold wet condition which caused many competitors to suffer from Hypothermia, requiring frequent stops in shelters to warm up a little.

Spanish Team Buff Colormax are fighting for a podium finish one and half hours behind Wilsa Helly Hansen and having a tussle with first stage winners Orion Health they rested prior to bike to the foot on Ben Nevis.

The race has had a high attrition rate like the Original classic races of Raid Gaulloises and Elf Authentique adventures, where it was survival of the fittest.