World’s Biggest Adventure Race Announces Australian Team

Rapid Ascent / 07.08.2013

Rapid Ascent are excited to announce the Australian team to contest the Tri Nations Trophy at the World’s biggest adventure race, the 2013 Act-Belong-Commit Augusta Adventure Fest in Augusta, Western Australia on Sunday 3^rd November.

Australian Multisport Champion James Pretto (VIC) will be joined once again by 2012 team mate Jarad Kohlar (VIC) who was recently crowned the Adventurethon National Champion; with Townsville Adventurethon winner Bernadette Dornom rounding out the trio to contest the prestigious Trophy.

“It’s always a buzz to represent your country – we adventure racers don’t get the opportunity to do that very often, so it’s a real honour. Plus, there’s nothing like a bit of tri-nation rivalry to get the competitive juices flowing.” Kohlar said on his Australian team selection.

“It’s a privilege to represent Australia and means something special to me. It certainly gives me extra motivation to race and perform well - if not adding just a little bit of pressure.” Dornom said.

The Tri Nations Trophy is a three way competition between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa held as part of the main Act-Belong-Commit Augusta Adventure. Each nation has three designated competitors (two male and one female) all of whom compete as individuals and the nation with the lowest cumulative team time being the winner.

South Africa was welcomed to the competition for the first time last year transforming the Trophy into a three-way battle for adventure racing supremacy and the title of the best adventure racing nation in the Southern Hemisphere.

Jane Swarbreck returns for South Africa, bringing with her two of the country’s top multisport racers, Justin Porteous and Troy Pletts.

“Last year the South African team finished third in the tri-nations competition. I think knowing what to expect this year will help us be better prepared and hopefully we should go better in the competition.” Swarbreck said.

The Australian trio will no doubt be looking to back up their 2012 win (snatched from the New Zealanders from 2011) as they head into the fifth running of the Trophy.

“I think when it becomes a team event, especially against the kiwis and safas, team tactics are essential. They are secret tactics however which revolve around racing as fast and as hard as we can!” Pretto said.

New Zealand’s 2013 team make up includes the 2013 Australasian Multisport Champions Dougal Allan and Simone Maier; along with Luke Osborne who recently won the Crazyman Multisport race in Wellington NZ.

“I was lucky to race in 2010, albeit in a rather underprepared state of fitness, but fell in love with the region and was super impressed with the professionalism behind the running of the event. The tri-nations element also adds a bit of flavour to the whole campaign too.” Allan said.

The premier Augusta Adventure Race is a 63km multidiscipline off-road race with over 1,700 competitors tackling a 13.5km coastal run, 1.9km ocean swim, 13km ocean paddle, 32km mountain bike and 2.5km beach run to the finish.

Over 3,300 competitors are expected across the weekend of 2-3 November, and incorporates two additional race formats to compliment the sold-out premier race; the Mini Adventure Race and Junior Survivor – making it the World’s biggest adventure race.

The Act-Belong-Commit Augusta Adventure Fest is sponsored by the State Government through Eventscorp.

Kohlar relishes in the challenge that the Augusta course has to offer.

“The run in very technical and really separates the trail runners from the road runners early on; the swim is always beautiful and clear, and it’s unique to be able to do it as the second leg, without all the chaos of a mass start; and the paddle involves some great open ocean sections, which I relish – the rougher the better!” Kohlar said.

No doubt we will see some fierce competition as the three nations go head to head on November 3 for some enthralling adventure racing.

Website:  www.augustaadventurefest.com.au

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