Tasmania to Host 2011 Adventure Racing World Championships

News Release / 27.01.2010

The Minister for Tourism and the Arts, Michelle O’Byrne, today announced an international coup for Tasmania, with the State being selected to host to the 2011 Adventure Racing World Championships after beating competitive bids from France and Poland.

Ms O’Byrne today announced the successful Tasmanian bid with event organisers at Cataract Gorge and said the World Championships would reinforce the state’s reputation as an adventure racing hot spot.

“The 2011 Adventure Racing World Championships is a major coup for Tasmania, made possible due to the highly successful staging of one of these qualifying events in the lead-up to the 2006 World Championships.”

Ms O’Byrne said the World Championships were the annual finale of a series of nine qualifying adventure events held around the world, culminating in a multi-discipline, competitive endurance event which sees teams of four tackle mountain-biking, navigation, kayaking, abseiling, walking and running skills to traverse a course of approximately 700km.

“This is an exciting opportunity to host such an event, one that is an Australian-first.

“In 2006 Tasmania played host to XPD Australia, a multi-sport adventure race that started at the Stanley Nut and finished with a spectacular abseil down Mount Wellington’s Organ Pipes and a run and kayak around the Hobart waterfront.

“XPD 2006 showed that Tasmania was an ideal destination for a future Adventure Racing World Championship.

“The professionalism of the 2006 event organisers along with the collaboration of the Parks and Wildlife Service, Forestry Tasmania, Hydro Tasmania, Hobart City Council and Events Tasmania was a significant factor in the success of the 2011 bid.”

Ms O’Byrne said the 2011 championships is expected attract over 60 teams to Tasmania to compete, including the winners of all the qualifying events as well as invited place-getters and other competitors who meet the exacting standards.

“This event is expected to pump in excess of $1 million in direct spending into the Tasmanian economy.

“Not only will it pour dollars directly into the Tasmanian economy, but the exposure generated through international media coverage and the production of a high-definition TV documentary will be priceless.

“Events like this can only boost Tasmania’s status as the premier adventure sport destination in Australia, and I congratulate the race organisers Geocentric Outdoors, and all those who have been involved in winning the bid to host the 2011 event” she said.