Raid The North Extreme to be 2004 World Championships

Rob / 02.09.2003

The World Championship Series is back for 2004, and the Final will be next year’s Raid the North Extreme.

The announcement will be made public shortly in a joint statement from World Series organisers Southern Traverse Limited of New Zealand, and Frontier Adventure Racing (FAR) of Canada, who will stage Raid The North Extreme (RTNX) as the World Championship Final next August.

After being launched in 2001 with a grand final in Switzerland, won by Nokia Adventure, the World Series and World Championships has had a 2 year break, but it’s back for 2004. The format is similar, with the world’s major races forming the series, but this time the final will not be a one-off race. After a bidding system among the qualifying races RTNX will be the hosts of the World Championship Adventure Race 2004.

RTNX has already been Canada’s most successful international non-stop adventure race for five years and the final will be managed and directed by FAR President Geoff Langford, who will serve as event manager and race director. “Over the years, Raid the North Extreme has developed some of the most challenging and interesting races in the world, featuring the incredible geographical diversity and natural beauty found in Canada,” says Langford. “We are very happy to be chosen to host the World Championship and have already begun planning an incredible course and experience for the competitors.”

At present there are seven international adventure races which are part of the alliance formed by New Zealand’s Southern Traverse Ltd as qualifying events under the banner of the Adventure Racing World Series. The championship series creates a solid qualifying platform of events throughout the calendar year, and the series events to date include: Southern Traverse (New Zealand); Raid the North Extreme (Canada); Expedicao Mata Atlantica (EMA) (Brazil); Appalachian Extreme (USA); The Beast of the East (USA); Adventure Quest (Africa). There may be more to come though, as other races from around the world are in negotiations to join up for 2004.

Each winning and second place team from the series’ races will gain automatic invitations to the World Championships and invitations to race will also be extended to the winners of other recognized international races. Entry will also be open to experienced international teams that meet a specified qualifying criteria, so a full field of 50 four-person teams is expected to race, and registration will open as early as mid-December.

Commenting on the relaunch of the Series he began Geoff Hunt, of Southern Traverse said; “The continued alliance of international qualifying races gives true meaning and authenticity to the title of World Championship Team, and we are excited to continue the development begun in Switzerland in 2001.”

For further information racers should watch www.arworldseries.com or www.raidthenorth.com, or just make sure they are registered with this site which is where you always hear international AR news first!