Action Asia Challenge Hat-Trick for team THE NORTH FACE – Flight

Ryan S Blair / 14.12.2009

THE NORTH FACE -Flight has won the Overall Championship for the third straight year in Asia’s premiere one-day adventure race, the New Balance Action Asia Challenge.

This years 50km course required teams to navigate 80% of the route and included 32 km of biking, two team biathlons, steep knife-edge ridge runs, sea kayaking, two abseils, and a short swim. But the biggest challenge by far was one of the most technical and remote river gully sections in the history of the event with over 35 fixed lines to work through and a slippery waterfall rappel.

“That was real sprint adventure racing and the signature of what makes the Action Asia Challenge races so unique,” commented Ryan S. Blair of the winning THE NORTH FACE –Flight team. “We spent nearly 2 hours of the race today in extremely technical terrain with mossy riverbeds and several steep slippery ridgelines with little or no trail to follow ... to win today we were forced to take many risks.”

With a 5-hour finish for top teams, the race pace was breakneck from the start with THE NORTH FACE –Flight leading the charge through the opening bike leg and first biathlon. Team Fortis, anchored by past 5-time Action Asia champion Pedro Ribeiro from Portugal, then took over the lead with a hard charge up the first steep ridge climb on foot. Chiru Racing Bikes, confident following their impressive 2nd place finish in the new Eco-Malaysia event a week earlier, were also pushing hard to hold onto 3rd position leading into the section. But a navigation error by Team Fortis saw them quickly lose 6 minutes and THE NORTH FACE –Flight regained the lead they would hold and build on the rest of the race.

Team Chiru Racing Bikes chased hard the whole way with a solid finish 12 minutes behind the winners and an impressive 20 minutes in front of 3rd place Team Fortis.

For Piers Touzel and Ryan S. Blair of Team THE NORTH FACE - Flight it was fitting end to a year of fighting to keep their top-team-in-Asia mantel. Piers, who two weeks earlier won Asia’s toughest technical mountain bike competition, commented at the finish, “We were determined to do whatever it took to defend our title today, but it was not easy with two very hungry teams pushing hard behind us ... the key was consistent and smooth teamwork due to our experience racing together and no navigational or other mistakes.”

For full results see www.actionasiaevents.com

[Sponsors for the THE NORTH FACE Greater China team include: THE NORTH FACE, Champion System, Specialized, High Performance Sports Limited, Asia Pacific Adventure, & Paradigm Consultants International.]