Gettin' on the water

With Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge little over two months away, we're all on the water in preparation for those two long paddling stages that hit on days two and three.

Alex and I have been paddling here in Joburg - two or three times a week. Germiston Lake is nearby, so we've been there quite a bit, including this morning. We've also had a session at Emmies and another at Homestead.

Morning paddle at Germiston Lake (Lisa & Alex)

Francois had been paddling in Pretoria, at the LC de Villiers dam and this past weekend he put in a long session at the pretty Rust de Winter dam, which is an hour or two North of Pretoria. Christo is in Bloem, so he has been playing down there.

We'll all paddle together next month when Christo is up here for the Crater Cruise MTB event - this includes coaching sessions with Russell Willis.

Meet the team: Alex Pope

Alex is the one team member that Lisa knows the best; from years of orienteering. Alex (21) is a 4th year electrical engineering student at Wits: "I picked the right degree somehow and I'm really enjoying it," he says of his studies.

Although Alex enjoys biking (road and mtb) and running, his favourite discipline is orienteering. "I have been orienteering since I can remember. I started cycling at about 15 and I've done every 94.7 Cycle Challenge since." It is in orienteering that Alex has really excelled, winning the SA junior title for many years. He has competed at big orienteering events in Lithuania and Sweden.

Three years ago Alex started doing sprint adventure races. "I gradually became faster and gained experience with each race. But I always felt that I couldn't really call myself an adventure racer until I had done a long race. That finally changed in January when I did the Uge Classic." For Alex his race presented a steep learning curve on this introduction to longer races because his team was really fast with more experience.
Alex is competitive, but he's happy to participate in any event just for the experience. "I think experience is better if you go fast, but I'm happy to have fun by being outside, with interesting people in challenging situations," he says.

Over the next few years Alex has his sights on a number of challening events, including Wartrail, Swazi Xtreme and Cape Epic. He may goes on to do a Masters degree in 2010; an attractive option not only professionally, but because of the time and freedom that being a student allows for lots of training, sports events and travel.

Meet the team: Francois Jooste

At 20, Francois is the youngest member of Team http://www.ar.co.za/. He did his first road race at the age of six and the mountain biking bug then bit, winning Provincial and National titles in his age group.

Six years ago Francois did his first adventure race, a 65km at Hadeda Creek in Parys. He was hooked. "Since that day I have been blessed to do many one-day races, from sprint races to 120km; and we've won a few!". Francois took part in the International Schools races (nine-days, 500km) in 2006 and 2007.

One of his long term goals is to qualify for the Olympics in track cycling.

Francois is currently studying mechanical engineering at Tuks and he recently started his own business - http://www.brainsonsite.co.za/ - a company that provides tutors to high school students.

Francois is driven and self motivated. "Although Lisa had not yet met me, in her email introduction of each team member to each other she said, 'Francois is organised with good attention to detail (dots his i's and crosses his t's) and he has consideration and appreciation for his team-mates and others involved in supporting his team'. It’s probably one of the most truthful sentences I have ever read, but it is one that I could never formulate."

Francois says that his best traits are his ability to maintain attention to detail whilst looking at the bigger picture and the stubbornness to never give up.

Francois is a fast and competent runner and his paddling experience is diverse (his family has a place in Parys so he's paddled a lot on the Vaal river and dam in different boats). But, it is his biking dominance that will really add to the team's strength.

Together for the first time

Team www.AR.co.za got together for the first time this past Sunday, at the UGE Events trail run in Parys.

I haven't seen Christo in about two years, so it was good to see him again. The guys all got to meet each other for the first time and I echo Alex's post-meeting sentiments, "We've got a great team".

After the trail run, over lunch, we went through equipment lists and other logistics. Top priority is paddle training, which begins this week. We've got three months to prepare and we'll all do some sessions with paddle coach Russell Willis; his training really helped last year.

The next time we'll all get together will be early October; and then again in November for the foot and mountain bike rogaine.

Getting together yesterday has ignited a buzz of excitement and made our team feel 'real'. We'll keep in contact a lot over the next few weeks and I look forward to our next meeting.

