Malheur Raid XL 2008

Roel Smolders / 15.03.2008

On the 10th and 11th of May 2008, the 6th edition of the Malheur Raid XL is taking place. Starting this year on the shores of Lac d’Heure, the Malheur Raid XL is a 30-hour non-stop adventure race for two-person teams in Belgium, which attracts a large international field of adventure race enthousiasts. Racers will need to conquer about 230 km of hilly roads, jeep trails and single track over 10 to 12 stages. The distance for the different disciplines is approximately 120 km of mountainbiking, 30 km of running/hiking, 25 km of kayaking, 30 km of run&bike, and 2 km of swimming. Of course, all distances depend on your orienteering capacities as you will need to plot your own course.Several special tasks, including climbing, archery, caving and a couple of other surprises are thrown in to keep the teams awake during the long and dark night.

The racer will need to be fully self-suficient with only limited access to a gearbox for refueling. For the lesser gods, there is also a Short track race, which is a 12-hour race in two parts with a 5-hour bivouac in between. For the 12-hour race, two-person teams need to complete about 60 km of mountainbiking, 15 km of running, 15 km of kayaking and 15 km of run&bike. They to will also be faced with special tasks such as rock climbing, archery, and river crossings.

Lac d’Heure, about 35 km south of the city of Charleroi, is a quit, rural and heavily forested area near the French border. Last year, the Malheur Raid XL attracted 43 teams from 11 different countries and this year is aiming for an even bigger international audience. The vicinity of Brussels South Charleroi Airport, home to low-budget carriers such as Ryanair and WizzAir allows for easy, cheap and rapid access to the race headquarters for international teams. A pickup service will be available for international teams at a minimal cost.

Entry fees for the 30-hour Malheur Raid XL are 145 Euros per team, while the 12-hour Short Track race costs 95 Euros per team. All race instructions will be given in both Dutch and English. The Malheur Raid XL is part of the WERS (West European Raid Series) and the X-free Outdoor Festival. For more information visit www.adventurerace.be