Cameron Diaz puts the X-rating into Adventure Racing

Rob / 22.12.2003

Movie and celebrity websites have recently been carrying news that Hollywood superstar Cameron Diaz is to take the part of a Playboy model in a film called X-Girls.

It’s not all it might seem though, as the film, described as “a female empowerment comedy about women who, with the help of one seasoned male guide, overcome seemingly impossible odds”, is all about taking part in Eco-Challenge!

Diaz is to take the role of one of the centrefold models who have raced, but it’s not clear if the film is about the first ‘Playboy Extreme’ team, which raced in Borneo in 2000, or Team Smirnoff Ice Playboy X-treme, who took part in the last Eco-Challenge in Fiji in 2002.
The news stories say the film is about the first ‘female dominated’ team to finish the race, but neither team managed to complete the full course. The team in Fiji got to CP6, about half way around, and withdrew (as did most in that race), while the Borneo team were unranked, but did get to the finish line. However, it’s being scripted by Mark Steinlen, whose wife, Carrie, was on the team in Fiji.

Hollywood does not bother about factual accuracy too much, so maybe the film will be a mix of both stories, but it will be interesting to see what 20th Century Fox makes of the idea of adventure racing. (Maybe top names in the sport should consider putting themselves forward as highly paid ‘consultants’ to help them out.)

All of the stories to date refer to Eco-Challenge as a TV show, rather than a race, apparently it’s “the most gruelling adventure reality show on television”. The film, due out in 2005, will be the biggest publicity blitz adventure racing is likely to get and will be another coup for the Eco-Challenge. Let’s hope the race has taken place again by then.