Explore Sweden

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To the Land of the Sami

12.05.2005

The second edition of Scandinavia’s premier Adventure Race, Explore Sweden, starts this weekend. Part of the AR World Series event the race has attracted 13 of the best teams from all around the world. Among others, Cross Sportswear of Sweden, Team Buff, from Spain, Team Montrail (US/Aus), and the world champions Nike ACG/Balance Bar. It’s sure to be hotly contested race in an arctic setting.

Last year’s competition was physically and mentally grueling, but also strikingly beautiful and tactically challenging. This year's race promises to be nothing less as the picturesque ski resort of Kittelfjäll in southern Lappland will be hosting the race.

The teams will be exploring the magnificent surrounding mountain terrain as they make their way through the 620 km long race course. Scenic peaks and ridges, icy cold streams, frozen lakes and endless dirt-roads are some of the challenges that await them on this great expedition.

In the mountain areas in Lappland, the Sami people herd their reindeers up and down the mountain sides, in close interaction with the nature. The race course runs through "reindeer country" and the Sami people have been very obliging and friendly toward the race organisation.

The race starts at noon on Saturday the 14th of May, with a snowshoeing/skiing/ropeworks section up the steep ravines in Kittelfjäll, followed by a kayaking section on class 1-2 rivers all the way to Dikanäs. Then comes a long mountain bike ride to Nyluspen.

The teams are expected to be there at 2 am Sunday morning, before some more snowshoeing, kayaking, mountain biking and then a very challenging orienteering section around Vilhelmina, that the teams are expected to start out on at 1 am Monday morning. In the afternoon of Tuesday the teams will begin a spectacular mountaineering section that will take them from Saxnäs to Gielas over glacial mountains and the race finish line closes at 22.00 pm on Wednesday at Kittelfjäll.

During the race SleepMonsters will have daily live coverage by Susan McKenzie to bring you the latest news, interviews with the teams and insight into race tactics.

You can also see more details on the course and expected times at different TA's on www.exploreseweden.se where the live race section will open during Friday.

[Explore Sweden is made possible by partnership with Red Bull, Haglöfs, Petzl and Montrail.]See All Event Posts