World Series Goes Extrem in Spain

Rob Howard / 16.03.2006

The next World Series qualifier, Bimbache Extrem starts next Monday with a prologue around the ancient city of Seville in Southern Spain.

The twenty teams taking part will race an hour long prologue using a 1:10,000 map and Race Director Antonia de la Rosa is promising the teams will try all the different activities included in the race, including navigation, running, mountain biking, skating, kayaking, abseiling and rappelling.

It’s going to be an action packed start, which will set the scene for the main event, the 400km expedition race through the provinces of Cordoba and Jaen in Andalucia. “The race will guide you through a variety of spectacular places that will enchant you, from medieval castles to ancient constructions and beautiful villages hidden in the mountains,” promises de la Rosa.

The course begins in Córdoba on Tuesday 22nd and the first team is expected to complete the course late on the 24th, and will win a free place in the World Championships in Sweden later this year.

The route will include approximately trekking and ropes (50%), mountain biking (40%), kayaking (10%), plus inline skating and caving. The race has a reputation for spectacular ropes stages and de la Rosa is including a rappel of 120 m into “an extraordinary cave” and a 150 m fixed rope. While the caving is said to be easy and the biking “100% cyclable”, the trekking is described as having, “very long and technical sections, spectacular landscapes, altitudes close to 2000 m, and some snow will be waiting!” Temperatures could range from 0 to 25C.