Costa Rica Coast to Coast

Jacqueline Windh / 08.11.2007

The eighth edition of the Costa Rica Coast to Coast expedition race will take place this coming April 18-28, 2008 (five days of actual racing). This event is ideally suited to experienced short-format racers looking to move up to their first international expedition-length race.

“My aim is to set a course that is challenging for experienced, elite teams, but that is at the same time achievable to first-time expedition racers,” says Race Director Mike Lapcevic. “No one wants to travel that far to take part in a race, and then end up not finishing.”

Costa Rica’s varied terrain, which includes dense humid mangrove coast on the Caribbean side, sparsely populated tropical jungle, world-class rafting rivers, volcanic peaks in excess of 3000 m, and the arid plains and surf-washed shores of the north Pacific coast, allow Lapcevic to achieve these goals. This race is famous for the challenging treks, which invariably include wild jungle paths, and that some years have racers dealing with sub-zero temperatures in the high country – challenges for even the most experienced racers. But Lapcevic always keeps a few route options up his sleeve for teams that have encountered difficulties – short-course options, or having them ride one of the trekking routes to catch up with the pack – in order to bring everyone to the finish line.

The route is generally about 500 km in length. This year, Lapcevic says that it will be a little bit longer, since it will be starting on the southeastern coast (Caribbean side), ending up on the central Pacific side – a long diagonal route across the volcanic spine of the country. “It will definitely have sea kayaking on both coasts and, as usual, there will be a hard-core lengthy trek through an indigenous reserve.”