(Would you believe that I forgot to take a photo of us together - Arrrggghhh!)

Media Release: ADAC - Unique and Universal

By combining an accessible stage format with a convivial race culture and exposure to local traditions, the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge affirms its universal appeal by, once again, drawing widespread interest from teams around the globe.

From overall course design, rules and regulations to logistical support and cultural context, all aspects of The Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge are carefully fine-tuned to bring out the best in every competing team. The stage-race format allows athletes to give 100% during the day’s racing while benefiting from the restorative qualities of an evening bivouac. Optional routes, included in the longer, more challenging stages, allow teams to maximise their physical effort by racing at their own rhythm, incurring a time penalty rather than dropping out altogether through exhaustion. If a team wanders off-course enough to require direct intervention from the organization, penalties are incurred but provision has been made to avoid exclusion from the race altogether. Winning is for one; participating is for all.

Although teams are free to bring their own equipment, the organisation provides top quality MTBs, and state of the art sea-kayaks to every team. All the logistics involved in transporting teams and gear between stages and serving hot meals in the transitional bivouacs is also covered by the organisation, eliminating the need for support crews.

Last year, this innovative and unique set of credentials attracted an exceptional field comprising 36 teams from no fewer than 19 different nations, establishing The Challenge as the world’s most cosmopolitan adventure race ever - a record well within sight this year as pros, seasoned amateurs and neophytes already flock to register for the 2009 event. Many “early adopters“ are completely new to the race with the likes of ARCTIC EXPLORERS (GB), DOLPHIN TEAM XTREME (NL) and KINESIUM (FRA) joining ranks with returnees SALOMON CRESTED BUTTE (USA) and SPELEO SALOMON (POL) to name just few. A common refrain among newcomers is echoed by Dave SAVVAS, captain of expat Australians SOUTHERN CROSS: “The format is unique and this really inspired us to get a team together for this year. The combination of events, especially the desert trek, is exciting and will definitely test us as a team. The environment is also unique and, whilst we are living in the UAE, there is no better way to really get a true appreciation of the environment…”

There are few arenas in the AR world that inspire both rookies and established champions – the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge is one of them.

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

No inline skating - thank goodness!

We've just received the most recent event information from the race organisers of Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge today. Confirmed disciplines include:

Adventure Triathlon (stage 1)
Sea Kayaking
Mountain biking
Desert Adventure Running
Mountain Adventure Running
Rope Activities

I am VERY relieved to see that we have no inline skating, a discipline that was only included in the first edition of the event (this will be the third). Inline skating never really caught on as a sport in South Africa like it did in Europe and, it appears, California (they have people on the beach boulevards on skates...). So, I'm relieved that the disciplines are as per last year.

The first stage is an Adventure Triathlon, which includes biking, sea kayaking and adventure running. The new addition to this line-up is swimming. That should be interesting. No idea about the distance - we'll find out when we get there.

Meeting each other

Shortly after the team was announced, Alex headed for Knysna to take part in the many events held during the Oyster Festival and he is currently in CT on a course. Francois is in Pretoria, Christo is in Bloem and I'm in Joburg. So, as yet, the Team www.AR.co.za members have not yet all met each other, although we do communicate on email.

The exciting news is that I'll meet Francois on Saturday morning at the Springbok Vasbyt, which is held from the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria and I'll see Christo in early August when I'm in Bloem.

We have got a team event diary where we've logged the events that we want to do over the coming months - as indidivuals and pairs or team. Some events we'll be at the same event but taking part as individuals. Between the four of us there is a lot on the go.

Aside from this my 'team management' principle is simple: each team member knows his/her strengths and we know the training we need to do in preparation for regular events and ADAC. I leave everyone to it. I'm away for much of August and as it is still cold, we'll only start our full paddling focus at the beginning of September. Then we'll see each other a lot more - especially me, Alex and Francois, with some fun events and stuff with Christo on weekends.

So, for now we're ticking over and keeping in regular contact with each other.