Around the World in 5 stages – The Raid World Cup

09.03.2005

Australia, Sweden/Norway, The United States and Andorra will host the 2005 X-adventure Raid World Cup, starting in May 2005. Each location will host courses to test the technical versatility of world’s best racers: MTB in Australia, Nordic disciplines and orienteering in Sweden, white-water and MTB in the United States and trekking in Andorra. For the 40 best teams, the glittering prize will come in the form of qualification for the 2nd edition of The Raid World Championship, to be held in the middle of September stretching through the Alps of France, Italy and Switzerland.

A Swift Start in Australia

From the very outset of this year’s World Cup, the World’s top adventure racing athletes will strive to gain the maximum number of points towards their overall ranking in an attempt to qualify for the Raid World Championship 2005. In order to succeed, they will have to face the vast open spaces of Australia’s largest state, Western Australia. This year, the teams will be “on their marks“ in Denmark, located in the south of the state, for what is expected to be a fairly swift stage, comprising multiple, short sections, where technical flexibility will be an asset. Mountain bikers will be in their element, especially as MTB is the anticipated dominant discipline, as they snake their way through the heart of dense forests with towering trees. With 12,500 km of coast skirting the Indian Ocean, there is no doubt that the location will also cater for those who like fine, sandy beaches …

To the Far North

The 2nd stage in Riksgränsen will be an entirely different affair. Located 300km above the Arctic Circle, this course will be particularly favourable to those good at Nordic sports. Back country skiing will be the main discipline in Sweden, beneath an inspiring sky where the aurora borealis dances with the midnight sun. In a country renowned for its orienteering prowess, the course will no doubt present multiple route choices; a superb test for the skills of even the best navigators. Paddlers too will have their moment as they navigate across the crystal waters of the splendid Norwegian fjords.