---

International field descend on Victoria for Keen Adventure Race

Andrew Connolly / 01.04.2008

Teams Canada, Hong Kong, Brazil, Finland and New Zealand are set to arrive in Victoria in a few day\'s time for the 2nd annual Keen Adventure Race. They form part of the 42-team field primed to tackle the 500km, 4 stage, 5 day Keen Adventure Race course starting at Falls Creek on April 8th and finishing at Lakes Entrance in the state’s south-east on April 12th.

Headlining the international field is 2007 winner Gordon Walker – himself the world individual champion that same year – with his teammate Chris Forne, a multiple world regaining champion. Their pedigree is good, to say the least. They will face stiff opposition though from a number of highly competitive Australian outfits. Gary Sutherland’s Team Mountain Designs was 3rd last year and will be looking to improve; while 2006 Australian Sprint Adventure Racing Champion Jarad Kohlar has teamed up with adventure racing icon Tom Landon-Smith to form team Peak Adventure.

The mixed pairs category looks to be just as competitive, with 2007 champions Ian Edmond (NZ) and Nora Audra (Brazil) returning to defend their crown. They will face stiff opposition from 4 times world champion Richard Ussher, racing in 2008 with his wife Elina from Finland. The pair also won the Mark Webber Challenge in Tasmania outright, beating many all male pairs along the way. The main Australian threat should come from New South Wales’ Hugh Stodart and Christie Sym. Christie has been virtually unbeatable in recent times in short course racing, and Hugh is an experienced – and fast – campaigner, so this team should be one to watch.

See All Stories On This Race