Great Ocean Road Adventure Race

Rapid Ascent / 04.08.2006

Disclosed to racers only 24 hours before race start, the course itself is unbelievably spectacular and takes athletes through wild coastal & national parks. Says champion adventure racer and Race Director John Jacoby, “I have raced in a lot of big races around the world, and it’s a real bugbear of mine that in most races there are sections included merely as a “linking leg” to get to the next stage. Fortunately, the remoteness of this area has enabled me to set a course designed for maximum enjoyment, where every leg has a unique challenge and is a great experience in its own right.”

The title of Shipwreck Coast was not earned lightly, with over 700 ships wrecked on this rugged coastline. Racers in the Great Ocean Road Adventure Race will need to negotiate some of this coastline in kayaks, and in the process will experience some of the best sea-kayaking in the world. Where else can you pass incredible rock formations such as Bay of Islands, London Bridge and 12 Apostles, or be dwarfed by 140 metre sheer limestone cliffs. Says John, “Personally I believe the best way to see this rugged and remote coastline is in a sea-kayak, big motor boats can’t get within 10km of the coastline, so what you will be feasting your eyes on during the kayak leg is something that only a few mad surfers and rock fishermen have had the privilege to see up close. I have been asked by several international adventure racing friends what the kayak legs in this race are comparable to, and although Morrocco Eco Challenge comes close, there’s no other place I’ve paddled in the world that truly compares.”