Media release: 2010 Challenge Reveals Subtle Changes

June 28th – The Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge retains its traditional end of season slot while changes to the course itinerary and registration fee bring added appeal.

In keeping with the practice established over the last three years, the 2010 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge keeps its December winter slot thanks to the warm Arabian weather found in the emirate at that time of year. This year’s event – the fourth in the series - will take place across the emirate from 10th to the 15th December, slightly later than last year. The six-day endurance race, which places the emphasis on camaraderie and culture, will again start with a triathlon-style prologue in and around the modern, cosmopolitan core of downtown Abu Dhabi City.

However, in contrast to previous years, the teams will then transfer by bus to the Oasis City of Al Aïn, in the East of the emirate, for a confrontation with the rugged outcrops of the Jebel Hafeet mountain range. Next, travelling East to West, they will traverse the vast expanse of the Rub’ al Khali, one of the world’s largest deserts with its rolling 200 metre high dunes, ending the race with a final sea kayaking section back to the finishing line in Abu Dhabi city. This is the first time the race will start and finish in the United Arab Emirate’s capital.

Since its inception in 2007, the race has been hugely successful in revitalizing the sport of Adventure Racing by attracting powerful newcomers from around the globe to compete against seasoned, high-profile squads. In addition to this range of innovative incentives for rookies, this year an “early bird” registration fee has been introduced for the first time. Any team that registers and pays before the end of July will benefit from a €500 reduction on the normal rate of €2,500.

Live race coverage and information at http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/

Next, rope skills

Now that paddling is well underway, we're having a go at rope skills on Saturday, 3 July.

Adventure racer (Team Cyanosis), climber and ropes instructor Ryno Griesel will be taking us through the basics of knots useful for adventure racing, ways to use the compulsory 10m/20m rope, gear commonly used as well as various abseil techniques. He has roped in three other instructors to assist so we'll have loads of personal attention.

Ryno, thank you ;)

I sent this photo tonight to the squad to get them excited about ropes.

This was from Swazi Xtreme in 2002. We climbed up through a kind of chimney system within the rock structure, from where the photo is taken. Then we did the zipline in tandem! And then abseiled down. Quite spectacular. As I recall I think this was Team Red Ants on the system. I was just behind them, racing in a paired team.

Freezin' Full Moon

Most of us are doing Kinetic's Full Moon race on Sat/Sun and right about now most entrants are wondering how good an idea it is to do a race that includes paddling at night in winter - on the highveld. Even the mountain biking is going to turn us into ice blocks! One thing is for sure; we are going to be cold at some stage, regardless of preventative measures. The secret? Keep moving.

Brrr... it's cold, but the good news is that the next bone-chilling cold front is not expected until late-Sunday / Monday.

I'm racing with Steven and Motlatsi, the latter being one of my fellow AR Club members. The other squad members are racing in their own teams with friends.

Check back here on Monday for our feedback from the race.

Paddling progress

It is really amazing how quickly the squad is progressing with their paddling. Yesterday afternoon we had another session with Russell. He is gradually tweaking posture, body positioning, leg action, arm height, reach and stroke. There are many things to think about and much to absorb - paddling takes a lot of concentration until those neural pathways are built. Piece by piece it is all coming together.

This weekend is Kinetic's Full Moon race - brrrrr... We'll be paddling at night. Yes, in this freezing cold.

While we keep up with the paddling and normal training, I'm also looking at developing the squad's other skills. We'll be doing a rope work session with Ryno on 3rd July and I'm doing navigation skills with the squad on 25 July. This should have them very well equipped for Swazi Xtreme and onward.

First meeting and paddle session

Today we got together at Emmarentia Dam for the first time; and our first coaching session with Russell Willis. We were fortunate to be joined by Cheryl and Clinton, who drove two of the Accords. The session went very well, something that can clearly be assessed by the lack of swimmers, which is a very good thing. I like to keep paddling and swimming as two separate disciplines.

Russell's focus in today's session was the reach and catch element of the stroke. Going forward the squad will aim for a session a week with Russell for the next 2-3 weeks - to reinforce good habits from the start. Russell will gradually build in other elements of technique like keeping arms high, take-out, posture, power and such. He was really impressed with everyone today - we've got a great base to build on.

Cheryl, Clinton with Lizelle v/d M., Ilze, Lisa, Coach Russell, Lizelle S., Keane, Steven, Adri

Cheryl and Clinton - special thanks to both of you. Also thanks to William for dropping off and fetching the one boat and to Heidi and Stephan for lending their Accord - plus paddles - to us for the next few weeks (and I've still got Mark and Lobby's Accord- thank you friends).

Squad announcement in the media

• Go Multi magazine (online)
• G-Sport! (online)

Team www.AR.co.za formation announced in Go Multi

A snippet in the new edition of Go Multi magazine announcing that a new Team http://www.ar.co.za/ will be selected for ADAC 2010.

Team www.AR.co.za squad announced

A squad of six adventure racers has been selected from 21 applications for places on Team www.AR.co.za. Only half of the squad members will make the final cut to join adventure racer Lisa de Speville in an unusual three-women-one-man team format at the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge in December 2010.

With six months from squad selection until the 4th edition of the six-day Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, Ms de Speville decided to establish a squad instead of choosing a team outright as she did in 2008 and 2009. “Six months is a long time and anything can happen; from passport issues to injury, a family crisis, work drama... The final team will be chosen after Swazi Xtreme, a 60hr non-stop adventure race in early August,” she explains.

As with previous years, Ms de Speville received applications from many suitable candidates. Her deciding criteria were youth, inexperience and location – selected squad members reside in Jo’burg and Pretoria. “Some applicants had too much experience, which is great for everything else except 'development' initiatives like this - they could probably teach me a trick or two,” Ms de Speville adds, laughing. “Others live in outlying areas where I am unable provide them with sufficient support and infrastructure to prepare them for the race; and a number have the benefit of already racing and training with people with experience who can teach them what I can – minus a trip to Abu Dhabi, that is.”

The Team www.AR.co.za squad members are: Adri van der Westhuyzen (28, Jo’burg), Keane Ludick (26, Pretoria), Ilze Jansen van Rensberg (22, Pretoria), Lizelle Smit (21, Jo’burg), Lizelle van der Merwe (27, Joburg), and Steven Erasmus (28, Jo’burg).

“I’ve got a great bunch here,” says Ms de Speville. “Choosing only two of the women and one of the guys will be a difficult task. But that’s something for August, not now. For the next two months my focus is on equipping each squad member with skills and experience in the disciplines of paddling, navigation and ropes. These skills will benefit their racing long-term.”

The squad meets for the first time on Sunday, for a paddle coaching session.

ends

Contact

Lisa de Speville, 082 936-2509
lisa@ar.co.za , www.ar.co.za
Team Blog: www.teamwwwarcoza.blogspot.com
Event website: http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/