Solo in Costa Rica

Rob Howard / 13.03.2006

‘Between Two Continents, Between Two Oceans’ is a rarity, a solo expedition race which the organizers, Euforia Expeditions, are calling the toughest race Costa Rica has ever hosted. Taking place from April 10-18th, it has attracted world-class racers who will compete on a 250 kilometer course up mountain peaks, along whitewater rivers and into the heat of the rain-forested Pacific plains.

Breaking from the team-racing format of most adventure races, this one will pit top athletes against one another throughout 60-80 hours of continuous racing. For the winners there is the prestige of a solo victory against top class competition, and for both the men’s and women’s categories the prize is substantial, US$12,000 in cash.

“The course is very tough, and only the best will be able to finish it,” said Gerhard Linner, a Costa Rican race veteran. Over the years Gerhard has seen the worst the country could throw at its challengers, but he insists that Euforia’s monster is “the hardest of all”.

“In what has gone before in Costa Rica, there’s nothing that compares,” he says. “You have to be prepared physically and mentally, because you’re not going out there to play around.”

The course rises and falls through an elevation range of more than 6,000 feet where contestants will be assailed by drastic temperature shifts from cool mornings of around 12° Celsius, up to 35° C or more during the day. The variety of disciplines racers will be tested on includes trekking, navigation, kayaking, swimming, rappelling, mountain biking, canyoneering and more.

The race has attracted some big names in the international racing community, including Paul Romero from the U.S. Team Sole, Silvia Guimaraes “Shubi,” of Brazil’s Oskalunga, Rafael Campos of Brazil’s Quasar Lontra, Danelle Ballengee from the United States, Rubén Mandure Gómez from Uruguay and Ernesto Rivas from Mexico.