X-adventure Raid Series

---

High Hopes in the High Atlas

06.05.2004

On the 7th of May the African continent, more precisely Morocco, will host the opener of the 2004 X-adventure Raid Series; stage 1 in the qualifying circuit for the first Raid World. 45 teams from 17 different countries will discover the natural treasures of the High Atlas and the timeless beauty of its typical Berber villages.

This year, the X-adventure Raid Series has chosen a land rich in contrast and colours to launch a landmark season. As the teams cover the 192km course they will discover diverse and striking landscapes nurtured by the Moroccan spring. The High-Atlas offers snow at 4000m in the M’Goun massif, the luxuriant valleys of the d’Aït Bougmez region are cut by swollen and vigorous torrents, and teams will race through luxuriant forests and past the cob-bricked houses of the surrounding Berber villages.

New to the X-adventure concept, but still a very experienced team are the Argentineans of AXN, appearing in the first of 4 stages they have entered. They will hope to earn enough valuable points towards their final ranking to qualify for the first edition of the Raid World Championship, to be held on their home turf at the end of the season.

The two Brazilian teams of Clight Salomon Atenah and Faap Adventure, no slackers when it comes to criss-crossing the planet in search of adventure, will go head to head and will be looking for the same points AXN are seeking to qualify for Zone VII. But this will be an incredibly hard fought group as it includes both North and South America. In this first stage Travelocity and Salomon USA will represent the USA.

The unstoppable Finns of Nokia Adventure are back in the competition, returning to the circuit after a year’s “furlough�, while the Japanese of Samurai Spirit and the Russians of International Dimensions will be unknown, but tough, competition for established X-adventure teams.

The mountainous terrain the raiders will have to tackle over the weekend (almost 6,000m of height gain) and the fact that the 9 sections will, on average, be longer than usuall will no doubt inspire these committed athletes to performance levels beyond those seen on any opening stage of the X-adventure Raid Series thus far. See All Event Posts