New Australian Adventure Racing Series Announced

Press Release / 17.01.2017

“Trek. Kayak. Bike. Navigate. Survive.”. That’s the rally cry for Adventure 1, the new Australian Adventure Racing Series launching today that combines four of Australia’s flagship events, Geoquest, X-Marathon, Hells Bells, and Wildside.

With a $10,000 prize purse up for grabs as well as a chance to make sporting history, a world class field is expected to sign up for the series which is seeking to accelerate the burgeoning profile of the sport, often described as the ultimate test of human endurance.

Adventure 1 will test teams of four athletes across four unique races from 24 hours to five days in duration. Each race will be non- stop and involve the four traditional disciplines of trekking, kayaking, mountain biking, and navigation. Points are awarded at the end of each race according to a results scale and accumulated over the series to determine Australia’s champion team.

A year ago, Adventure 1 Series chief executive Todd Vickery was working overtime as a senior manager on multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects. This year he’s trading the boardroom for the great outdoors as he steps on the gas to create Australia’s first ever multi-day adventure racing series.

“Adventure 1 will redefine the sport of adventure racing in our region and place it high on the international calendar,” said Mr Vickery, an enthusiastic competitor who has participated in events in Australia and overseas.

“We love adventure racing and want to grow participation as well as promote it to new audiences. The sport’s potential is unlimited. We’re inspired by how far triathlon has come over the past 30 years and how much extreme sports have grown over the past 10 years and don’t place any caps on what we can achieve.

“We’re proud to be sanctioned and supported by leaders in adventure racing, namely the organisers of the races that make up Adventure 1 who have already done so much to create world class sporting contests,” he said.

Mr Vickery said Australia’s most successful adventure racer Rob Preston has signed on as Adventure 1’s Ambassador.

“Adventure 1 is focussed on providing pathways into adventure racing and will become the breeding ground for future Aussie legends of the sport, like Rob, to go on and compete on the world stage,” Mr Vickery said.

He said Adventure 1 would be supported by Live Tracking at every race. Friends, family and supporters along with thousands of people around the world will have the opportunity to track, watch and record every minute of every race journey of every team from any laptop or mobile device.

“Adventure 1 is not just built on winning. It’s about sharing the excitement of adventure racing as well as the journey of those teams and individuals who push their own boundaries of human endurance to the limit to simply reach the finish line,” Mr Vickery said.

“You will be able to watch key moments in the event unfold, decisions made and leaders swapping on your screen. It is a brilliant way to bring supporters and fans closer to the event and be part of the adventure,” he said.

Adventure 1 will kick off when up to 30 teams get racing at X-Marathon, the first race of the series, to be held at Metung, East Gippsland on March 10.