Albury Adventure Race
New UK Race Series Opens Up the World of Adventure Racing
Press Release / 06.03.2024
Get ready to dive into the world of adventure racing with the hot new event series hitting the UK in 2024! Kane and Alex Magee and Damon de Boor (South East AR), are the masterminds behind this new race series, aimed at bringing more newcomers and young blood into the world of adventure racing.
“We wanted to create fun, quality events that promote the sport of Adventure Racing by offering progressive opportunities into the sport”, explained Alex. “We all have young children, so giving opportunities to families to experience the thrill of racing together is very important to us.”
So, what is on offer? – Two awesome challenges await!
First up, there is “The Pack Challenge”- a short/sprint-style adventure covering around 20km. It's the perfect mix of endurance, navigation and teamwork. For those racers that are experienced in Adventure Racing, this can be treated as an intense sprint course. However, the format also makes it an excellent choice for those new to adventure racing, those with limited time, as well as to families with older children. The Pack Challenge is a mostly marked course with several route options and/or shortcuts for those who wish to make it more manageable.
Then, there's the Wolf Cub Challenge, a scaled-down version at around 8km. It's beginner-friendly and all about family bonding over shared adventures. It’s a fully marked course (so no pressure), just good fun, and the chance to push your limits in a supportive environment. This event is for everyone, and parents are encouraged to bring any child irrespective of if they can ride a bike or run/walk. Balance bikes, trailers, bike seats and rucksack carriers are all welcome. The focus is on the personal challenge and bonding as a family rather than it being a race.
For Damon, these challenges embody the types of events he would like to compete in himself with his children. “You could sprint around the longer Pack Challenge course first thing and be back in time to share the adventure racing experience with your kids,” he said.
Both challenges stay true to the spirit of adventure racing, mixing running, cycling, and orienteering. The team also hope that soon kayaking or similar will even make an appearance! Plus, with teams of 2-4, teamwork is the name of the game.
"We've taken inspiration from adventure races worldwide," says Alex. "We want to break down barriers and make adventure racing accessible to everyone."
The team have taken a lot of inspiration from the Expedition Africa 10 and 25 km events that have been running for several years now.
Franco Olivier, Race Director for Exp Africa said “The future of any sport lies in grass root development. If we can share the joy of AR with children and young families, we help to ensure the future of the sport that has given us so much.”
A key change is that unlike traditional UK race formats – the new events are all about distance, not time. The team hope that this will make the events seem more manageable like a running or cycling event. It's about tapping into the understanding that if you can run 5km or cycle 10 km, you just need to apply those skills to the adventure racing arena.
While the ability to navigate will put some participants at an advantage the planners have swapped out traditional navigation for orienteering 'Special Stages'. The idea is that these allow participants to dip their toe in the navigation waters in a more contained and supported way, as well as giving them the confidence to go and undertake more traditional AR self-navigated formats in the future.
“We're bringing the best of Adventure Racing to the stunning landscapes of South East England and sharing the joy of our sport with everyone in the region. I hope one day that some of these new adventurers will be racing alongside us at expedition races around the world.” Said Damon.
Join in at Albury Sports Club, Surrey (near Guildford) on June 16th for the launch event, or at Highfield & Brookham School, West Sussex (near Liphook) on September 21st 2024.
Ready to adventure? Sign up now at www.southeastar.co.uk
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