Red Bull Defiance
Red Bull Defiance - Back for January 2016
News Release / 12.02.2015
The momentum and success of Red Bull Defiance will continue throughout this year and culminate on January 23 and 24 when the 2016 competition returns to Wanaka, New Zealand.
With most of the key athletes from the 2014 event expressing interest to race Defiance again, the competition is sure to be tough at the top. For many, the highest reward will be the challenge of competing and crossing the finish line, which is no feat in the two-day 160km multisport race.
"I’m super excited about the roll-out of Red Bull Defiance 2016", says Course Designer and defending champion Braden Currie. “After last year‘s success, a lot of strong athletes that I have been racing around the world have shown interest in being a part of the next Defiance. I am really looking forward to seeing a strong international representation from world class athlete’s such as Conrad Stoltz, Ben Allen and Courtney Atkinson. I’m also excited to see more everyday kiwi’s take this event on. It’s a big challenge, but the feedback from last year says that it was well worth the effort with 77% of those who competed ranking it as their top three events of all time.“
The 2016 course stays true to Currie’s original design, apart from one change to the final stage of day one, where the run on the Millennium Track into Wanaka has been replaced by an extended kayak leg. The final paddle is 17km, from the West Wanaka Bridge transition area into the Wanaka Township. The iconic and challenging Skyline ridge run at the end of day two still remains, as does much of last year’s scenic and challenging route.
The Red Bull Defiance course was amazing, it was tough but the highlights made the pain worth it. It‘s definitely on the list for 2016!
Red Bull Defiance is a unique adventure race format that combines traditional disciplines of running, kayaking and mountain bike riding with creative special stage elements, which included abseiling and clay bird shooting in the first year of competition. The 2016 event introduces a new elite women’s team category in addition to elite men’s, elite mixed, and sports category divided into age groups. The total prize pool is $32,000.
Red Bull Defiance 2014 set a benchmark for the toughest, most challenging two-person two-day multi sport endurance race in the world says Red Bull Defiance Race Director, Patrick Mcateer. “True to the nature of this world class event, Red Bull Defiance 2016 brings all the challenging elements of 2014, while increasing the competitor numbers, adding new competitor categories and evolving the special stages with a twist!“
Mimi and Jacky Boisset from France will return and are eager to improve on their third place finish, after narrowly being pipped for second place in the mixed elite team category by husband and wife team Richard and Elena Ussher by only nine minutes in an amazing two-day battle. The hotly contested 2014 category win went to Marcel Hagner and Simone Maier.
“Red Bull Defiance is an event designed by an athlete and this is the key of the success. You get a challenge, competition, a lot of mountains, good spirit, easy and fair rules, and prize money!” Says Mimi Boisset.
We are sure to be back next year in Wanaka for chapter two of Red Bull Defiance, be prepared because Mimi & Jacky are hungry for victory!
Registrations for Red Bull Defiance 2016 are now open. An early bird special is available to a limited amount of teams who register before April 30, 2015. All details can be found at redbulldefiance.co.nz
On January 23 and 24, 2016 in Wanaka, everybody who lines up on the start line faces a unique challenge that is Red Bull Defiance. To compete and finish is a challenge, to compete and win is to defy the odds.
Twitter: @RedBullNZ. Facebook: facebook.com/rbdefiance #Defiance.
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