The venue for the Oceania Championship final of the Adventure Racing World Series has been announced today as the Gold Coast, and the race will now be part of a 5 race series, following the news that Alpine Quest has joined the premier adventure racing series in the region.
The ARWS Oceania Championship final will take place in the Gold Coast from 21-23rdOctober, when adventure racing teams will mountain bike, paddle, trek and navigate their way around 180km (full) or 100km (half), non-stop courses.
The ARWS Championship category is open to teams of 4 which must be mixed sex, and the elite teams will be chasing the Oceania title, ARWS ranking points, and the ultimate prize of a paid-for place in the 2023 Adventure Racing World Championships. There is also a cash prize pool of AUD$10,000.
The race isn’t just for the elite teams, however. The course will be designed to be achievable and accessible to all abilities, remaining open for 36 hours, and allowing teams some choices to provide short-cuts should they need them. (2 person teams and all-male and all-female teams can also enter, but won’t be included in the ARWS championship category.) The sport of Adventure Racing is unique in allowing the world’s best and novice teams to compete together on the same terms.
The weekend of racing also includes the shorter (half) course, which has less distance and a shorter time limit, but many of the same amazing challenges and locations.
The event will be staged by specialist race Management Company Wild&Co and Event Director Chris Dixon is excited about the partnership with the Gold Coast and the opportunities it offers to racers.
“With its majestic sub-tropical rainforest, spectacular waterfalls and cascades, pristine beaches and iconic skyline, the Gold Coast is the perfect backdrop for the inaugural ARWS Oceania Championship,” he said.
He added. “The Gold Coast also offers visiting teams an abundance of accommodation and services for a great trip and is very accessible, by road from many population centres, or via the international airport. It’s a great location for our Championship race.”
Gold Coast Mayor, Tom Tate, commented. “Diversifying our city’s major events calendar is critical as we navigate our way out of the global health pandemic and this high-energy, international, event fits that bill perfectly.
“The Gold Coast's varied natural landscape is the perfect location to host this tough competition and will provide the ultimate challenge for Oceania's top adventure racers. Securing this pinnacle international event reinforces our reputation as an appealing sports and events destination.”
ALPINE QUEST STRENGTHENS THE ARWS OCEANIA SERIES
The 2022 ARWS Oceania Series has now expanded, with the inclusion of the Alpine Quest race, which offers teams a very different location and challenge in the wilderness Alpine terrain of Victoria.
The inclusion of the race also brings into the series the experience and expertise of Serge Kurov and Maria Plyashechko, who have organised over 30 adventure and outdoor events over the last decade. The pair have a passion for adventure racing, and they have competed internationally all over the world; including in Patagonia, Abu Dhabi and China.
Maria commented. “We feel that the ARWS is the right community of experienced Race Directors in which we can run high quality races for our participants to enjoy. We will be a part of an established and transparent structure, with a clear vision and goals on all levels. The advantages the ARWS provides to Race Directors are well-defined and for the participants of the Alpine Quest the ARWS referee will offer an additional point of communication.
“Participants will also have a chance to gain Oceania points to participate in the ARWS regional series ranking, and to compete for the chance to be ARWS Oceania Champions in 2023.”
She added, “It’s been tough couple of years due to Covid restrictions, but we are looking forward to a new chapter with the ARWS community of Race Directors and racers.”
Alpine Quest will take place on Nov. 11-12th and you can find full details at https://alpinequest.com.au
THE ARWS OCEANIA CALENDAR
The first race in the 2022 Oceania ARWS Series will be the Terra Nova Adventure Race on April 2/3rd in Shoalhaven, NSW, with 120 and 70km courses, and a maximum 24 hour time limit for the full course.
This will be followed by the Mountain Designs Geoquest, which is the oldest 48 hour race in Australia (going back to 2002), and where the list of winning teams is a who’s who of world class of Australian adventure racers. The venue will be Shoal Bay, NSW, and the course distances 220 and 120km.
The action then moves to S.E. Queensland, where the 24 hour Hells Bells Adventure Racewill take place over the weekend of August 6/7th.
Entries are now open for all 2022 events in the ARWS Oceania Series, and you can find out more information about the races and the Adventure Racing World Series at; https://arworldseries.com/oceania.
Interviews with the Race Directors and participating teams, plus details of media opportunities and participation, are available on request from Chris Dixon @arws address?.
Photos with captions – available from arworldseriesoceania.com
ABOUT THE ADVENTURE RACING WORLD SERIES
The Adventure Racing World Series is an association of 48 races across 5 continents and 23 countries. The series supports world-class, international, expedition races, which are the pinnacle of the world’s toughest sport, and the development of professionally organised racing at a national level through the ARWS Regional series.
Each Regional Series has its own ranking and championship final, and the ranking points feed through into the global ARWS ranking. The winners of the annual Regional Championship receive a paid-for place at the next Adventure Racing World Championships.
