X-adventure Raid World Cup 2006
Early Season Test for Raid Hopefuls
Rob Howard / 13.03.2006
Some of the world’s most accomplished adventure-racing teams are now travelling to Western Australia where, for the third year running, locals and visitors alike will be looking to kick-start another qualifying season for The Raid World Championship 2006.The prospect of going head to head with local teams, “race-hardened� from competing in a season that started over 6 months ago, seems to have inspired a number of the world’s most impressive adventure racing squads. They are eager to start the 2006 season with a possible windfall of points to ease their way through their regional qualification groups.
However, many Australian teams will also be under pressure to perform as they are taking the risk of competing in this stage alone and placing all their chances on one throw of the dice. They may also be suffering from late season injuries and team changes.
Northern hemisphere teams in contrast will only just be emerging from their winter “downtime�. This opening race of the series is a month earlier than last year, and perhaps a bit too early in the year for some travelling teams. That will not be the only barrier to their success, after enduring the long haul to the Antipodes they will have to contend with the vagaries of jet lag to pick up points from the stage.
There are a record number of nationalities in W.A. this year with visiting teams coming from 8 different countries in all. They include Salomon Crested Butte of the USA, Saab Salomon from the UK, Sport 2000 Lafuma of France and the team Revo, who are registered as Lithuanian.
Race favourites must be AROC, after their overwhelming victory at XPD in Tasmania and Tom Landon Smith’s selection for the Land Rover G4 Challenge, which he starts in April. He’s on a winning streak, but AROC will expect to be pressed by Team Spyder, who are listed as a US team but include John Jacoby, Narelle Ash and Darren Clarke, racing with US ultra-running champion Dave Mackey. Team Millie will be another home favourite.See All Event Posts
