Sabah Adventure 2005
Buffalo Rides in Borneo
Wilson Low. (Photos Chong Kang Wei & Yap Yong Kim) / 24.04.2005
“Every day is a long day.� The observation came from Sabah Adventure Challenge (SAC) race director Aman Avtar Singh as teams pulled into the finish on the second day of his 3-day stage adventure race. Adventure racers on the Extreme course as well as the slightly shorter ‘Adventure’ course were apt to agree. Aman later explained “We are a totally volunteer crew,� referring to his team of organization officials and marshals, “As we understand what racers want, in the SAC, we always maintain that ‘this’ is how an adventure race should be. So our race is special and different from the other races.� Now a well-established entry on the South-East Asian adventure racing calendar, the SAC has gained a niche following amongst outdoor junkies and adventure athletes in the region.
For 2005, the SAC was distinguished by its notable lack of kayaking, but long bouts on the running and mountain biking sections made the course no less demanding. River tubing was originally planned, but due to dismal water levels caused by a prolonged dry spell, three different abseil sections were planned in its place. “Really depressing to have to look at exposed rocks instead of ‘raging rivers’.� Aman remarked in one of his e-mails, “But not to worry, we have other activities planned.�
In total, the race would cover some 150 kilometres for the Extreme and 120 kilometres on the Adventure category. Pradeep Bhalla of Team City Spanners, back for the third time this year in the Adventure category, offered some biking advice: “It is safer to stick with platform pedals.� His words were to prove prophetic on two particular occasions.
The race opener on Good Friday was the pièce de résistance of the race, a demanding 3-hour hike for the 24 teams (teams could be either two- or three-person) from Mesilau Nature Resort into the Liwagu river valley along the scenic trails of massive Mount Kinabalu. The subsequent descent on the mountain bikes was a welcome relief, albeit not without its share of perils. Steep, corrugated fire roads - in many instances scattered with sharp, fist-sized rocks - provided high-speed, hair-raising downhills, while necessitating numerous hike-a-bikes on the subsequent uphills.See All Event Posts
