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/
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