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Three South African Teams to Race in Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge

Lisa de Speville / 25.11.2010

The fourth edition of the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge (ADAC) starts in two weeks and, for the first time, three South African teams will compete. They’ll race against a field of 50 teams - from over 20 countries - in the disciplines of mountain biking, sea kayaking, desert trekking and canyoneering. Teams www.AR.co.za, Cyanosis and Mzansi will cover 400 kilometres during this six-day, semi-staged adventure race.

Team www.AR.co.za makes their third consecutive appearance at ADAC. “South Africa’s adventure racing website, www.AR.co.za receives an award from the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority to take a novice team over to the race,� says website editor and team captain, Lisa de Speville. This will be her third ADAC race. Award teams can only have one member with international racing experience. “This year I’ve gone with a ‘girly’ team format of three women and one guy,� she adds. This female-weighted team format goes against the three-men and one-woman norm. De Speville will be racing with Lizelle van der Merwe, Lizelle Smit and Steven Erasmus.

“People usually associate Abu Dhabi with the other well-known emirate, Dubai. They’re neighbouring states, under the United Arab Emirates umbrella,� explains de Speville. “They’re very different�.

Where Dubai is known for its shopping malls and man-made palm-shaped islands, Abu Dhabi has a strong outdoor and sporting focus. Abu Dhabi hosts many premier sporting events like the Abu Dhabi Formula One, the Abu Dhabi Marathon, Abu Dhabi International Triathlon, Red Bull Air Race as well as golf, tennis and cricket. “It’s an amazing outdoor environment; I love the desert and sea kayaking between the islands and mangroves off the city’s coast,� adds de Speville. Temperatures in December are mild and pleasant.

Team Mzansi is lead by Alex Pope, who was a novice member of Team www.AR.co.za at ADAC in 2009. At 22, Pope will be one of the youngest competitors; and certainly the youngest team captain. A member of the South African orienteering team, Pope’s sporting experience belies his age. He is accompanied by Tim Deane and Alan Neate, both experienced adventure racers, and Jane Swarbreck.

The third South African team to race in Abu Dhabi is Team Cyanosis, South Africa’s top team. The team is led by Nicholas Mulde. Clinton Mackintosh, Brian Gardner and Landie Visser complete the team. Mulder and Mackintosh have competed in a number of international events – most recently the Adventure Racing World Championships, which were held in Spain in September. Gardner, who has been racing for many years, and Visser are new to this team.

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