Registration for Yak Attack 2013 Is Now Open

News Release / 10.04.2012

Registration for Yak Attack 2013 is now officially open. The 10 day, 400km stage race is commonly recognised as the highest mountain bike race on Earth and one of the toughest on the world race calendar. Since its conception 6 years ago, the race had been attracting a steady stream of international riders and last year played host to 2 pro riders from the Toppeak- Ergon team.

Despite this an international victory has never looked likely, with Nepali riders being victorious in all 6 previous races, so organisers, Extreme World Challenges, are "dangling a carrot" to try and find that elusive international winner by offering to refund the entry fee of the first non Nepali rider to make top place on the podium. Australian rider, Peter Butt has been the only non Nepali to podium so far with a hard fought 3rd place in 2012, but Nepal National Champion, Ajay Pandit Chhetri has had it pretty much his own way for the last 3 years with victories in 2010, 2011 and 2012. However, with entries already coming in from a previous Trans Rockies winner and a top 20 La Ruta contestant, things could change in 2013 ..

The race starts in Nepal's capital city, Kathmandu and traverses the Himalayan foothills for 4 days before heading off into the remote Annapurna mountain range, crossing the formidable Thorong La Pass at 5416m above sea level during stage 9. Riders will encounter a temperature range from around +30c during the first 4 days to -20c on day 9, will climb over 12000m on mud, rock, sand, snow, cross suspension bridges, battle past pony trains, and have to endure the hardships of 10 days racing in a third world country with very few home comforts, but nearly all previous entrants describe as "an experience of a lifetime".

International entries are limited to 25 places, are considered on a "first come first served" basis and are expected to sell out very quickly. Details for registering for the race can be found here. 

For those riders that aren’t ready to take on the highest mountain bike race on Earth, there are still places left in Yak Attack's little brother, Trans Nepal, a 5 day stage race from Kathmandu to Pokhara starting on December 26 2012 - details about this race can be found here. http://www.extremeworldchallenges.com/index.php/future-challenges/87-trans-nepal-kathmandu-to-pokhara?start=1